10 Effective Ways to Rid your Home of Mice

Having mice in your home is definitely a problem. They can make a mess and carry disease. They do not discriminate between a clean or dirty home; they are just searching for food and shelter. Listed below are ten effective ways to rid your home of mice; some are more humane than others, but all have proven affective.

1. Mint. For whatever reason, mice do not like the smell of mint. Soak a cotton ball or rag in peppermint oil and place it where you think the mice are entering your home. Or place fresh mint leaves instead. Just remember that you need to replace the leaves, as soon as they dry out. Another option would be to plant mint around the perimeter of your house to keep them away.
2. Close Up Their Entry Points. If you can tell where the mice are getting into your home, such as a hole in the siding or roof, then you can fix the problem. Seal up these areas with steel wool, since it is harder for them to chew threw than wood. Then you only need to get rid of the ones remaining inside.
3. Get Rid of Their Food Supply. Remove all food sources from lower cabinets and keep them up high in plastic or glass containers, this includes human as well as pet food. If the mice can’t find anything to eat, they will move on.
4. Mothballs. Mothballs are a great way to deter mice from your home as well as the garage. If you have small children, however, you’ll want to make sure that the mothballs are not placed where they might find might them.
5. Set Traps. A good trusty trap may be the solution you are looking for, if you have mice in your home. There are a variety of different traps, some live, some not so live. Purchase a trap depending on your preference, and use peanut butter instead of cheese or other food sources for bait, since it is sticky and they can’t steal it without setting off the trap.
6. Get a Cat. This is probably the best way to keep mice out of your home. Cats are a natural predator for mice and will solve your problem in no time. If you do not have a cat and do not wish to keep one, you can always borrow a good mouser from a friend and set it loose in your attic, basement or garage, depending on where your problem is.
7. Leave Out Some Soda. Leave out a carbonated beverage in a small dish for them to drink. Sounds strange, I know, but mice do not have the ability to expel gas, if you know what I mean. They will get bloated and die.
8. Poison. Poison can be very effective at killing mice. You need to be careful if you have pets or children in the house, as it can poison them as well. Even though it is affective, I personally do not recommend poison, since now you have dead mice somewhere in your house to find.That can create a very unpleasant odor problem.
9. Sound Waves. There are devices you can purchase that you plug into a wall near the source of entry. They make high frequency sounds that keep the mice away. Be mindful if you have other pets, as this can irritate them as well.
10. Call an Exterminator. Because they can be expensive, we saved this one for last. If you are at your wit’s end, and tried everything. Call in the professionals.

Getting rid of mice in your home can be a hassle, but it’s not as bad as leaving them alone. The list above contains both humane ways to rid your home of mice, and some not so humane ways. Try one or a combination of these to solve your mouse problem.

Taken From DoorFly