How to Get Rid of Mice Forever

Wear rubber gloves when handling the mice caught in traps.

There are several diseases carried by mice, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including the plague, hanta virus, rat-bite fever and salmonella. Mice will enter a home in search of water, warmth and food and once there, will leave behind droppings that will spread the unwanted illnesses to your pets and family. Getting rid of nuisance mice forever is done through trapping, habitat modification and exclusion.

Things You'll Need

• Snap or glue traps
• Bait
• Plastic bag
• Outdoor trash can
• 1/4 inch hardware cloth
• Commercial mice repellent
• 1 tsp. peppermint oil
• 3 cups warm water

Instructions

1. Trap any existing mice with snap or glue traps. Set the traps anywhere mice dropping are noticed or under the sink, inside drawers and behind the toilet. Bait the traps with a small piece of cheese or dollop of peanut butter. Check the traps daily and place any captured mice inside a plastic bag that is then deposited in an outdoor trash receptacle.

2. Examine the exterior of your home for any holes, cracks or other damage. According to Minnesota Nuisance Wildlife Control, a mouse will squeeze through a hole the size of a pencil. Seal or repair any holes this size and larger in your home's siding, foundation, doors and windows to prevent entrance by nuisance mice. This includes replacing any cracked or broken weatherstripping around the home's doors and windows.

3. Cover any exterior vents, including the dryer vent, with 1/4 inch hardware cloth. Mice will gain entrance into the home through these large openings.

4. Remove any possible hiding places around the home's perimeter and garage. This includes brush piles, firewood, weeds and trash. All of these will provide a haven to the mice, attracting them to your home.

5. Cover your outdoor and indoor garbage cans with a tight-fitting lid. Avoid feeding your pets outdoors and pick up any leftover food. Eliminating possible food sources from your home will make your property less attractive.

6. Spray a mouse repellent around any possible entrance holes. Use a commercial mouse repellent, available at home improvement and hardware stores, or create your own repellent with 1 tsp. peppermint oil and 3 cups warm water.

Tips & Warnings

• People have tried all sorts of alternatives: poison, ultrasonic traps, humane traps. However, the old fashioned way works best. Remember, if your mice are outsmarting you and are taking the cheese without getting killed, switch your bait to peanut butter. It's much harder to get off the trap.

References

• Earth Kind: How to Get Rid of Mice From Your Home Permanently and Safely
• The University of Georgia; Rats and Mice: Get Them Out of Your House and Yard; Michael T. Mengak; August 2009
• Minnesota Wildlife Nuisance Control: Rat and Mouse Removal
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Diseases Directly Transmitted by Rodents; June 2007

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish