Rodent Removal

Snap action mouse traps can be effective in rodent removal.

Rodents such as rats or mice spread over 35 diseases worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These diseases can be spread directly to humans via exposure to rodent excretory fluids or indirectly, using parasitic insects as vectors. Common signs of rodent infestation include urine or droppings, "food storages" and stale or musky odors. You can remove rodents by sealing holes, using rodent traps and cleaning food sources and nesting sites.

Things You'll Need

• Steel wool
• Metal sheeting
• Caulk
• Rodent poison spray
• Rodent repeller spray
• Glue boards

Instructions

Sealing Holes

1. Check inside your home for holes or gaps. Adult mice can squeeze through holes the size of a nickel. Doors, cabinets and fireplaces often contain holes and gaps that permit rodents to squeeze through them. Be sure to search for holes behind laundry machines, refrigerators and other household appliances. Basements and attics are often the most infested areas inside a home, as many rodents are nocturnal and typically avoid human contact.

2. Check the outside of your house for holes. Rodents can intrude into your house through the small spaces in windows, doors and ventilation systems. If the rodent infestation is extreme, the roof and the foundation of your house will need to be checked as well.

3. Clean out the holes if there are any signs that rodents may have used them. Fill the holes with steel wool, then seal them with caulk to keep the steel wool in place.

4. Clean rodent nesting sites inside and outside of your house to prevent rodent infestation in the future. Signs of rodent nesting sites include pieces of food that have been gathered, bite marks and shreds of paper or string. Nesting sites are most commonly found in secluded ares of the home such as basements, attics and storage spaces.

Trapping

1. Place mouse traps in all areas of your home that show signs of rodent infestation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest using snap action mouse traps, as live traps and glue traps may scare live rodents and cause them to urinate.

2. Tie small pieces of meat, crackers or cheese to the mouse traps. If you cannot tie anything to the mouse trap, use a small amount of peanut butter instead.

3. Monitor the mouse traps frequently. Dispose of used mouse traps containing dead rodents and take the trash to an outside trash receptacle immediately to minimize the risk of exposure to disease.

Preventative Rodent Control

1. Use rodent poison spray to exterminate rodents before they can get into your house. Rat poison spray should be used only as directed, and only in areas that pets and other animals do not populate.

2. Place baited glue boards in outside window seals to catch live rodents. Dispose of the glue boards immediately, using an outside trash reciprocal.

3. Spray rodent repellent in the grass surrounding your home. Rodent repellent does not kill rodents, but it will repel the rodents that thread on your lawn.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear gloves while cleaning rodent infested areas and using rodents traps. Wear a gas-mask while using rodent sprays, as the chemicals may be toxic to humans as well.

References

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Rodents
• Orkin: Rodent Infestation
• Multnomah County Health Department: Cleaning Up After a Rodent Infestation
• Victor Pest: All About Mouse Traps
• E Pest Supply: How to Kill and Get Rid of Rats and Mice