Removing mice from your home can feel impossible. They always seem to be scurrying out of sight, and you’re never really sure how many of them call your house a home. While it’s not the easiest thing to do, you can remove mice from your home and keep them out. Here’s how:
Close off Entry Points
The first step to removing mice is to stop letting them into your house. You don’t want to attract more mice to your home while you’re trying to get rid of existing ones. Like any pest, mice don’t work particularly hard to get into people’s homes. Typically, they find cracks in the foundation or outside walls and squeeze right in. With the help of steel wool and/or caulking, you can stop mice from breaking in.
Plant Strong-Smelling Herbs
This isn’t a necessary step, but if you have any interest in an herb garden, strong-smelling herbs like peppermint and lavender can deter mice and other critters from invading your home. Plant these close to your home where pests tend to find the easiest entry points. This won’t guarantee that mice won’t find another way in, but the odors will act as a deterrent.
Clean Up Messes
When mice find their way into your home, it’s usually in search of food and shelter. By cleaning up messes and spills as soon as they happen, you remove food from the equation. Make sure to keep your food fully sealed and stored so you don’t have to worry about mice raiding your counters or cabinets. It also helps deter any pests if you ensure that your trash is always fully sealed, especially once you bring it outside.
Use Humane Traps
Snap traps, or the traditional spring-loaded mouse traps, either kill mice instantly or miss the mark and lead to drawn-out painful deaths. In most cases, the mouse escapes with serious injuries. Modern traps have a catch-and-release function, where mice are trapped inside by a trapdoor without causing any harm. They’re made with air holes so the mouse can breathe until it’s found. Ideally, the mouse will be released as soon as it’s found, as these timid creatures can also die as a result of anxiety from being trapped for too long.
Dispose of Dead Mice
Finding a dead mouse in your home is very unpleasant, even if it’s a gift from your well-meaning pet. You may be tempted to get rid of it as quickly as possible. However, you need to dispose of the mouse with care. To safely dispose of a dead mouse, seal it in a plastic bag as to not attract other critters. Discard it directly into an outdoor trash can.
Call a Pest Control Company
The best way to get rid of mice and keep them out is to call the pros. A professional pest control company like Pro-Staff will know exactly what to do in the event of an infestation. Trained technicians will inspect your home, remove the mice, and advise you on next steps to make sure you don’t find a mouse in your house again.
The Ankeny mice removal experts at Pro-Staff are here to help if you find yourself with a mouse infestation. Call us at 515-279-7378 or contact us online.