Rodents might be cute on TV and the internet, but in your home? Not so much. So when you start hearing animal noises in the house, it’s normal to have questions: How did rodents get in my house? Where are they hiding? Will they hurt me or my family?
The good news is that mice, rats and other rodents generally aren’t aggressive towards humans. That said, they can cause major property damage, including electric fires. To that end, it’s crucial to get them out of the house and keep them out.
You’ll find no shortage of traps and baits at your local hardware store and home remedies on the internet. So what's the best way to get rid of mice? Read on to find out.
Best Ways to Get Rid of Mice
Clean house.
It doesn’t take much to feed a mouse — a few crumbs per day is really all.. And mice are oh-so-clever when it comes to squeezing into cabinets and gnawing through bread bags and cereal boxes. What's more, a female mouse can give birth to a litter every 21 days or so. Therefore, it's not hard to see how this problem can quickly escalate.
If you’re giving mice easy access to food in your home, you might as well put out a welcome mat for them. If you want to discourage them from taking up residence, make your home inhospitable to them by vacuuming floors and wiping down counters regularly to eliminate crumbs and residue. Store food in glass jars and airtight containers, and secure all garbage inside and out of your house.
Set snap traps.
The wooden snap trap has been around forever, and with good reason: It works. Simply bait with chocolate, peanut butter, bacon, oatmeal or dried fruit — some baits can be secured with dental floss so the mouse doesn't abscond with the goods — and set it and wait. For heavier infestations, however, a snap trap may not be an adequate defense.
Call in a professional.
If you’ve got a serious mouse problem — or if you want to keep the situation from turning into a serious mouse problem — you might be best served by calling in the pros. Terminix® technicians are skilled not only in trapping and eliminating mice but also in inspecting for points of entry and hiding places. We know what it takes to get rid of mice and to keep them gone.
