According to an American Housing Survey from 1997, rats and mice infested 2.7 million out of 97 million housing units covered in the survey. A recent survey by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) also revealed that at least 28% of American homes had faced a mice problem at some point in the past. So, if you are experiencing mouse infestation in your home, do not worry; you are not alone. Fortunately, there are ways to treat and eliminate mouse infestation in your home efficiently. Mice are not quiet pests, so it’s relatively easy to tell when your home is infested. In this post, we will go over some of the best ways to treat a mouse infestation and get rid of annoying rats.
Close all Entry Points
Except in a few cases where the mice have made a nest in your home, rats most likely do not live inside your home. Even those who do will not spend the entire time indoors. In most cases, mice have entry and exit spots in your home. These can be holes in the walls, vents, doors, windows, pipes, sinks, and so on.
Seal all the cracks and openings that the mice can pass through and you can keep them out (or lock them in for effective eradication). Do not assume any hole is too small for rodents to pass through; one of their superpowers is the ability to squeeze in through the smallest cracks. So, ensure you seal any hole you find.
If you seal these cracks with cardboard, wood, plastic, paper, rubber, etc., your effort will be futile. Mice can gnaw through these materials till they find their way back into the home. So, use materials like steel wool and caulking to seal the holes.
You can get your windows and door gaps weather-stripped. Next, ensure there are no spaces underneath the door after you close it. Finally, be careful not to leave the door and windows open. Mice can easily come in through your doors and windows if you leave them open.
Declutter the Home
Mice living in your home do so because they have found a comfortable space to nest. This space is most likely hidden or cluttered with a lot of stuff they can easily hide behind or under. When they make a nest there, the rat population will keep increasing, no matter the efforts to eliminate them.
Declutter the rooms, attics, and everywhere you think mice can make their nests. It would help if you also got rid of stored rugs, blankets, and fabrics you do not need anymore. Mice can make nests with paper, cardboard, and plastic they have chewed on, so do not store these materials if you have no use for them.
While decluttering the home, you should consider removing all food sources attracting mice to your home. If mice keep coming back, that’s probably because they always find something to feed on in your space. Store your grains, dry foods, and pet food in metal or glass containers that they cannot chew through. Do not leave pet food open for long, and keep it away from areas they can reach.
Decluttering does not stop indoors. Look around your house and remove tree branches and foliage where the mice can live. After decluttering, ensure to always keep the home and its surroundings clean. Keep the garbage can far away from the house, and do not store garbage for long.
Set Mouse Traps
Setting traps is an effective way to get rid of mice. You can set a humane trap so you do not kill them; when the trap catches the mice, you can release them far away from your home. It’s easy to trace the areas where mice are likely to pass through and set traps. You can place the traps in spots rats are likely to visit, like behind the trash can, along the walls, near cracks, etc. Place mouth-watering treats close to the traps to make it easy to capture the mice. Check out this post to see some of the best mouse traps you can get for your home.
- Battery-powered -- requires four AA batteries
- One set of batteries (not included) can kill up to 100 mice
- Comes with a 100% kill guarantee
- Designed so you don't see or touch the mice
- A green light alerts you when a mouse is killed
Use Natural Repellents
Mice have a strong sense of smell. You can use this to your advantage to get rid of them. Generally, rats will stay away if they sniff substances that irritate them. So, you check out some natural repellents to keep them away and spray these repellants at the entry points you have identified and around the house’s perimeter.
You can try natural mouse repellents like peppermint oil, cloves, fabric softener, and apple cider. The Natural Armor Peppermint Repellent for Mice and Rats is an effective product you can get on Amazon for a few dollars. These natural repellents are safe to use in homes, so you have nothing to worry about. Soak cotton balls in these repellents and place them in various spots around your home. However, you might need to combine this with other control methods to get effective results.
Get a Cat
Cats can be a great way to get rid of or deter mice from making your home their home.
©Viacheslav Lopatin/Shutterstock.com
Cats are the most popular natural predators for mice. Therefore, getting a cat is one of the easiest ways of getting rid of them. You can consider getting one for your home, but be sure no one in your family is allergic to cats. Some dogs also like hunting mice. But they are not as efficient as cats. They tend to get bored and stop the hunt. Farm or barn cats are the best for treating mice infestation. They have been trained to get rid of mice and will do so in no time. In fact, mice can sense when cats are around and will most likely stay away.
Ultrasonic Sound
This is a more modern method of getting rid of mice. Mice have a sharp sense of hearing and can hear high-frequency sounds that human ears cannot pick up. You can place an ultrasonic device in the corner of your home and plug it into a power source. The high-frequency sound from this device is often enough to keep mice away from your space. Since the sound can not be heard by kids, pets, and other animals, it is safe for home use.
Call an Exterminator
Even after following the best ways to treat a mouse infestation recommended so far, getting rid of mice by yourself is not easy, especially when they have multiplied. In cases of large infestations, it will take a while to get rid of all the mice in your home using any methods described so far. Your best bet would be to call a professional exterminator to help you get rid of them.
In addition to removing rats, the exterminator can also recommend ways to prevent future infestation. You can search online for an exterminator near you or seek recommendations from friends who have had to use this service recently.
Conclusion
A mice infestation is one of the most annoying pest infestations you can face as a homeowner. But the longer you go without treatment, the worse it gets. Use any of the best ways to treat a mouse infestation recommended above to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Once you have removed the rats in your space, take steps to prevent another outbreak by taking preventive measures. It might take a while, but you will finally be free from these notorious critters in no time.Â
Summary Of The 7 Best Ways To Treat A Mouse Infestation
| # | Way To Treat Mouse Infestation |
|---|---|
| 1 | Close All Entry Points |
| 2 | Declutter The Home |
| 3 | Set Mouse Traps |
| 4 | Use Natural Repellents |
| 5 | Get A Cat |
| 6 | Ultrasonic Sound |
| 7 | Call an Exterminator |
The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Bruno_il_segretario
Sources
- Healthline, Available here: https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-get-rid-of-mice
- Terminix, Available here: https://www.terminix.com/rodent-control/mice/the-eight-best-ways-to-get-rid-of-mice/
- Smith's Pest Management, Available here: https://smithspestmanagement.com/blog/post/how-to-get-rid-of-mice/
- Good Housekeeping/Amanda Garrity, Available here: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/a35872/how-to-get-rid-of-mice/
How to Add Us to Google News
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.
