Best Ways to Get Rid of Mice in Your Home (Natural Mouse Repellents)
You can do everything in your power to kill mice, to prevent them from entering your home, and to deal with an infestation. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you might find yourself stuck with a stubborn infestation that won't go away.
Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to get mice out of your home. You don't need to resort to stressful, hard-to-use, and toxic chemicals. Instead, consider using these natural mouse repellents to repel mice so that an infestation is the last thing you need to worry about.
Keep Your Home Neat and Clean
Keeping your home clean will go a long way to keeping mice out. They invade your home seeking food, water, and shelter. By keeping your home clean you will drastically reduce the attractiveness of your home. Make sure you repair all pipes and clean up any spills to even further ensure they stay away.
Keep Food in Tightly Sealed Containers
Mice can easily chew through food packaging, creating new and plentiful food sources right in your pantry. By placing food in containers it not only keeps them away but also prevents your existing food from getting contaminated. This is especially true for fruits, cereals, grains, pasta, and seeds.
Seal Any and All Entry Points
Don't let their size fool you! Mice can fit into very small gaps in your home. Take some time to survey your home for any potential entry points. This includes gaps in the exterior of your walls, tiny spaces in roof tiles, and even your plumbing. You should use caulk or another type of sealant to remove any access points.
The skeletal structure of mice is such that they can squeeze through incredibly tiny spaces without hurting themselves.
Steel wool or mesh is another way to keep mice out of your home. Some mice have been known to gnaw through liquid sealants or caulk. However, steel wool can't be chewed through and works well when mixed with caulk. Copper wool is an even better option as it doesn't rust over time, and is more finely woven.
Essential Oils
One of the best natural mouse repellents is essential oils. They aren't just useful for improving your health and making your home smell good, but they are also an affordable and healthy way to repel an unwanted pest. Mice have a strong sense of smell and are particularly repelled by certain essential oils. Consider using peppermint, citrus, or cedar wood.
Ultrasonic Repellers
These high-tech options are a good solution when every other natural mouse repellent has failed. They work by emitting high pitched noises, inaudible to humans, which they find unbearable. There many different devices on the market. They vary depending on how long they work, and the strength of their individual frequencies. This is a safe alternative to pesticides.
Items Around the House
There are other items you might have kicking around the house that can be used as natural mouse repellents. Dryer sheets, for example, are heavily perfumed, and not very attractive to mice. If you lay sheets around your home, like in cabinets, closets, and even the trash can, you are less likely to find mice wandering around.
Ammonia can help repel mice. Fill plastic bottle caps with ammonia, and stash them in corners. But be careful as this chemical can be harmful to pets and children!
Mouse Traps
These traditional devices are as old as time and are an effective way to control mouse populations around your home. They come in various formats including glue and snap traps. They are readily available along with other mouse repellents on the market. The only downside is having to dispose of them later.
House Cat
If you have a cat you may be in luck. While you shouldn't run out to adopt a cat just to kill some mice, but if you are thinking about getting a pet a cat might be the way to go. Cats will not only kill any mice wandering in your home, but they will also keep mice from entering your home in the first place.
The Last Resort
The bottom line? While some people think mice are quite adorable, the truth is that these pests can cause some pretty serious diseases. Aside from contaminating your food, and making you sick, you just don't want these unpleasant rodents hanging around your house.
If all of these natural mouse repellents fail to work, your last resort is to contact a certified pest control professional. These individuals are trained in all methods of pest prevention, detection, and elimination.