Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Signs of mice in the home
• Method 2 of 3: Catching mice
• Method 3 of 3: Preventing mice from entering your home
• Warnings
• What do you need
• Catching mice
• Preventing mice from entering your home

If you find a mouse in your house, this may be a cause for concern, because it is possible that she is not alone. Mice can spoil food and belongings and spread disease, so try to get rid of them as soon as possible. Set up mousetraps or use bait to quickly clear your home of mice, then clear and block any passages through which they can get inside. Take preventive action and you can say goodbye to mice!

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Signs of mice in the home

1. 1 Look for a litter. Check for mouse droppings in problem areas such as kitchen cabinets or pantry. Look for dark excrement that resembles a grain of rice about 0.5 to 0.6 centimeters long. Fresh droppings appear damp and dark, while old ones have a lighter gray tint.
   • The presence of droppings can also indicate that there is a gap or hole in the room through which mice can enter the house.
2. 2 Listen for a scratching or squeaking sound in the morning and evening during sunrise and sunset. Mice are nocturnal, most active 30 minutes after sunrise and 30 minutes before sunset. Pay attention to soft scratching and scraping sounds near walls or where you think mice might start. If you hear a repetitive squeak or noise, it is possible that there are multiple mice in your house.
   • Mouse noise can often be heard in basements, attic or kitchens.
3. 3 Look for coin-sized holes at the base of the walls. If mice are in the walls, they can gnaw through drywall to get inside the house. Check for smooth holes in the corners and under the cabinets. If you find such holes, mice could easily enter the house through them.
   • Be sure to check the outside walls, as mice can enter the house from the street.

   A warning: if you find larger holes with jagged edges, it could indicate that rats have entered the house.
   

   
   
4. 4 Check for mouse marks under the interior or exterior walls. When moving around the house, mice usually follow the same paths, and you may be able to find problem areas. Typically, these paths run along the interior or exterior walls of the house. If mice are often in one place or another, after them greasy marks may remain from the fact that they rubbed against the walls.
   • Droppings or urine traces may also remain on the pathways used by mice.
   • Pay attention to any subtle and sudden movements in the house - these could be mice.
5. 5 Look closely for signs of nests in the attic or basement. During the breeding season, mice arrange nests in which they breed their offspring. Note the circular nests made of cardboard, fabric, and other materials in the attic, basements, and under cabinets. If you find such a nest, contact a rodent control specialist immediately to help you get rid of the mice properly.
   • Mice gnaw through cardboard boxes and items of clothing to make their nests in them. Look for small holes in the piles of clothing at the back of the wardrobe.
   • A musty smell can also be a sign of a mouse nest.

Method 2 of 3: Catching mice

1. 1 Get a humane trap if you don't want to kill mice. Place the mousetrap in a path that mice often use, or near problem areas near a wall. Place a piece of peanut butter or cheese inside the trap to attract rodents to the smell of the bait. Although humane traps are of various designs, it is enough to simply look at the mousetrap to determine if a mouse has been caught. After the mouse is trapped, release it at a distance of at least 3 kilometers from the house so that it does not come back.
   • Wear gloves when handling the trap and use bait to prevent mice from being scared off by your scent.
   • Some humane mousetraps catch one animal at a time, while others can catch multiple rodents at once. Choose the mousetrap that works best for you.
   • Experiment with different types of bait (for example, you can use marshmallow or jelly) to determine which scent attracts the mice best.
2. 2 Use a regular spring mousetrap that kills the mouse immediately. Place the mousetrap near a wall or other place where you find traces of mice. Put some bait in it, such as peanut butter or jam. With one hand, pull out the wire frame in the shape of the Latin letter "U". Use your other hand to place the metal bar onto the bait latch. When the mouse attracted by the bait steps on the trap, the frame will snap shut and kill it.
   • Throw away the slamming trap as soon as the mouse enters it and disinfect where it was standing.
   • Be careful when positioning the mousetrap as the spring wire can quickly snap shut.
   • Do not place the spring traps where pets or small children can reach, as they can be injured.

   Advice: Place a newspaper under each mousetrap to avoid staining the floor.

   
   
3. 3 Reposition the mousetraps every 2-3 days. Check twice a day for a mouse trap. If the mousetrap remains empty for several days, move it to another location where mice might be. Mice often use the same paths, so they are more likely to return to where they were before.
   • Every night, the mice move 6–9 meters away from their dwelling. If you find a mouse nest in your home, place mouse traps next to it.
4. 4 Use poison bait as a last resort. Poison bait traps can be purchased at the hardware store.Set up traps where you find mouse tracks, such as under a closet or in a basement. The mouse will eat the bait and slowly die when the poison takes over.
   • Some venom traps trap mice so that they cannot escape after eating the poisoned bait.
   • Keep poison traps out of the reach of small children and pets to prevent them from eating the poisoned bait.
   • Keep poison away from food to avoid contaminating it.

Method 3 of 3: Preventing mice from entering your home

1. 1 Clean the house often. After eating or preparing food, clean up and wash the dishes immediately. Do not leave food on the table overnight, as mice can reach it. Sweep or vacuum dirty areas daily to keep mice out of your home.
   • While keeping your home clean will not completely eliminate the appearance of mice, doing so will deprive them of potential food sources.
   • Get rid of the clutter - mice are usually attracted to dark hiding places.
2. 2 Store food in tightly sealed containers. Keep grains, nuts, and other dry foods in tightly sealable containers. You can also wrap them in plastic wrap. In this case, the smell of food will not come out and attract mice.
   • Transfer food from boxes and bags to tightly resealable food containers to prevent mice from smelling.
   • Do not leave bread and fruits on the table for more than 1–2 days. Place them in a food container or refrigerator.
   • Clean kitchen cabinets often. Keep the kitchen floor free from crumbs, dried juice drops and other food debris. Be careful not to leave food in the kitchen that could be reached by a mouse.

   A warning: Throw away all food that has been chewed by mice or with traces of their droppings, as they are contaminated and harmful to eat.

   
   
3. 3 Block off all the passages through which the mice can enter the house. Look inside and outside your home for openings through which mice can enter. If you find cracks or holes in the walls, cover them with a mesh with a mesh size of 0.5 centimeters so that mice cannot get into the house. Do not forget to cover the fireplace outlet and other pipes that go outside with a net. You can also plug the holes with wire wool, which will prevent mice from gnawing.
   • Make sure there is no gap under the front door for mice to enter.
4. 4 Spray areas where mice can enter and problem areas with peppermint oil to keep rodents away. In a spray bottle, mix 2 teaspoons (10 ml) peppermint oil and 1 cup (240 ml) water. Spray the solution onto the passages and places where you saw mice. The strong smell of peppermint will keep rodents away. Apply the solution every few days to freshen up the scent.
   • You can also soak cotton balls with peppermint oil and place them for a week where mice are often.
5. 5 Get a cat to scare off mice. Mice are afraid of cats, as they hunt them. Get a cat at home - its smell will scare away mice. Rodents will sense the predator and will try to avoid the places where it happens.
   • You can borrow a cat from friends for a few days to keep mice away from your home.
   • Mice can hide in places inaccessible to cats, such as the attic.

Warnings

• Do not place mousetraps or place mouse poison in areas that are accessible to children or pets.
• Be sure to wear gloves when handling the mousetrap to keep out bacteria.
• If preventive measures have not helped to get rid of the mice, seek help from a rodent control specialist.

What do you need

Catching mice

• Humane traps
• Conventional mousetraps
• Mouse bait

Preventing mice from entering your home

• Cleaners
• Tightly sealable plastic containers
• Wire mesh
• Peppermint oil
• Spray