Mice are repelled and destroyed by a number of different substances ranging from chemicals used by exterminators to more natural alternatives that are disturbing to mice, but not so much to people and other animals. Whether you decide to go the poison route, or fight mice in more natural and less aggressive ways, that is your choice.

Before you think about calling an exterminator, or running to the hardware store for quick fixes, the first thing you need to do is look for food and pet food in your kitchen and pantry areas that might be improperly stored. It’s quite possible that mice are feeding on most anything that is left uncovered or standing in open areas. Make sure that food is secured in tightly sealed containers and that your floors, sinks and counter areas are free of crumbs and other food debris. Keeping these areas wiped clean will go a long way in deterring mice. Also, mice can contaminate food and carry diseases, so that is another important reason to keep any food items secured and safely stored.

You also want to try to track mice where they enter your home. Now, there are even mice tracker devices with UV light capacity to help you locate where mice are entering your home. If there are any openings through cracks, floors, walls or the foundation of your home, you want to seal those areas, as well as other places such as drains, dryer vents, fireplaces, electrical outlets, pipes and other openings that are a quarter inch or larger. Mice can squeeze through unimaginably small spaces, and this creates problems, as it is difficult to seal everything. Items such as steel wool, copper mesh and expandable foam are good sealing mechanisms for just about any opening.

Concerning more basics with the elimination of mice, the outside of your home is just as important as the inside. You want to make sure that tree limbs are trimmed and are up to 18 inches away from a structure. The same is true of shrubs and large plants as well as wood piles and other debris. They need to be away from buildings. Also, any outside food and water sources from open garbage cans, water hoses, and standing water need to be taken care of properly to eliminate any attraction.

When it comes to mice, usually one of your first thoughts is to call an exterminating company and hopefully, after a number of applications to the vulnerable areas of your home, you will be rid of the critters. It may take several trips before the mice are permanently removed, as it seems that rodents become immune to whatever poison is put before them, so they just may not disappear overnight. So, you might want to think about that factor before calling an exterminator.

If you don’t want to call an exterminator, you can usually find a variety of poisons (rodenticides) and trap devices in your local hardware store, home store, or online store, with some being of the deadly and not so deadly variety. Poison baits can be in the form of powders, pellets, sticks, meal blocks, blocks, bait stations and other forms. The only problem with poisonous mouse baits is that mice can consume the poison, crawl into a wall or other area in a home or building and die, and you are left with finding the deceased mouse, which is usually indicated by the smell of decomposition. It’s not a pretty site or odor. 

Innocuous and “mice friendly” traps come in numerous selections and even include catch and release type devices with closed off areas that can be opened to release a mouse or mice away from a home or building. Sticky and non-sticky box-like traps, which are baited and can be closed off once a mouse or mice have been trapped, are another way of capturing mice and disposing of them in an easier fashion. Then, of course, there is the old-fashioned way of a simple spring loaded mouse trap, which come in various sizes, ready to be baited with a piece of plain old cheddar cheese, though peanut butter seems to be the favored choice these days for trapping mice. Whatever poisons or traps you decide to use, remember to place them in areas where mice have been detected.

Another way to keep mice at bay is through ultrasonic devices that repel mice, insects and other rodents. They are usually rectangular in shape and are plugged into electrical outlets in your home. They operate on a higher frequency that is inaudible to humans but is detectable to mice and other pests. Through the frequency, a rodent’s nervous system is affected and causes the animal to flee from the frequency. It drives pests away from their nests and the walls inside of your home and other hidden areas. Normal results for ridding mice are a few days, but it can take two to three weeks to alleviate bad infestations.  Results may vary with this method of rodent control.  

There are a few quick fixes that can repel mice for short periods of time before a bigger plan of action is pursued and that is the use of commercial spray repellents and essential oils such as peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus, all of which can bring results. Combine one of the most effective of these oils, which seems to be peppermint, with two tablespoons of the oil with one cup of water. Add a few drops of dish detergent to help combine the ingredients and place them in a spray bottle. Spray the area affected with the combination. Also, the undiluted oil itself can be poured directly on cotton balls and placed in areas where mice have been detected.

Whatever you decide to do concerning mice infestations, explore all avenues. There are simple and common sense alternatives to an exterminator, which all depends, of course, on what kind of infestation you are dealing with, and how much trouble it is to keep the little beasts under control. Resolve to rid yourself of these uncanny rodents and their leftover signs in an organized manner, and if need be, call the exterminator if things go south.

If after you have tried the do it yourself (DIY) methods of rodent control and you are still experiencing rodents and rodent droppings, Alliance Pest Services can solve all your pest and rodent pest problems.  We have pest programs to prevent rodents and pest from entering your home before they become a problem indoors.  Call today for a free pest inspection of your home, apartment, condo, rental, office or building today.