Six Easy Ways to Get Rid of Mice

They are the ride of Lord Ganesha – the elephant-headed God of beginnings in Hinduism. Mice are also unfortunately troublesome, creepy, somewhat scary, and above all, vectors of several possible diseases. Unfortunately, they also have a sweet tooth and are attracted to anything sweet – cheese, butter, a peanut butter – They love peanut butter.

Even if one has kept such products away from where mice may smell, mice may migrate into homes searching for food, comfort, warmth, or shelter, and they can enter through the smallest of holes, and it is impossible to seal all the gaps they can get through.

Some of the easiest ways to get rid of mice are discussed below:

1. Get a cat

As long as no one in the place has a cat allergy, a cat is the easiest way to get rid of mice. A cat doesn’t even have to kill all the mice; rarely, the presence of a cat can scare the mice away. Most mice are not as brave as Jerry, and most cats are better at scaring mice than Tom – cats also make fantastic pets.

2. Get cat litter

A cat litter can also do the cat’s job by scaring rats away as long as it is placed in strategic places.

2. Use essential oils

Other than cats, what scare mice most is smells. The pungent smell of some oil like peppermint oil and clove oil can repel mice. All one needs is to saturate cotton balls with these oils and then place them in areas that attract mice like drawers, cupboards, etc., and the home entryways. However, the method is not as effective as cats and may not prove enough.

3. Set traps

One can create traps by using the baits of food mice love (butter, cheese, etc.). The reader should place such traps in areas frequented by rats and check every day, and the rats should be released at least a mile away from residential areas.

4. Seal spaces with steel wool

Packing steel wool into the tight spaces mice use as gateways is an excellent way to cut off their entryways.

5. Block with duct tape

Duct tapes are another effective barrier to cutting the gateways of mice.

6. Professional pest services

The last resort for the most severe cases is to go for a professional pest service.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Mice and various strategies to get rid of them are connected with several frequently asked questions. The following are some of the most important of these.

Question: They are so tiny and cute; why should I try to rid of them?

Answer: The following are some of the reasons to get rid of them even if one finds them adorable:

• They also reproduce fast.
• They might carry and spread diseases – remember that the black plague may have been spread through these cute things.
• They are also capable of causing damage by chewing on electric wires, books, etc. The list includes clothes and even plastic things.
• They also leave traces of urine and feces, which may contain bacteria and viruses.

Question: What are some of the diseases spread by mice?

Answer: Some of the diseases spread by mice include the following:

• Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and lymphocytic choriomeningitis: Breathing in the dust that contains mouse urine and droppings can cause these diseases in the respiratory and neurological systems.

• Leptospirosis: This infectious disease is caused by bacteria that can spread by drinking water containing urine traces from infected animals. Pets are at risk for this disease, too.

• Salmonellosis: Caused by bacteria, salmonellosis is a condition that can affect anyone, but children younger than five years are particularly at risk. It transmits through mouse feces.

• Plague, typhoid, and pox (Rickettsial infections): Mice, Mice, fleas, and mites can spread such diseases.

Direct contact and, less frequently, bites from mice can also spread these diseases.

Question: What are some effective measures for preventing future infestations?

Answer: Prevention is better than cure. And it is particularly true in the case of mice infestation. The following are some of the valuable tips to avoid mice infestation.:

• Always make it a rule that all meals and eating should happen at the table.
• Store all the food items, such as grains, beans, flour, etc., in glass or metal containers.
• Always wipe clean eating and cooking surfaces at the end of the day.
• Always Vacuum out any bits of food that may have fallen on the floor, under furniture, and around appliances.
• Remove pet food bowl after every meal and seal pet food bags.

Question: Are there any precautions to be taken while dealing with a mice infestation?

Answer: The following additional precautions are suggested:

• Keep food away from the infested areas, and store everything edible in metal or other containers that one can’t chew.
• Seal any unnecessary gaps with duct tape or steel wool.
• One should keep cat litter away from the reach of children.
• One should only set humane traps; traps don’t kill the mice, only entrap them. Check such traps daily, and don’t starve the poor thing—Wash your hands with soap after handling traps.
• Don’t ever touch rats directly.
• Poison baits may harm children and pets and should thus be avoided.
• It is better to buy traps instead of creating ones at home.
• One must always clean any surfaces mice might climb.
• During their nocturnal visits, mice might leave urine and feces everywhere. That is why one must thoroughly clean any areas where mice might roam. If one finds a place with many droppings, one should use a mask and gloves to clean it up and wash one’s hands thoroughly after.
• If you have mice in your home, remove your pet water bowl overnight and clean it daily.

If the reader has any other queries, they should ask them here.

The Bottom Line

One can easily wrap up the above discussion that mice are a great nuisance, and one should do all that needs to be done to avoid a mice infestation.