Do you have a mice infestation problem? Fortunately, you don’t have to go out and buy mice traps that may be harmful to members of your family, such as young children and pets.
Instead, there are a few natural ways you can get rid of these pesky rodents. Below, are 10 simple ways you can get rid of mice in your home naturally.
1. Use a Cat or a Dog, they can get rid of mice easily.
Although a dog is man’s best friend, your pet cat will be your ideal mouse hunter. Cats are natural predators to mice. They have a more refined hunting instinct that will be useful in this situation.
However, remember to treat them once they kill the mice in your home, this way, they’ll be determined to find more around your home. Even the scent of cats can be enough to keep mice away.
If you are able to locate where the mice are entering from outside your home, you can place used cat litter near it. This will prevent mice from entering your home anymore.
2. Set Traps to get rid of mice.
We’re not talking about mice traps that will kill off your mice infestation. Instead, if you have a few mice that are trying to set up camp in your house, you should implement humane traps to relocate them outdoors.
Plus, there are variations of humane mice traps that have multi-chambers, so you can catch a few mice at a given time. Doing this will help you get rid of your mice problem while feeling guilt free!
3. Peppermint Essential Oil
Mice have an acute sense of smell that you should try taking advantage of. Peppermint essential oil has a fairly strong smell that mice find unpleasant. You should dip a few cotton balls in this essential oil.
Then, place them around entrances to your home and any cracks you see to prevent mice from accruing in your home. You should place a few cotton balls every couple days to make sure the smell doesn’t fade, or else you’ll be back to square one.
4. Mouse Deterrent Spray
Although mouse deterrent spray doesn’t contain any chemicals or toxins, we suggest wearing gloves and goggles when spraying it around your home since it’s made of hot peppers.
To make the deterrent, you’ll need two tablespoons of hot pepper flakes, a half cup of chopped habaneros, 16 cups of water, a spray bottle, and a large pot to mix the ingredients in.
Once you make the solution, spray it in the entrances to your home and anywhere else you think mice may be gaining access to your home. Due to their heightened sense of smell, they’ll avoid your home altogether.
Learn how to make a homemade mouse repellant spray with this useful YouTube video:
5. Instant Potatoes
An easy kitchen food that can quickly get rid of mice is instant potatoes. This is an inexpensive and simple solution to your mouse problem. Since potatoes flakes can expand in mice stomachs’, it will kill them before they fully digest the food.
You should sprinkle a small amount of flakes around areas you usually find mice in your home. However, keep the instant potato flakes away from your pets, since they can cause a similar negative effect on them.
6. Dryer Sheets
Typically, mice dislike the scent of dryer sheets. They may keep your clothes smelling fresh and clean, but rodents cannot stand the scent. Place a few dryer sheets around your home in the areas where the mice seem to populate.
You may need to weigh them down so they do not move around. You will also need to replace them when the scent wears off which happens in about a month.
It is very important to remember to replace them regularly. Otherwise, they can be used as nesting material for mice when the scent wears off.
7. Take Care of Your Landscaping
Having the right kind of landscaping can do a lot to remove mice from your home and prevent them from coming back. If your home is lined with shrubbery, be sure to trim them regularly to keep them away from your house.
If the branches and bushes reach your home, it becomes a sort of a highway for mice and insects to come into your home. If you have piles of leaves, branches, or firewood, keep them at least 20 feet away from your home. Mice love to nest in these piles.
8. Cloves
Though the scent of clove may pleasant for humans, it is unbearable for mice. They find this scent to be unpleasant and overwhelming. Consider buying some clove essential oil or a few whole cloves.
It is better to use the essential oil because it has a stronger scent. Dip cotton balls in the clove oil and place them around your home near where you have seen signs of mice. B
e careful if you have any pets, though. They may decide to try to eat the cotton balls, which could interfere with their digestion.
9. Aluminum Foil
If you have a mouse problem in your home, exclusion should be a large part of your plan. You can do this by blocking the spot where the mice are entering your home. Also, consider using a cat if you can’t find the spot.
Once you find the entrance, use aluminum foil to fill it. Ball up some foil and stick it in their entrance. Mice do not like the feeling of chewing or digging at aluminum foil, which will prevent them from trying.
This is a very simple and natural way to handle your mice problem without using harmful chemicals.
If you need extra protection, consider covering the surface where you found mouse droppings with tin foil. So, if you found droppings on your countertop, cover it with foil before you go to bed.
During the day, you can fold it up and use it again the next night until the mice have moved on.
10. Steel or Copper Wool
Another great way to block the mice’s entrance is by using steel or copper wool. If the aluminum foil does not work, this is a more secure version of that technique.
To do this, you can use high-quality steel wool and caulk. Stuff the steel wool into the hole and surround it with caulk. The caulk is necessary because may be able to dig the steel wool out of the hole or the steel may rust and degrade over time.
You can also use copper wool or copper wire mesh. This material will not rust or break down. It is also woven very finely making it more difficult to chew or pull. If there is a deep crack in the wall, be sure to use enough copper wool to fill it sufficiently.
Conclusion
If you have a mice infestation, it’s important you promptly get rid of the problem. Usually, this involves an exterminator, but we don’t always want to hurt the mice that seek refuge in our homes.
Instead, we can use methods of getting rid of mice naturally, this way, nasty chemical and toxin treatments can’t hurt pets or small children in our homes. Hopefully, with the help of this guide, you can use a few natural solutions to get rid of mice in your home successfully.
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