Mice are one of the cutest kinds of animals, but we surely don’t want to keep them in your homes. Although they look just as nice as our pets, these small creatures can easily spread the disease they are carrying in our home through urination and feces. In addition, they can also make a lot of trouble by eating and nibbling things. However, many people find placing snap traps to be too cruel and they can also be very dangerous.
The same goes for all the special poisons used for rats. The good news is that there are other ways to get rid of mice.
One of the things that make mice difficult to handle is the fact that they are usually active during the night and that they reproduce very fast. Using integrated pest management or IPM is one method that has proven to be very efficient when it comes to this task. Of course, it requires more effort and patience than most other methods, but the results are permanent and what is even more important you won’t have to use chemicals or other harmful substances. IPM is used for the protection and elimination of these pests by focusing on sealing. In other words, you will have to seal your food, any holes, and openings. In addition, you will also need to learn more about the mice’s behavior and keep it away from water.
If you make a combination of this IPM program and some of these do-it-yourself repellents and deterrents you will certainly design a 100% successful plan to eliminate mice in a completely natural and environmental-friendly way.
What can you expect from poisons?
The majority of mice poisons or rodenticides found in the stores are anti-coagulants. The final result of their use is hemorrhaging and internal bleeding in mice resulting in a relatively quick death. Flocoumafen, difenacoum, brodifacoum, and warfarin are all powerful poisons that are very toxic.
As a matter of fact, flocoumafen is so strong that the authorities have limited its use only to indoor areas. Besides leading to the prohibition of blood clotting, these poisons will make the mice very thirsty. They often leave the home in order to find water and die outside.
So, besides the risk for your children and pets, this method of handling mice can also be dangerous for stray dogs, cats, and birds.
What can you expect from traps?
There are basically two types of traps available on the market today – snap and sticky traps. Both options are very inhumane. Sticky traps, for example, let the mouse walk onto them and once they step on them they are glued to the trap. The mice will die from starvation or thirst, die from ripping parts of their limbs while struggling, or die from intentionally ripping their limbs.
On the other hand, snap traps use baits to lure mice, and once they remove the bait a strong metal spring mechanism snaps the wire and the mice are left with broken necks. This method often goes even worse because sometimes the mechanism ends on the mouse’s head or spine. This means that they can remain alive and die slowly in big pain.
Getting Rid of Mice in Your House
1. Peppermint Essential Oil
Although mice don’t have a sense of smell that can be compared to the sense of smell in dogs, they are still better than humans. Peppermint aroma is described as pleasant, tangy, and refreshing by most people, but mice experience this aroma and smell as something offensive and disturbing. Of course, you cannot expect to get rid of mice by using only peppermint essential oil, but this oil can serve as a good addition to an IPM program. By the way, eucalyptus essential oil is also Everyday Roots.
Materials needed:
- Peppermint essential oil
- Cotton balls
Instructions:
Add between 20 and 30 drops of raw peppermint essential oil to one cotton ball and leave one cotton ball on every place where you think that mice can appear. Change the balls every week or sooner if you notice that the scent is gone. You can also try some other essential oils too.
2. Use the help of Mother Nature
For many people, dogs are man’s best friend. Many people have dog pets and they believe that dogs can protect them from many pests. However, keeping a cat is much more logical and useful at least when it comes to mice. Whilst it is true that there are special dog breeds that were once used for hunting small animals, it is also true that every cat has this instinct (unlike all dogs). If you want to keep mice out of your home then you can count on your cat. So, if you don’t have a cat, get one. Keep in mind that cats are very interesting animals and you can surely enjoy their company even when the pest problem is gone.
What will you need?
- One (or more) cat
Instructions:
Just visit your local animal shelter or look for ads and get a cat.
3. Mouse Repellent Spray
This solution is completely natural which means that it doesn’t involve any toxins and chemicals. However, it is a good idea to use safety goggles and gloves while using it. The spray is made from hot peppers. Hot peppers are often used as a spice, but if there is too much of this spice in our food we feel like we’ve been hit by something. Our eyes start to shed tears, we feel pain and we start to move our limbs without control.
So, think about the mice and what they will experience. They are many times smaller than us and when they feel the spice they will most likely leave the home right away and look for another place to find food.
The spray itself is based on habanero peppers. These peppers have a so-called Scoville rating of between 100,000 and 350,000 units. For example, jalapeno has about 2,000 units.
Materials needed for this purpose:
- Half a cup of chopped habaneros
- Two tablespoons of hot pepper flakes
- Two buckets (with a capacity of 2 gallons)
- One gallon or 16 cups of fresh water
- A spray bottle and a gallon jug
- Safety goggles and gloves
- Cheesecloth
- A big pot.
Instructions:
Keep your goggles and gloves on while creating and using this strong mixture. You can also use a surgical mask in case you find one because this powerful spray can lead to certain irritations in some people.
Bring water to a boil in the big pot. Put the flakes and peppers in a blender and blend until you get a mixture that is roughly chopped. You can do this manually if you can withstand the smell. Put the mixture in the bucket and after that pour the water. Cover the bucket and leave it like that for one day. With the help of a cheesecloth, remove the pepper pieces and pour the mixture into the other bucket. Put the solution in a spray and use it wherever you have spotted mice. Avoid using this mixture on the carpets because it can leave stains. You can use it both inside and outside. It is always a good idea to make a test on some small area to see the effects. Remove the sprayed coating after two days by using water and apply the spray again.
This mixture lasts for months if it is stored in the right way – away from the sun and covered.
4. Dryer Sheets
Many people don’t want to use dryer sheets in their dryers, but some of them have found out that dryer sheets can be very effective against mice. They surely are better than using poison. They were first used in barns where mice often dwell and make problems for the horses. The smell of the sheets makes mice stay away from the area. Only one or two dryer sheets are enough to keep them away.
Things you will need:
- Just some regular old dryer sheets
Instructions:
Place some dryer sheets in the areas where you have spotted mice or areas that can be used by mice. These sheets last for about one month, but you should change them whenever you notice that the scent is gone. In order to get the most from them, use some weight on the corners. Make sure that you change them regularly because once the scent has faded; mice find these sheets to be the perfect material for creating nests. The best part is that these sheets can be placed and removed very easily. You should also put them in holes and entrances.
5. Use some copper
Finding a way to stop mice from entering your home is the best way to get rid of mice. Steel wool is a very popular choice among people who are trying to block the areas used by mice to enter the home. Keep in mind that mice are very persistent and smart animals and they can easily find a way to pull the steel wool out of position.
This is why you should use a caulking compound. You can also use copper wire mesh or copper wool because this type of wool doesn’t rust or degrade.
In addition, copper wool is woven very carefully and mice will have a lot of trouble pulling it out or chewing it. In case you have big holes in your home, you should place a few layers of copper inside. Make sure that the copper is stable and that mice won’t be able to rip it.
Finally, in case you have some really smart and persistent mousse in your home or the place is shallow, you can use a sealant or caulk that doesn’t include toxins and/or chemicals. It is quite easy to find such materials and you can use the Internet in order to find some.
Things that you will need:
- One roll of copper steel/ copper wire mesh
Instructions:
Create thin wads by rolling up the copper. Put the copper wire mesh in the holes, cracks, or any entrance that might be used by mice. Make sure that the holes are jammed with copper by pushing them with a stick. Keep adding copper wire mesh until the area is stuffed. Once you are done with this procedure, you can use the spray based on hot peppers in order to improve the effects.
6. Trap Them
Before we go into details about this natural solution, we should point out that this technique will be useless in case you are dealing with a true mice infestation. On the other hand, if you need to get rid of only a few mice that are looking for a place to settle, you will find these humane traps to be the ideal solution. You can create a few different types of traps that can be used for capturing several mice at once. Humane traps will provide peace of mind for any individual that doesn’t want to hurt other living beings. This is something that you cannot expect by using brutal traditional traps.
Things you’ll need:
- Bait
- A humane trap
Instructions:
Since there are many different humane traps, read the instructions carefully. Many of them are designed in a way that allows people to avoid any contact with the animal.
7. Cloves
Whenever someone mentions cloves, people usually think about a beautiful warm night by the fire. Well, the mice have a much different experience when they are close to cloves because their smell is uncomfortable. Many people will find this odd because cloves remind people of baking, but the raw essential oil found in cloves causes irritations in mice. In order to get the most from this mouse repellent, you should use whole cloves or soak some cotton balls with clove essential oil. According to many people, oil is a more efficient option.
Things you’ll need:
- Cotton balls
- Whole cloves or clove essential oil
Instructions:
Use it in the same way as the aforementioned peppermint oil. Simply put between 20 and 30 drops of this oil on a cotton ball and put these balls all over your house in places where mice can appear (If you have a pet, try to place these cotton balls in areas where they cannot reach them). In case you decide to use whole cloves, use an old piece of cotton t-shirt to wrap them and use them in the same way as the cotton balls.
8. Aluminum Foil
For many people, this may sound like an odd solution, but it actually works. People who use aluminum foil usually place this foil on kitchen countertops and all the stuff that is usually found on these countertops like cereal boxes for example. This will definitely sound funny, but the truth is that mice will stay away from this area. No one knows what exactly makes mice stay away from aluminum foil, but it is probably because of the noisy and slippery surface and the unusual smell.
In case you know where exactly mice come from, put some foil in the holes. Just make sure that it is properly jammed. You’ve probably never tried aluminum foil, but imagine the sensation. Do you feel the goosebumps? No one knows how mice feel when they first try aluminum foil, but they obviously find it weird too. This solution should be used before you try using copper wire.
Things you’ll need:
- Aluminum foil
Instructions:
Use aluminum foil to cover all the areas where you have found mouse droppings. Obviously, you cannot use aluminum foil everywhere, but if you find droppings on the kitchen countertop, wrap this area. Apply the aluminum foil before you go to bed and remove it in the morning. You can use the same foil again, but it is a better idea to use a new one because mice may have polluted it.
Via Everyday Roots
