Protect Your Home - Get Rid of Mice

Your home is your castle. Trouble is if these pesky little rodents have it their way, they'll overrun your castle bringing destruction and disease with them. They'll eat through the walls, leave mouse droppings and urination everywhere they run, and destroy tons of food products by knowing through packaging. You want to protect your home – let's look at how to get rid of mice and reclaim your castle.

Get Rid of Mice by Protecting Your House

1. Keep your grass cut short. Many people are unaware that mice do not like to short grass and will avoid traveling on it whenever possible. That means you can get rid of mice before they ever enter your home.

2. Remove debris, trash, and wood piles from around the perimeter of your house. Elevate your wood piles 18" to 24" off the ground. When cleaning up your yard make sure to wear proper protection including boots, gloves, long pants, and long sleeved shirts.

3. Get rid of mice by getting rid of their entrances into your home. Check all your screens, vents, crawl space windows and doors, and pipes. Watch for openings. Remember if a pencil can fit in it so can a mouse. Fill cracks with caulking, and you can or you can use steel wool in small openings to prevent entry, although it does rust.

4. When you remove the food source you get rid of mice. They are only coming to visit your home because you have food for them to eat. This can be human food, pet food, or even bird seed. Place all food products in containers that mice cannot chew through. Use garbage containers that seal tightly.

5. You should not vacuum or sweep mouse droppings because of the danger of the deadly hantavirus that can be spread to humans through contact with mice urine and droppings. Instead mist the droppings with chlorine bleach and wipe up with paper towel. The health risks are yet another reason why you want to get rid of mice.

Traps and Bait

Place poison pellets and traps near the holes and in areas where you have seen mice or evidence of mice. Try to get it as close to the hole as possible. Traps are a good way to get rid of mice. Use peanut butter, cheese, fruit, or candy as the bait on the trap.

Always set your traps along a wall and do not set the trap so it parallels the wall. Instead set it so that it makes an L with the wall with the bait closest to the wall. That's because mice are pretty smart and will run around the outer edge of the trap if it parallels the wall. They are much more likely to take the bait this way. You will need to check the traps daily. Always wear gloves when removing dead mice from the traps. Wrap in newspaper before placing in your outside garbage.

These tips will help you get rid of mice and protect your home.