Mice can get into the cleanest apartments and houses. They may seem harmless, but they can actually wreak havoc on your home and even spread disease. If you can’t bear the thought of using traps or poison, there are many home tricks that can help you get rid of mice once and for all without resorting to drastic measures.
9 ways to get rid of mice at home:
1. Less cruel traps
If you don’t want to cause unnecessary suffering to the mice, you can trap them with painless traps. They can be found in almost any pet store. Read the instructions before using them and place them where the mice are in your house. For best results, place a piece of food in the trap as bait. Check the trap every day and release the mice into the wild.
2. Peppermint essential oil
While this smell is pleasant to humans, mice really hate it. Put 20 to 30 drops of peppermint essential oil on each cotton ball and place them in areas of your home that attract mice. You will need to replace the old cotton balls with new ones every week. And make sure the cotton balls are out of reach of your pets.
3. Clove or clove essential oil
Mice also don’t like the smell of cloves. If you opt for clove essential oil, use it the same way you use peppermint essential oil. Alternatively, you can use whole cloves, wrap them in pieces of cotton cloth, and place them in the affected places in the house.
4. Bay leaves
Another natural repellent with a great smell, bay leaves! Put some in the mice’s favorite places. Change the sheets every two or three days.
5. Aluminum foil
Cover counters and other surfaces where mice may walk with aluminum foil. You can also put the sheet in cracks and holes to prevent mice from entering your house. Thanks to its slippery surface and the noise it makes when touched, it scares away mice.
6. Mouse repellent spray
This spray is made from very hot peppers, so it is best to wear gloves, glasses and even a surgical mask if you have one at home, to avoid any irritation during preparation. Will need:
- 1 liter of water
- ½ cup chopped hot chili (habanero type)
- 2 tablespoons hot pepper flakes
– Put the water, half a cup of chopped habaneros and 2 tablespoons of hot chili flakes in the blender, blend until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.
– Let the mixture sit in a jar for a day.
– Use cheesecloth to strain the mixture so you have a liquid.
– Pour the liquid into a spray bottle and spray areas of the house where mice may pass through.
– Do not use the mixture on carpets or furniture, it may stain them.
7. Dryer sheets
Place dryer sheets in areas potentially favored by mice. According to several experiments, the smell given off by dryer sheets repels mice. Change them once the smell disappears.
8. Mothballs
Mothballs are good for repelling mice, but they are poisonous. Use them sparingly if you have children and/or pets, and make sure they are out of their reach.
9. Adopt or buy a cat
You probably know that this is how cats began to live with humans: they came to hunt mice in the places where grain was stored. So let them do the job they’ve been doing for thousands of years, bringing home a new hunting friend. However, this method does not always work as expected, since some cats are not used to chasing mice.
You should also make sure that there is no food available for the mice:
– Store your food in airtight containers.
– Take out the trash regularly.
– Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink.
– Sweep the kitchen floor and clean countertops, tables or other surfaces where there may be crumbs.
– Put away your pets’ food bowls after eating.
– Throw away or recycle old newspapers, magazines and other things that mice can use.