Mice are known to transmit disease and damage buildings, making them an obvious target for prevention efforts. Rodent control involves sanitation and exclusion.
Mice are known to squeeze through small openings. To protect yourself and the area from mice infestation, inspect for these potential entryways and caulk or seal them as soon as you discover any.
These two plug-in units emit ultrasonic frequency sound waves which are inaudible to humans but audible to mice and rats, making the ultrasonic frequencies non-repetitive to prevent rodents from becoming used to them.
Traps
Mouse traps are specialized rodent control products designed to capture or entrap mice in attics, basements, cabinets/cupboards and along walls. There are four primary kinds of mouse traps: traditional snap traps; glue traps; electric traps and live catch-and-release traps.
Snap traps are inexpensive and straightforward solutions, making them an appealing option for homeowners. Their metal bar snaps shut quickly over baited rodents to kill them instantly; regular monitoring, disposal of dead mice and repositioning to maintain maximum effectiveness are necessary.
Glue traps are nontoxic and more discrete than snap traps; however, their performance is reduced. Squeamish customers may find them difficult to use as it requires taking out the animal from its trap without seeing its face.
Poisons
Rodenticides are poisonous chemicals used to kill mice and rats. Historically, they typically included heavy metals such as arsenic and thallium or poisonous plants like strychnine. While such poisonous substances no longer used as regularly, humane solutions do exist for rodent control.
Modern anticoagulant mouse poisons are among the most frequently used today, leading to internal bleeding and eventual death in mice. Current examples include bromadiolone, diphacinon, warfarin and difenoxin as anticoagulant chemicals used for mouse poison.
Another popular mouse poison recipe involves mixing flour and cocoa powder together to form an inedible paste that mice find hard to resist, although this approach may cause considerable suffering for any unfortunate enough to find themselves trapped by it.
Rodenticides pose serious threats to wildlife as well as pets and humans when taken internally, including primary poisoning of rodents as well as secondary exposure when eating the dead rodents which have consumed poison bait.
Repellents
Mice are driven by survival instincts and will do almost anything they can to find food, water, shelter and an ideal place to reproduce. Many common items can serve as DIY mouse repellents such as peppermint oil, mothballs, cayenne pepper and vinegar solutions; these methods may prove dangerous if children or pets are nearby as they require frequent reapplication and do not guarantee long-term control over mice populations.
Clove essential oil can also serve as an effective natural mouse repellent. With its strong spicy aroma and long-term effectiveness against mice activity, this concentrated liquid makes an effective deterrent against their activity. You can spray or drip this concentrated liquid onto cotton balls and place them where mice activity has been noted. Clove oil has also proven its worth when combined with other repellents like cinnamon oils; one such combination combines clove with peppermint scent for more pleasant and lasting effect than whole cloves alone.
Baits
If you want a non-poisonous approach to killing rodents, disposable bait stations are an effective solution. Rodents enter these stations, nibble on a block containing poison, and ultimately perish. These traps work well on large infestations without resorting to mothballs which have environmental implications.
Spicer suggests paying close attention to what the mice are currently feeding on when selecting bait, since that will likely be their most enticing source of sustenance. He advises using sticky bait such as peanut butter, marshmallows or gumdrops; cooked or raw meat works too, though if setting snap traps try tying your food securely onto it with dental floss so it cannot be removed without setting off a trap.
If selecting a poison, make sure it is intended for residential use and approved to be used indoors, rather than outdoors. Popular products include Ditrac, which requires multiple feedings until death occurs. Just One Bite II Rat and Mouse Bar can be more rapidly acting but must only be used in rooms or bait stations without access by children and animals.