Since there may be more hiding nearby, it can be worrying to find a mouse in your home.Try to get the mice out of your home as soon as possible because they can spread disease and get into your food and belongings.Clean and seal any areas where mice may enter after setting traps or placing bait.You can say goodbye to mice if you take preventative measures./props
Step 1: You should look for droppings.
Mouse droppings can be found in your pantry or kitchen cabinets.Dark droppings that look like grains of rice are about 16–4 in (0.5–0.6 cm) long.Droppings that are wet and black are fresh, while older ones are dry and have a lighter gray color.There's a crack or hole in the room through which mice can enter if droppings are present.
Step 2: Near sunrise and sunset, listen for scratching and squeaking.
Since they are nocturnal, mice are the most active 30 minutes after sunset.Light scratching or scampering sounds can be heard near your walls or in areas where you suspect mice.You may have more than one mouse in your home if you hear a lot of noises.Areas where you can hear mice include the basement, attics, and kitchens.
Step 3: There are dime-sized holes in your walls.
If mice are living in your home, they may have chewed through the wall.If there are small holes with smooth edges on the corners, you should inspect them.Mouse can easily get in and out of your home if you notice any holes.Since mice may be coming in from the wild, you should inspect your home as well.
Step 4: Mouse pathways can be seen along interior walls or ledges.
While mice run through your home, you may be able to see common problem areas.The runs are usually on interior walls or ledges.Look for oily rub marks on the wall to see if mice have been in the area.Droppings and urine stains can be seen along the pathways.Since they could be mice, look for small movements in your home.
Step 5: There are signs of a nest in attics.
When mice breed, they build a nest so they have a place for their young.Round nest made of cardboard, fabric, and other scrap materials can be found in your attic, basement and underneath your cabinets.If you find a nest, get in touch with a professional to get rid of it.Mice chew through cardboard boxes and clothing to make their nest.There are small holes in the pile of clothes you left in your closet.A musty smell can indicate the presence of a mouse nest.
Step 6: If you want to catch mice in a humane way, get live traps.
You can put the traps along the mouse pathways in your home or near the wall.Place a small amount of peanut butter or cheese in the trap.You can see if the trap is set or empty by looking at it.If you catch a mouse, take the trap to a field 2 miles away so it doesn't come back to you.When handling traps, wear gloves so the mice can't detect your scent.Some live traps only catch a single mouse.The trap that works best for you.Try different types of bait to see if the mice like it.
Step 7: Use snap traps to kill the mice.
You can place the snap trap on a pathway or along a wall.peanut butter or jam can be placed on the bait pad.Hold the wire piece down with one hand.You can use your other hand to set the metal bar.The mouse will be killed when it steps on the trap to eat the bait.When mice are caught, make sure to throw out snap traps.The trap is spring loaded and will close quickly, so be careful while setting it.Pets and small children could get hurt if snap traps are kept in areas where they could reach them.
Step 8: You have to move your traps every few days.
If you have captured any mice, check your traps twice a day.If you don't catch any mice in the traps within a few days, you should move them to a different area of the house.mice are more likely to return to the area if they use the same paths.Every night, mice travel 20–30 ft from their nest.Keep the traps close by if you have a nest in your home.
Step 9: As a last resort, use a baited poison.
There are bait traps in the pest control section of the store.You can place the traps in areas where you notice activity, such as behind a cabinet or in the basement.The poison will kill the mouse as it digests the bait.The poison bait traps capture the mice so they don't run away after eating it.Pets and small children could get very sick if they eat poison traps.Since they could cross-contaminate one another, don't keep the poison near food items.
Step 10: It's a good idea to clean your house frequently.
It is important to clean up after yourself after you eat or prepare a meal.mice may try to find food on your countertops if you leave food scraps out overnight.To deter mice from entering your house, sweep or vacuum every day.Cleaning your house will not stop mice entirely, but it will eliminate any food sources they may have had.mice are attracted to dark, unused spaces so decluttering your home is a must.
Step 11: Food can be kept in containers.
Grains, nuts, and other dry goods need to be stored in tightly sealed containers.Wrap the container in plastic if it isn't sealable.If you can block the scent, you will be able to protect your food.Mouse can't smell open food so it's best to put it in a different container.Don't leave bread or fruit on the counter for more than a day or two.Put them in a container or refrigerator.It's a good idea to clean your pantry and cabinets often.Don't let crumbs, dried juice, and other bits of food sit on your kitchen floor.Provide to eliminate the opportunity for the mouse family to dine if there are any signs of pantry raiding.
Step 12: Make sure your entryways are sealed so mice can't get in.
There are holes in your home where mice can enter.If you find any cracks or holes in your walls, cover them with 4 in (0.64 cm) mesh.Make sure the entrances from your chimney and pipes are covered with mesh.Since mice can't chew through steel wool, you can stuff any holes you find.Make sure the gap under the door isn't convenient for mice.The mice don't live in your home.They visit often for food.
Step 13: The entrances and problem areas should be sprayed with the oil.
The mixture of water and oil should be put in a spray bottle.There are pathways and areas where you can see mice.The scent of peppermint will keep the mice away from the area.It stays fresh if you apply the spray every few days.Cotton balls can be soaked with oil and left along mouse pathways for a week at a time.
Step 14: If you have a cat in your home, it will scare the mice.
Cats are great at scaring away mice in your home.The cat can spread its scent if it spends time in the room where mice are present.From now on, mice will be able to sense a predator and avoid it.You can borrow a friend's cat to scare the mice.There are places where the cat can't reach, such as an attic.