How to get rid of mice
HAVING mice invade your home can be very annoying, particularly due to them being unhygienic.
Here's some tips on how you can prevent mice from entering your home.
How to get rid of mice
There is more than one way to get rid of mice. Here's a few options.
Get a cat
One way of getting rid of mice is simply to get a cat.
Even if your puss is more of a lap cat than a mouser, chances are mice will steer clear.
Scientists have discovered that a chemical signal in cat saliva triggers a fearful reaction in mice.
Be aware however, bringing a pet cat into your home could also see an increase in mice as cats often bring their prey inside to protect it from being nabbed by other moggies.
Mouse traps
Mouse traps are also proved to be effective at killing the squeaky rodents.
Humane ones kill the mouse instantly inside a sealed box which can be disposed of in a bin.
A top tip is to place the traps along skirting boards – mice have bad eyesight and use the skirtings to navigate through your home.
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Poisons
There are poisons also available - however, they don’t kill the mouse straight away.
When they do you could find they cause a stink if they are behind walls or under floorboards.
How do I stop mice from coming back in the house?
Mice come into homes for food and shelter - so removing open food containers and cleaning kitchen sides thoroughly will put them off helping themselves.
Blocking off entry points into your home can also stop them coming back.
Look for tell-tale signs of droppings and gnaw marks to see where they are coming in.
Invest in a bag of wire wool and stuff it into holes in skirting boards and in gaps behind fridges – mice hate the stuff as it gets caught in their teeth.
Also close bins and make sure compost heaps are covered.
Keep gardens clean and tidy and remove overgrown areas which mice love to shelter under.
You can also try spraying with lemons, vinegar or peppermint oil, or using other strong smells to deter mice.
Do mice bite and are they dangerous?
Mice aren't aggressive creatures but if they feel threatened or concerned by you, they will bite you.
If they bite you, it shouldn't be harmful but if we were you, we'd see a doctor just in case, just to make sure that everything is fine.
The worst that can happen is that you get an infection from the bite.
What do mice eat?
Mice will eat anything that is high in carbohydrates.
But not only because they aren't picky creatures and an ounce of food and water will fill them up for a day.
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Some of their favourite foods are:
- Fruits and berries
- Pet food
- Nuts
- Meat
- Grains and seeds
- Plants
- Dinner leftovers
