A mice infestation can be painfully difficult to solve. But this is often because people go about it entirely the wrong way. For example, there are certain things that you should consider doing when attempting to exterminate mice. Along with this, there are some things you absolutely should not do. This might sound confusing, so here is a list of dos and don’ts for eliminating mice.
Things you should do when getting rid of mice
1. Do clear up clutter
This is the biggest thing that people often neglect. They don’t understand that mice are drawn to clutter like a magnet. These use this clutter to hide from humans, breed, and line their nests. Remember, mice are tiny. This means they can hide in even the smallest pile of clutter. It also means that one of the first steps to preventing mice to getting rid of clutter.
2. Do get rid of food sources
Mice come into your home for two things: food and shelter. To get rid of them you need to eliminate these things. Start by cleaning your home thoroughly and keeping it clean. Also make sure that all food is secured. Do not leave boxes of food and packets in your cupboard. These should be placed into plastic containers that mice cannot get into.
3. Do consider getting a cat
Most people never think of this, but the easiest way to get rid of mice is with a cat. If you don’t want to do this, there are ways of tricking mice into thinking there’s a cat.
Mice hate the smell of cats in general, so one idea is to leave bags of cat hair around the house. You can even use products that contains cat urine to spray in select places.
Things to never do if you have a mice infestation
1. Don’t place traps randomly
Although mouse traps are one of the most popular mouse control methods, many people don’t know exactly what to do when it comes to placing them. Usually, they leave these traps out randomly. Do this, and you’ll rarely ever catch a mouse. Instead, the best place to set them is along walls. The reason why is because mice move along walls, and this greatly increases your chances of removing the mice infestation.
2. Don’t use the wrong bait
Another mistake people make with traps is using the wrong bait. Just so you know, cheese is by far one of the worst baits. It’s better to use a small dab of peanut butter.
Mice love the creamy texture, plus the sugar and oil in peanut butter. They also like seeds, nuts of all kinds and chocolate. Using the right kind of bait in your traps can make the world of difference.
3. Don’t assume there’s only one mouse
If you see one mouse running around, you can always assume there are more. This is why you should never ignore that one mouse that you see. In fact, one mouse will quickly turn into a full-blown mice infestation. To prevent this, take immediate action, and act as if you were dealing with 100 mice living in your walls and other hidden away place you might not know about.