If you have mice scurrying around inside your home, you can rest assured there are simple and easy ways to get rid of the unwanted house guests! With this easy to follow guide, I will quickly and easily explain to you the best products and practices to get rid of mice without the need to call in the professionals.
To get rid of mice, first, find how the furry rodents are getting into your house. Mice are sneaky and can fit in holes as small in diameter as a dime! Once you find where the mice are gaining access to your home, you’ll want to use hardware cloth and professional-grade foam to fill the hole. Then, you’ll want to set up traps or bait stations both inside and outside your home. For inside the home, I like to use Liphatech Aegis Locking Bait Station with Contrac Blox bait, a rodenticide. Outside the home, you’ll want to use Eaton metal bait stations with the Contrac Blox as well.
If you see one mouse inside your home, chances are there are more where he came from. Did you know adult female mice can reproduce up to 10 litters of mice a year? With each litter averaging six mice!
You may also be interested in reading this related article “How To Get Rid Of Rats“.
Signs Of Mice Infestation
If you think you have a mice infestation, there are a few clues to solidify your suspicions.
Mice infestation red flags:
- Mouse droppings- black or brown, approximately 3-8 mm in length, pointed ends. Droppings are slightly smaller than a grain of rice. Droppings will often be found on shelves, countertops, floor, pantry.
- Scratching noises in the walls. You may also see scratches on walls or other surfaces where the mice are moving.
- Grease marks on walls, molding, doors. Mice will leave dark marks or smudges along the route they like to travel.
- The strong smell of urine. Mice like to urinate in the same spot, every time. Over time, this area will develop an ammonia smell.
- You spot a nest. A mouse nest will often look like a pile of shredded paper, insulation, toilet paper, and anything else the industrious rodents can find. Mice like to nest in dark areas, such as under kitchen sinks, in attics, and sometimes in walls.
- You spot a mouse, dead or alive! This is a sure sign they’ve made themselves way too comfortable inside your home.
Steps To Stop Mice Infestation
If you’re serious about getting rid of mice, you’ll need to approach this infestation in three different ways: from the outside of your home, inside your home, and patching up holes and other points of access for the mice.
In my experiencing taking a three-prong approach is the most effective way to get rid of mice for good! Let’s get started.
First, you want to put a halt to the mice highway heading straight into your home. Walk around your home inside and outside and look for holes or cracks where mice could squeeze through. You’d be amazed at the way mice can contour their body through a tiny hole.
Here’s a good rule of thumb: if you can see light through the hole or crack you probably should patch up the hole.
Step-By-Step Guide To Patching A Crack or Hole
- Using hardware cloth, cut up a few small pieces, and place it into the hole. You can use copper or mesh galvanized metal. DO NOT USE STEEL WOOL. Steel wool leaves oil an residue and can be a fire hazard.
- Next, use a professional foam gun and Pur-Black Expanding Foam. I like to use the Flye-Bye foam gun. Gently apply the foam on top of the hardware cloth and work into the hole. Let dry.
Once you’ve gone around your home, and patched up all the holes and cracks, it’s time to start trapping mice inside and outside your home. Let’s take a closer look at the most effective mice traps and bait stations on the market and how to use them.
| Trap/Bait Stations | Where to Use | How to Use | Bait |
| Aegis Locking Bait Station | Inside | Place bait inside the bait station. Lock the station to prevent any curious kids or dogs from tampering with it. Place inside your home close to walls. | Contrac-Blox- replace bait every 30 days or so |
| Ketch-All | Inside | Traps multiple mice at a time. Don’t place near water or moisture-prone areas because it will rust. | Contrac-Blox |
| Eaton Metal Bait Station | Outside and Inside | Place 4-5 metal bait stations around your house. Pro-Tip: Liquid nail this trap to a paver to keep a child or dog from picking it up and playing with it. For inside, you can place these in your attic, garage, and crawl spaces. | Contrac-Blox |
| Eaton Plastic Bait Station | Inside | Small, plastic bait stations are perfect to put in inconspicuous areas where pets and kids won’t play with them. Place behind the water heater, furniture, etc. | Contrac-Blox |
Note: It’s important to always read and follow the manufacturer’s label before using any chemicals or bait products.
How Long Does It Take to Get Rid Of Mice?
Good job! Now, that you’ve patched up all the holes around your home and set bait stations and traps, it’s time to wait and see how all your hard work will pay off.
Over the years, I’ve responded to hundreds of calls for mice infestations. The infestations have varied to a handful hiding out in a basement to extreme cases where the mice population is taking over a home.
For the standard mice problem, where there are a few here and there, you will start to notice a difference in about a week or so.
However, if mice have been living in your home for years and they’ve set up their own little community, it could very well take up to a month or longer to get rid of every last one.
No matter how big or small of an infestation you have on your hands, I always recommend keeping a few bait stations around your home, in inconspicuous areas just to make sure mice don’t even stand a chance, should they attempt to move back in.
Mice and Disease
According to the CDC, there are four rodents in North America that carry the hantavirus. The deer mouse can be a carrier of this disease and it lives in just about every state. The White-footed mouse is also a carrier and is found mostly along the east coast, the mid west and southern states.
While rare, hantavirus can cause respiratory illness and sometimes death. Signs and symptoms of of hantavirus include:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Muscle aches
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Chills
If you have any of these symptoms after coming in contact with mice droppings or nests, it’s important to follow up with your medical provider.
Because it’s impossible to tell which mice carry the disease, it’s best to assume they all do and get rid of mice inside your house as quickly as possible.
Cleaning Up After A Mice Infestation
When you’re cleaning up mice droppings and nests, it’s very important to take great care. Even breathing in the air around the mice droppings can possibly make you sick, if a mice is carrying the hantavirus.
Before you begin cleaning an area where mice have taken up residence, put on latex or rubber gloves. Next, spray the area with a water/bleach solution- one part water, 10 parts bleach.
Use a paper towel to remove the droppings and throw away in the garbage. Please don’t sweep or vacuum up the droppings or nest.
Mop and wipe down with the bleach solution any surfaces you suspect mice have been on, this includes counters, floors, furniture, etc. If you see mouse droppings on bedding, wash in hot water.
When emptying your bait stations, use gloves to and plastic bag to grab the mice. If the mice are dead, tie the bag and throw away. If a mouse is still alive you can set free outside or place in a plastic bag and dispose of it.
Related Questions
Is a Cat a good way to get rid of mice?
If you love animals, having a cat around is a great way to keep mice at bay. However, it’s only a temporary solution. While cats are natural hunters and have incredible instincts when it comes to rodents, they can only do so much.
If you want a long-term solution to your mice infestation owning a cat, along with my recommendations, will make a difference!
Natural remedies to get rid of mice
If you’d rather go the all-natural route try peppermint oil. Mice are not big fans of peppermint so by sprinkling the oil around entry points to your home, it could keep them at bay.
Spraying an apple cider vinegar solution around your home may also keep mice from setting up shop. Also, I’ve heard the scent of kitty litter is another deterrent for mice. Good luck!
How to get rid of mice inside walls
If there are mice inside your walls, they will have to come out sooner or later for food. That’s your chance! Bait them out with food in a trap. I like to use Contrac-Blox inside a bait station. This rodentcide is a blend of food-grade ingredients and chemicals to get rid of mice effectively.