How to Get Rid of Mice: No Poison or Traps Required!

Mice may be cute as pets, but you really don't want wild ones running amok around your home.

So you’ve seen a mouse, or evidence of little teeth in your cereal boxes, and you’re not happy about it. Not many of us enjoy sharing our homes with tiny little rodents, even if they are sort of cute. The evidence of an infestation can be seen in a variety of ways; including chewed sections on your dry goods storage boxes (especially if they are made of cardboard), mouse droppings in your cupboards and, of course, sightings. A little scurrying mouse can sometimes be seen after dark if you’re sitting very quietly and they think nobody is about. Mice usually appear after lights out when they know there is very little chance of bumping into their human hosts, so if you sleep near to the kitchen you might even hear them scurrying around.

Older houses and houses which sit in a row like terraces are more at risk of mouse infestations because the mice travel from house to house under the floorboards or even through roof-spaces.

Many people find the idea of traps, spring loaded or glue style, unimaginably cruel. The sight of a tiny crushed body or, even worse, a little mouse stuck fast to a glue trap and very much alive is a horrifying one. Poison is equally awful as it takes days for the mouse to die after consuming it, resulting in a very painful way to die.

There are thankfully other, kinder ways to repel and deter mice from your home and they’re more eco-friendly too. Mice are basically incontinent and are known to constantly leak urine as they go about their business. Not only that but they have no compunction in relieving themselves right into your cereal boxes, so it’s definitely a good idea to get rid of them as soon as you become aware of their presence.

Find their entry points

Find where they're coming from!

Look close to the areas where you have seen evidence of mice and see if you can see their holes. Mice can squeeze through impossibly small holes; tiny gaps no bigger than an inch or even less will provide a good entry and exit point for mice so seal them all up. Often they are located at the back of cupboards, close to doorways and in skirting boards. The best way to seal them is by stuffing them with wire wool which mice cannot chew through.

Put them off

Mice cannot abide the scent of peppermint; so take some peppermint oil, soak some cotton wool balls in it and leave them strategically about close to the areas where you think they have been hanging out.

Another good method of putting mice off your home is to remove their food supplies. Seal all of your dry goods in plastic tubs and boxes; choosing the type with tight lids. Mice have a great sense of smell, but if the food is inaccessible they will move on. Each evening before you go to bed, do a spot check for crumbs. Wipe up every crumb that you can find and ensure all food is sealed away. There’s no need to leave them a buffet!

Get a cat

This cat is ready for some mouse hunting!

Mice don’t like cats. This is common knowledge and they will usually avoid a home with the presence of a cat in it. Although this obviously isn’t practical for everyone, it’s a very natural way to deter the pesky little critters and it won’t be you who is responsible for catching them.