Best Methods for Removing Mice Infestations

When you have a mouse problem it can turn you into a frustrated homeowner fairly quickly. Mice have a reputation for being elusive creatures that quickly adapt to their surroundings and can learn to avoid various traps you may lay around your home.  Proper pest control to rid mice from your home requires a multi-step approach that involves inspection and proper identification of rodent species, rodent proofing, trapping, increased attention to sanitation, and harborage reduction. Relying on only one of these methods often gives homeowners little or no results. Below are some tips and tricks to the pest control methods mentioned above:

Rodent Proofing Your Home

This method is easier said than done. Mice are extremely adept at gnawing their way through even the smallest of openings to get into your home. To prevent mice from getting in, all cracks, crevices, and holes larger than a pen cap should be repaired. Since mice are capable of chewing through wood, all areas should be sealed with cement or a mixing compound instead. Be sure to inspect your foundation, doors, door frames, windows, window frames, shingles, roof ventilators, and more for these gaps or cracks. Any utility entry points such as dryer vents, pipes, chimneys, or other openings that lead into your home are all possible entry points that should be examined. Utilizing high gloss paint or circular metal rodent guards can help deter mice from climbing and accessing these openings.

Lay Mouse Traps in Areas of High Mouse Activity

Typical active areas for mice are along walls, behind appliances or other large objects, and darkened corners. Laying classic wooden snap traps are effective for light reducing light mouse populations, however it is recommended to lay many different types of traps to increase your chances of catching a mouse. Utilizing a combination of bait traps, multiple-capture live traps, and glue traps in conjunction with wooden traps often provide much better traps. Be sure to lay enough traps in each area. A general rule of thumb is to lay a dozen or so traps for one mouse….or what you think is one mouse. If you have seen a mouse, chances are there are more residing within your home.

Increase Your Sanitation Habits Around the Home

Having good cleaning habits will not prevent mice from entering your home, but an unclean house will certainly attract mice to it. For this reason it is best to keep food stored in glass or metal containers with tight lids rather than in cardboard boxes that mice can easily chew through.  Also be sure to clean dishes immediately after use, and clean up any crumbs or food morsels from tabletops or floors. Making it harder for mice to find food in your home can get them to start looking elsewhere for better living arrangements.

Reduce Access to Harborage Materials

Harborage materials are the materials mice like to use to build nests. This can include cotton, feathers, leaves, grass, small twigs and more. To discourage mice from viewing your home as the perfect nesting location, it is important to keep your yard free of trash, debris, high grass, or accumulations of building supplies. Organizing and or elevating stored items will help reduce harborage and will allow you to easily inspect for signs of mice activity.

Enlist the Help of Rodenticides

Utilizing a mouse poison is an effective way to quickly reduce your home rodent infestation. Rodenticides are usually fed in pellet form from bait stations. Mice are attracted to the smell of the poison and ingest it. Some rodent poisons are designed to kill the critter in a single dose, while others may take several dosages to get the job done. There are several types of rodent poisons available to be used in your pest control program. The most popular forms are anticoagulants. Anticoagulant rodenticides prevent the mouse’s blood from clotting, causing internal bleeding that will eventually kill the rodent. Using rodenticides is very effective, but should not be taken lightly. Rodent poisons should always be put in place by a trained pest control professional to minimize the risk of exposure for children and pets.

If all of this seems like too much trouble, it’s because it is. Mice are incredibly elusive critters that can cause serious property damage, electrical fires included. By far, the easiest, and best way to get rid of mice is to contact let your local pest control professionals do what they’re trained to do – get rid of mice every single time. Period.

 OPC Pest Control has over 20 years’ experience providing safe, effective, and affordable mouse pest control services to Upstate, NY. Give us a call today at 518-877-6425 or fill out the form below to set up your pest control consultation.