After watching Ratatouille, you may think that mice are cute little harmless creatures. We are here to warn you that this is a road you do not want to go down. Even though they have furry faces and may look harmless mice can completely destroy your property. They chew on furniture, gnaw at every electrical wire ever found in your house, and leave disgusting droppings everywhere they go. This produces a terrible smell in your home, and what’s worse is that you will have a hard time even discovering where the smell is coming from.
Mice carry germs and diseases and can be the reason why you and your family could end up in the hospital. These critters can show up anywhere, anytime, but once they start to breed in your home, they can be difficult to get rid of. After all, mice need is a warm space, along with a steady supply of food to munch on.
Here is how you can get rid of mice that have found their way into walls and attics:
Get Rid of Entry Points
The best way to get rid of mice in walls and attics is by rodent-proofing your home. This will ensure that the existing mice infestation does not expand. Moreover, it can stop future infestations from destroying your home.
Since mice find their way on your property through the foundations of your home, along with openings in walls, pipes, and vents, you want to get some steel wool and caulking to completely block off these entry points. Remember not to use any plastic or rubber while doing this as mice have sharp teeth that can gnaw through these substances.
You can also purchase weather stripping for your doors and window sills so that every entry and exit way is sealed, and no mouse can find its way indoors.
Lay Out Mouse Traps
In case of an infestation or if you have doubts that mice can easily enter your home, layout mouse traps as soon as possible. You may have always seen traditional wooden snap traps in cartoons like Tom and Jerry, but keep in mind that these only work for a mild mouse infestation. The trick is to get as many of them and place them at different entry and exit points around the house.
Instead of wooden mouse traps, you can also look for bait traps, glue traps, and multiple-capture live traps. Remember, mice are extremely smart creatures and could already be keen to wooden traps so it is a good idea to get creative and versatile.
Use Some Bait to Draw Mice
Mice know how to hide in your home. They can hide in walls, attics, basements, and even in pipes around the house. In fact, you may even completely miss their existence if you are not cautious. If you are suspicious of mice, simply use food as bait to bring them out of their hiding spots. Even though we have learned that mice love cheese, there are many other food items that they are attracted to, such as chocolate, peanut butter, bacon, oatmeal, dried fruit, hazelnuts, and cereal.
Attaching the bait to a mousetrap is not difficult. All you need is some dental floss or a fishing line. After all, you do not want the mouse to run off with the food without you catching it. If you do not have any of the above-mentioned items, you can simply use a hot glue gun to safely tie the bait to the mousetrap. Remember to replace the food with fresh food every two days to keep the mice interested. In case of food does not do the trick, simply use feathers or cotton balls.
Find the Best Spot for Mouse Traps
You could do everything right, from getting the best variety of mouse traps to laying out all the right food that the mice in your house will be attracted to. However, if you do not find the right spot to place these traps in, all your effort will get wasted.
Mousetraps should always be placed perpendicular to the walls in your home so that the trigger is in line with the baseboard. This will ensure that any mouse hiding in the wall gets stuck in the trap while going back into their hiding spot. Moreover, mice usually only travel ten to twenty feet from food sources so place your traps accordingly. If you have suspicions of an infestation, make sure to place traps nearby. Keep a lookout for two days and if you do not find any mice, change the location of the traps. We assure you that sooner or later, you will be able to outsmart these creatures.
Getting rid of mice in walls and attics is difficult and usually requires professionals. If you have tried these methods but still find droppings around your house, get in touch with a pest control company.