How To Get Rid of Mice

Mice can cause all sorts of problems in your home. They commonly cause damage to walls, wiring, and furniture, and they can carry some serious diseases. 

For this reason, it’s important to know how to get rid of a mice as quickly as possible.

As prevention is better than cure, Ehrlich has compiled a list of facts and tips to help you keep your home free of mice. 

If you already have a mouse problem, or have tried to treat a small infestation yourself and found do it yourself pest control products haven’t completely worked, then you need to call an exterminator to get rid of the mice for you.

Get Rid of Mice in Your Home

You might think mice are fairly harmless – and many people believe that rats are a bigger problem – but actually mice are much more common and cause a lot more damage.

Because mice breed rapidly and continuously a small problem can turn into a big problem very quickly, so dealing with an infestation should be a priority. 

Act Quickly To Get Rid of Mice

Whether you have mice in the kitchen or in your walls, there are many reasons why it is important to get professional pest control help at the first signs of mice.

• Mice are unsanitary and mouse droppings have been identified as potential asthma triggers in children.
• They will contaminate food and other materials through the droppings they leave behind – causing waste and spreading bacteria that can cause food poisoning.
• Mice can multiply quickly and will do significant damage to your home and furniture through their gnawing activities.
• Not only are mice destructive they have even been implicated in causing house fires after chewing through electrical cables.

Between the potential health issues, having to replace ruined food, clothing, books, and many other common household items, and possibly having to repair walls and fittings, you definitely want to get rid of a mouse problem right away.

Getting Rid of Mice

Homeowners have a range of options to consider when getting rid of mice – all with their own pros and cons. 

Ehrlich provide a complete mice pest control service for infestations of any size, and we recommend you call in the professionals before the problem gets too big (which can happen very quickly with just one breeding couple able to produce over 100 mouse offspring in a year).

There’s a whole host of devices and systems you can try to catch a mouse:

Mice Repellents

• Mint - mice are said to dislike mint, so growing mint in your garden or having a potted mint plant in your kitchen might help. You can also try using peppermint extract - with water in a spray, or add some to your mop bucket.
• Ultrasonic Devices – these work by emitting a sound that mice and other rodents don’t like but which can’t be heard by people. However, there’s lots of reports that these devices don’t work very well as mice simply get used to & ignore the uncomfortable noise, and even the Federal Trade Commission has stated that they are ineffective.

Mouse Traps

• Snap Traps – these are the mouse traps everyone is familiar with. They work by attracting mice with a small bait and then killing them with a swift blow when the bait is taken.
  • Tips for using them – use several traps close to each other, place them close to walls with the trigger plates facing towards the wall, and for the first few days bait them without setting them so that the mice get used to taking the bait with impunity.
  • The drawbacks to these mouse traps are that they don’t always kill the mouse (so you might have to finish the job quite often), and they can be very messy.
• Live / Catch Traps – these traps are bigger and don’t harm the mice. Mice are lured in with bait, and the door locks behind them so they can’t get out. However, mice have been known to quickly learn how to beat the system. Even when they are successful, you have to get rid of the live mouse yourself.
• Electronic ‘Zapper’ Traps – similar to catch traps except once inside the mouse is given a fatal electric shock. You’ll need a large stock of batteries, and the traps themselves can be quite expensive to buy.
• The Homemade Bucket Trap – a common trap you can make yourself (there are plenty of instructions to be found on the internet). Basically mice are lured by bait which is held on a roller above a bucket full of water. As the mice attempt to fetch the bait, they slip into the water and drown. Again, you’ll have to remove the dead mice, and the traps can start to smell quite quickly.
• Glue Boards – also an inexpensive trap, glueboards can catch several mice at the same time.
  Some people don’t like them because the mice die of stress or starvation. They can catch other animals by accident so keep them away from pets and children, and again you will have to dispose of the mess.

Mouse Poison

There are many mouse poisons on the market, and it’s best to use them in conjunction with bait boxes so that pets and children can’t get at the harmful stuff. 

The biggest problem with poisons is that mice can travel a fair distance between eating the poison bait and it taking effect. This means you may find decomposing mice in hard to reach places.

Pets Catching Mice

• Cats – cats can and do catch mice, but they will tend to play with them, which can cause a mess. Whilst owning a cat may prevent an infestation, normal pet cats or even mousers (cats trained to catch mice) are not likely to be able to get rid of a mouse infestation on their own.
• Dogs – perhaps surprising, but some dogs are excellent at catching mice.
• Birds – owls, particularly barn owls, probably shouldn’t be classed as pets but they can be encouraged to nest in your garden. They will make short work of any mouse population outside your home.

Getting Rid of Mice Professionally

Although many homeowners struggle with do it yourself pest control products to get rid of mice, the results are often less than satisfactory. Small problems can develop into large ones all too quickly and this is when you need to seek out the services of an exterminator

Ehrlich are experts at getting rid of mice and at helping you to prevent further mice infestations. We offer you a convenient mice extermination service with:

• Next Day service guaranteed – your problem will be dealt with quickly.
• Times convenient to you – no need to wait in for us!
• Ehrlich Technicians who are experts - they’ll deal with your problem in a fast, efficient, and friendly manner.
• Peace of mind - we’ll make as many visits as needed to ensure the mouse problem is completely resolved.
• Expert advice - to help you prevent future mice infestations.
• Safe pest control techniques using the latest equipment – you don’t need to worry about the safety of children or pets.

Call us NOW at 1-800-837-5520 for advice on how to get rid of mice or schedule a free pest inspection. Read more about the signs of mice in your home.