Natural Remedies For Mice Inside Homes. Which One’s Are Worth Trying?
The Real Reason That You Have Mice Inside Your Home.
Think about all of the bad experiences you have had living with rodents- especially mice! Has emptying the mouse traps in your home turned into an accepted fact of life? Are you ready for this to no longer be one of your household chores?
You’d be amazed how much urban wildlife snoops around your house- searching for vulnerable points in your home’s construction. Squirrels, rats, raccoons, bats, and mice are all guilty of being snoops. Mice are the luckiest of these critters. Mice can fit through a hole the size of a dime. And what do they find on the other side of these dime sized holes? In most cases, they find nice cushy, warm insulation to nest in.
Keep in mind, even if they do not find that pillow of warm insulation, the reason that you have mice is due to those holes outside. It is not because you are dirty. It’s not because you are deficient in peppermint oil and moth balls. It is due to the fact that you have at least one hole outside your home, large enough for a mouse to get through.
On top of that, once mice enter these holes, they leave a scent marker behind. It tells all the other mice that if they follow this path, they will find food/ shelter. That is how mouse problems persist inside your home.
As you plan on how to exterminate mice, note that killing them won’t get rid of them forever. What happens is that when you kill such critters, neighboring relatives tend to move in to make use of the available resources. They see that Uncle Mike got evicted and they stop by for an extended stay. History repeats itself over and over, thus creating that household chore of trapping mice.
The One True Solution To Eliminating Mice From A Home.
For lasting results, have Lakewood Exterminating professionally mouse-proof your home. Seal all of those marked up holes on the outside of your home. And trap what is inside. Mouse-proofing is truly the only way to effectively control mice inside of your home!
When considering using home remedies for mice, imagine that you have nowhere to live. Imagine being really hungry too. Would you jump over a pile of cayenne pepper to gain access to food that people drop on the floor? Would you live in a basement that smells like mothballs to keep out of the cold? I sure would.
Read on to find out the most popular natural remedies for mice online, and if they are worth trying out. There are always cases when it is not practical to repair the rodent entry points outside. Perhaps the repairs are too expensive, and making them is beyond your skill set. Perhaps you just can’t find the entry points, nor are there any mouse exterminators around that can either.
In these cases, home remedies should be used by all means. Just don’t mess around with cayenne pepper, ultrasonic plug in deterrents, moth balls, peppermint, or ammonia.
What Brings Mice to Your Home?
Many homeowners have problems with pest control in Cleveland, Ohio. We experience their struggles on a daily basis! Mice, rats and other commensal rodents have truly adapted themselves to live in our shadows. Why would they want to come to your home?
Shelter
Most people relegate mouse infestations to a cold weather phenomenon. Yes, mice do enter homes in winter. Yet they likely do so as a result of their populations being at their highest in fall. It is not easy being near last on the food chain. Not only that, they have to make it through a Cleveland winter! Not an easy task for any creature. Bless nature for providing them with a plethora of acorns and other seeds prior to the cold settling in. Mice have their highest populations leading into fall and winter because not all mice outlast the cold months. A large portion do not.
Mouse populations begin to spike around July in Cleveland, OH. This seems to be when requests for mouse control begin to increase (with the exploding population). Additionally in July, it is darned hot outside. And it is even hotter in your attic! Not many animals are going to live in your attic throughout the summer months. Unless a new hole opened up in your house over summer, it is likely that a mouse has already found the accessible holes in your house. These holes are likely already marked it with their pheromones. In other words, the mice around your house probably already know how to get inside. It can be argued that mice don’t seek shelter from the cold. They are just waiting for it to cool down up there.
While it is true that mice seek shelter in your homes over winter, they will infest the cooler parts of your home year round. Mice are the least active inside Cleveland, OH homes during the months of April and May. This is likely when they are really excited to get out of your house and enjoy tolerable temperatures. Keep in mind that mice do not regulate their body temperatures like larger animals do. They need protection from the elements.
Based on our records, mice infestations increase with the population throughout the year. Yes, the months that they are most active inside Cleveland, OH homes are November and December. So it is true that mice come inside to seek shelter from the cold. January through May are the least active months for our mouse control services. There is a significant uptick beginning in July that continues through October.
Food
There are many cases where mice live inside homes, yet never find the kitchen. Yet, just like marking entry points into the structure, scent trails are left behind when a mouse locates that avocado on your counter. From that point on, you have a pathway leading directly to potential food sources. And these pheromone markers do not go away quickly. They can last for years, leading right into your kitchen.
Once food is found, a mouse will not nest further than 10-30 feet from this food. Vertical distance is important when considering this range since most mice live below the living space- inside basements and crawl spaces. Once inside, their diet changes from mainly seeds, to foods with high fat content.
Breeding Spaces
Mice need nests to bear and rear their young ones. They use soft materials inside that they can shred. Such examples are paper products and plastic grocery bags. Toss that in with some grass, pet hair, and a random feather or two. Insulation is where they get it on mostly though. A lot of time too, they nestle up inside that wood on top of your foundation called the box sill. This hollow area is created by two 2×6 wood boards running parallel to each other on top of the basement wall. Holes are made through these boards when running electric wires, heating ductwork, and water lines. In most cases, these holes are vermin’s gateway into your actual home.
How to Tell if You Have Mouse Infestation.
Mice leave lots of clues that give away their presence. Here are the surefire signs to look out for.
- Unlike squirrels who defecate in one latrine area, mice just poop everywhere they go. This is almost always how people find out that they have an infestation of mice. These black droppings are the size of rice kernels.
- They’ll also rip into your candy drawer if you give them the opportunity. Protect your snickers and call Lakewood Exterminating right away!
- Tell-tale gnaw marks can also be on the baseboards or other areas they squeeze through. Picture the classic Tom and Jerry mouse hole in the wall…
- You can also come across their well traveled pathways by finding sebum markings. Mice and rats have an oil on their fur to keep them protected from the elements. When a mouse travels the same path over and over, dark colored grease marks are left behind.
- You may also find fabrics, pet hair, string, or shredded paper nests.
- Another common sign is the noises the mice make on the walls at night as they gnaw on the studs. Contrary to popular belief, mice do not make squeaking noises. Since they are prey-animals, they make sure they don’t give off their location by their voice.
- Your pets may notify you of the presence of the mice. You will notice odd behavior; the pets mostly scratch or paw at appliances. Some breeds, like terriers, are more sensitive to the presence of other animals such as rodents.
If you still aren’t sure there are mice within your homestead, contact Lakewood exterminating and let professionals do the inspection work for you.
The Most Popular Home Remedies For Mice:
Sanitation
Food
Mice keep getting into your home because they find food and nesting material, and that is all they need to survive in your home. If you want them out of your home, you only need to ensure they don’t feed and they don’t have a place to stay.
A good first move is to remove all food from their reach. You don’t have to be a fanatic and store everything in totes though.
- Put away the granola bars and trail mix within reach.
- Get a bread box.
- Keep the produce in the fridge or your new bread box.
- The main thing is taking the garbage out daily. Especially if you keep it under the sink.
- And cleaning food crumbs from the floor. Especially cleaning them from under the appliances regularly.
- Wiping grease from the stove. Especially on the sides- between the cabinets.
- Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink over night.
Shelter
- Keep your basement and attic stored belongings in sealable containers. There is nothing worse than opening a box of Christmas decorations and finding that mice peppered them up with their black poop pellets.
- Although this relates to removing food, if there is a constant supply of food in the kitchen, it is likely that they begin nesting inside or under the kitchen appliances. You don’t want that kind of infestation. So be diligent with the cleaning.
- One hot tip to use as a home remedy for mice is to remove the fiberglass insulation stuffed on top of your basement walls. If you do, you will come across the contaminated zone. Have it cleaned and sanitized. Then seal any gaps or drilled holes in the wood that is now exposed. Instead of putting fiberglass insulation back, try the spray foam insulation if there is low moisture in the wood. The spray foam insulation provides an extra layer of protection that mice can’t nest in.
Seal all The Possible Entry Points
You can do this easily inside during the cold season. Move all around the house and see if you feel air coming into the house through any holes or cracks. Got cobwebs flapping around in a draft? Investigate those things further too. Be sure not to ignore the tiny crevices. Mice can go through gaps larger than a quarter inch. Most entry points are about the girth of a sharpie marker or finger.
Block all those openings using copper mesh (chore boy). Or purchase Xcluder fabric online. This will ensure the mice don’t return. This method is very effective because the mice cannot chew through these rigid materials.
Everyone seems to recommend steel wool for mouse-proofing homes. While this might work for a hole under your sink, you can’t use it anywhere that it might rust. Have you ever left an SOS scrubbing dish pad on your sink too long? It rusts pretty quick! Same with steel wool. Do not use it in moist areas or anywhere outside. The rust can actually stain your foundation.
Should You Use Peppermint, Cayenne Pepper, and Cloves To Repel Mice?
Sorry to break it to you, but the rodent sheriff is not in town. This comes back to the question, “If you were really hungry, what kind of smell would stop you from going into that area to gather the necessary food? Not much right? Do not stink up your home and waste your time on this popular natural home remedy for mice!
The way our company can tell if a home remedy does not work to control mice, is by how many houses we go to and see these same remedies being used. Most useless home remedies are the cotton balls or sachets of peppermint oil and ultrasonic plug-in devices.
Have Tubs of Used Kitty Litter and Place Them Around the Entrances to The House
Can you believe that there are well ranked website articles that actually recommend this?
The use of predator urine does have its applications. This is usually for keeping deer and rabbits from eating your flowers.
Getting a cat will not get rid of your mice! In a lot of cases, the mice are feeding out of the cats’ food dish! The reason most people have Norway rats is because of their pet food laying there like a feeding trough. Your cat may catch the random old and slow, or sickly mouse. That is literally about it though. Just like wolves do not kill all of the deer in the forest; cats will not scratch the surface of your mouse infestation. Neither will placing their litter by the doors!
So don’t put cat litter boxes by your doors. Get a door sweep or new weatherstripping if it’s like that. While research shows that mice always run in the opposite direction when they perceive the smell of a cat’s urine, remember that cat urine smells gross too. There are far more effective and sanitary options than this home remedy.
Can Ammonia Be Used to Get Rid of Mice?
Why does cat urine smell? It’s due to the ammonia. It can sting the nostrils. Similar to cat pee, for the mice, the smell of ammonia means that there is a predator. That could, in theory, help in making sure mice keep off your house. Is it safe for occupants, or practical? Not likely.
Many popular “home remedies for mice” articles recommend using plastic bottles or cups filled with ammonia. Then leaving the bottles out, where the mice may get tempted to enter. These are places like the pantry and beneath the sink. Be cautious to ensure they are out of the reach of children or your pets though. Why? Because it is not healthy to breathe it in or get in your skin! If you are going to place a volatile fluid next to an opening, why don’t you just seal off those openings instead? Or just collect the mice at the areas of activity with traps. Areas of activity are prime real estate for control products such as traps or mouse bait stations. Use those spots to get rid of the mice, not to repel them into a different location. Those locations might be a lot harder to locate.
Are Humane Traps Effective Against Mice?
A humane trap catches the mouse in a box. The mouse cannot get out when it gets in the humane trap. It is thoughtful because the entrapment does not involve killing the mouse and is about confining it while alive.
Once the mouse is inside the trap, you must ensure that you release it according to State Law. This includes releasing it on your property or on private property with the Owner’s permission.
While you may feel like you are doing the mouse a favor by releasing it back into the wild, keep in mind other rodents are extremely territorial. That poor mouse is going to be released into an area that it has no shelter, no reliable food source, and pretty much every animal bigger than it is trying to murder it.
Imagine the most dangerous city area that you can think of. Continue imagining someone taking your clothes and belongings and dropping you off to fend for yourself there. It’s pretty much the same thing you are doing to that poor mouse.
While you may think that humane mouse traps are as advertised, the process as a whole is not at all humane. In fact, mice undergo a great deal of stress by the time you get out of bed and find it sitting in the trap. Imagine if you were stuck for 8 hours in a box trap. You’d nearly have a heart attack. As previously mentioned, mice are not the best at regulating their body temperature either. Being in a plastic box for over an hour can really affect them negatively.
Too many people fail to realize these facts when catching and releasing mice. Moreover, you have the issue of finding somewhere to drop off these vermin. So many people catch mice and release them where they immediately scurry back into your home. Alternatively, they place the potentially diseased mice in the trunk of their car (same place they put their groceries), and drive them to the park. If you didn’t know, it is illegal in Ohio to translocate wildlife to the Metroparks. Unless you are taking an injured baby bird to the nature center for care, don’t be dropping off your problem animals on someone else’s property.
Do Ultrasonic Repellents Work to Control Mice?
While there may be some truth to using ultrasonic sound to repel animals, plug-in rodent repellents do not travel well around 3 dimensional objects. Therefore have they limited effectiveness control mouse infestations inside of homes.
Final Thoughts
There are three ways to control pests: Chemical Control, Cultural Control, And Mechanical Control.
- Chemical control would be considered: Mint oil, Animal urine and other scent and taste repellents. Many customers think exterminators spray for mice. This is just not the case. There are repellents such as Rodent DetourRodent Detour, and Natures Defense; these have practical applications in mouse control. Another chemical control method is the use of rodenticides. Mouse bait stations are quite useful.
- Mechanical Controls would be trapping or manually removing the mice in some fashion.
- Cultural Controls are ways that you manipulate the environment to control a pest population. Cleaning, containing food, sealing entry points, replacing insulation and removing other nesting sites are all cultural controls.
It is pretty safe to say that when people seek out home remedies for mice, they are looking for other options to mouse traps. A lot of people get sick of trapping them. Mice are one pest that is hard to eliminate by using one control method. While there are mouse control products that are not traps, those often don’t fully resolve the issue either. Even when combined with trapping efforts, cleaning your kitchen often fails people’s expectations too. This is probably when people start Googling “home remedies for mice”. Desperation kicks in, and most people lack the skill and will to properly mouse-proof their home.
This is where Lakewood Exterminating comes in. Our local pest control company understands your home’s construction. To properly word it, our pest control technicians are highly skilled at locating all potential entry points outside of your home. And we are trained on how to make the proper repairs too.
Controlling rodents inside your home is a sign of good housekeeping. Some people catch mice for years before hiring our Cleveland, OH based exterminating company. And within an hour, the traps are set and the entry points are repaired. Mouse control service has its value. Do not let mice contaminate your home. Their contamination can give your family food poisoning, or make your kids susceptible to allergies. These are the biggest reasons we recommend you call Lakewood Exterminating to handle your rodent control. If we can be of any help, please let us know!
