Mice can become a real pain when they take it into their heads to come and live in your home. They live in the walls, gnaw away at cables and don’t ever let you forget that they are there. More than that, mice are known for reproducing like mad. Therefore it only takes three weeks of them living with you that you find yourself sharing a flat with a whole clan of mice. There are several ways to get rid of mice, some more inhumane than others. However here are a few techniques that are not at all violent so that you can get rid of these little rodents humanely.
1) Start by preventing their arrival
Mice are often found in homes in the countryside. So they don’t even have a chance to settle themselves in you home, you should make sure your doors and windows are firmly shut both during winter and summer and particularly at night. This is the time when mice are most active. In summer so as to prevent it getting too hot inside your house you could choose to install a mosquito sheet in your doors and windows so that they never get the chance to enter your home. This is a simple but effective technique. Also make sure that you don’t leave food lying around in the kitchen or on your work surface so that you don’t attract them into your home.
2) Check in the dark and dusty areas
Lofts and basements and even rooms where no one is living are ideal places for mice to live. You should never forget to check these abandoned places by checking every nook and cranny for possible mice nests. Mice can fit through a hole and crack that is no bigger than a centimetre. Therefore make sure you remember to check any pipes or ventilation.
3) Mint essential oil
Mice don’t like the smell of mint which also makes them run away. This process works just as well with peppermint as with other strong mints. Investing in essential oils is a great idea. You can pour a few drops on to a piece of material or in an area that you suspect that they are entering. Mice will look elsewhere for a place to stay. The smell of mint has no affect on the mice’s health. The smell turns them away and doesn’t poison them in any way.
4) Pepper and lemon
Here are some other smells that mice can’t stand: lemon and pepper. The mixture might seem surprising but proves to give great results. Start by leaving half a moldy lemon in the places where the mice like to hang out. Then put the lemon in a cup and sprinkle it with pepper. You will no longer see their little furry noses.
5) Sage, eucalyptus and bay leaves
Mice do not like strong smells at all. These three plants could be the solution to your problem. You can grow them at home and let the smell of their leaves do the work. If you want a stronger and faster effect, you can always fall back on essential oils which you can put anywhere in your home. You can also use household products with eucalyptus.
6) Cat litter
It is well known that mice don’t like cats but did you also know that they don’t like the smell of their litter either. And even if these little pebbles tend to attract felines, it’s the opposite for mice. You can dispose of it at home in small quantities near walls, doors and windows.
7) Ultrasound
If you don’t fancy filling your house with all sorts of smells you can also opt for ultrasounds. Available in big supermarkets, ultrasound machines let out a sound that is inaudible to human ears but which will make mice scarper away quickly!
