Five Tips for Dealing With Mice In Your Home

Mice are simultaneously cute and some of the most horrendous pests of all time. If you’re dealing with a minor infestation, these tips will help you reclaim your castle from the enemy invaders.

In this video from This Old House’s YouTube channel, contractor Roger Cook shares his top tips for getting a mouse out of the house. Here’s what you need to know:

1. When using those classic, super-cheap snap traps, go with peanut butter instead of cheese. But don’t put too much on or they’ll lick some of it off without setting off the trap.
   
2. Place traps along walls and in corners since those are the paths mice are most likely to take.
   
3. Look for how the mice are getting in your home, then block it. You can fill a hole with a little insulation foam, then push in a wire cloth (with mesh smaller than 1/4"), and add more foam to cover the wire cloth. Even if they dig into the foam, they won’t be able to climb through.
   
4. Steel wool is also useful for blocking entry points. Find the the hole then fill it with the cloth and push it in with a stick. Mice don’t like it and won’t chew on it to try and get in.
   
5. If you do use catch and release traps, make sure you have a plan for the release part. It’s illegal in some states to transport and release animals on other people’s property.
   

You can also make use of repellents to keep them away once you have them out of your house. Poisons, while effective, aren’t ideal because the mice will die somewhere you can’t reach, and that can leave you with a pretty nasty smell. When all else fails, it’s time to call your local exterminator.

How to Choose a Mouse Trap | YouTube

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