A mouse infestation is a problem no homeowner wants to contend with. Not only are mice unsanitary, but they are also challenging to exterminate. Mice populate fast—a female mouse can produce up to 15 litters a year, with each litter averaging around ten pups. Therefore, if you have an infestation inside your home and in your yard, it will get worse with time. Below are two effective measures you should take to get rid of mice in your home.
Identify Entry Spots and Food Sources
Before exterminating mice, you must find out how they access your home. Mice need food, shelter, and warmth to thrive and breed. They access homes through dime-sized cracks, gaps, and crevices in walls, foundations, and roofs. Therefore, you must seal all holes around the building's perimeter to keep mice out of your home.
Mice are attracted to dark and cluttered spaces; thus, they usually nest behind home appliances and in basements, attics, wall cavities, and roof eaves. They roam around the house looking for food on surfaces, in cabinets and pantries, and in unsealed garbage cans. Therefore, besides exterminating the pesky creatures, you must eliminate their food supply to keep them out of your home.
Use Safe and Effective Treatments
A severe mouse infestation may be difficult to control using conventional mousetraps. This is especially true if you have mice on your property as well. You need to adopt safe and effective treatments to get rid of the pests. Below are two options to consider.
Mouse baits and traps
Mousetraps are eco-friendly solutions for eliminating mice. They are ideal for use indoors, especially if you have kids and pets. There are three popular types of traps: snap, electric, and live-catch traps. Snap traps have a snap mechanism that catches and kills the mice, while electric traps kill mice using an electric shock. They can quickly eliminate a mouse population without exposing your household to chemicals. Live-catch traps catch the mice but do not kill or injure them. Conversely, bait stations use poisoned treats to kill mice; thus, they may not be suitable for homes with kids and pets.
Chemical fumigation
Chemical fumigation is the most effective technique for exterminating mice in and around your home. This technique uses a rodenticide to kill mice; thus, it is suitable for controlling a severe infestation. However, if you decide to fumigate your home, you will have to vacate the property for a week or more. Thus, this technique is only suitable if you are willing to move out during the fumigation period.
Whether you use traps, baits, or rodenticides to get rid of mice, one round of extermination may not be enough. You should apply multiple treatments to eliminate the mice. Therefore, work with a rodent control company for effective mouse extermination. For more information, contact a rodent exterminator near you.
Most pest infestations can quickly get out of hand if you do not address them. There is a reason people joke about "breeding like mice." You can go from having two mice in your home to having hundreds in a matter of weeks! When you think there are pests inside your home, you need to take control, and quickly. You take control by calling in a pest control professional. They can use a combination of trapping, poisoning, and cleanup methods to eradicate the pests. Learn more about these methods and about other pest control topics on this website, created to educate people like you about the pest control industry.