There’s never a better time to learn that a mouse has come into your house, whether you’re a tenant or a homeowner, whether you’ve just moved in or have lived there for years, than during the festive seasons.
With Christmas approaching, as well as New Year’s Day and other holidays in between, the festive season is upon us! Christmas, as we all know, is a time for giving and sharing, a time for family to gather and enjoy a joyous occasion. Also, it is a period when there is an abundance of food. This Christmas, however, you could find yourself sharing your house with someone other than your estranged uncle or 4th cousin… The Mice!
Believe me, you may be a gracious host or the modern-day Snow White, but if there’s one group you would prefer not to share your home with, it’s mice. While they may appear to be harmless, mice can cause damage, possibly carry diseases, and put your family’s health at risk. After all, a breeding pair of mice can easily produce 20 or many more pups in a relatively short time, and once those babies start breeding… well, you get the picture.
It is not only us humans that love the presents, food and décor during these festive seasons – mice enjoy these things just as much as we do. This is why there’s no better time to learn how to keep mice from taking a bite out of your holiday spirit.
5 Easy Ways To Get Rid Of Mice From Your Home This Festive Season
- Take Down The “Welcome” Sign
One thing we like most about Christmas is the amount of food we indulge in, and mice are no exception. Mice only need a little bit of food each day and are attracted to the constant and easy access to food in your home. Mice have a keen sense of smell that can lead them straight to unprotected food in your pantry. To deter mice, remove all food sources by putting leftovers and sweet snacks in airtight glass or metal containers that keep food safe since mice cannot gnaw through them.
To keep mice away from your property, empty bins on a regular basis and keep lids on at all times, avoid leaving pet food out for extended periods of time, and clean up all spills and crumbs promptly.
- Eliminate Entry Points
Before you seal entry points or set traps, do a little detective work. Figure out where the mice are coming from and eliminate all points of access. A mouse can squeeze into places as small as a quarter of an inch, regardless of the construction of your home. The last thing you want to find at Christmas is mice crawling around your presents or underneath your Christmas tree!
Seal cracks in the foundation as well as openings in the walls and windows with steel wool. Use expanding foam to seal utility pipes and vents that can serve as entry points. Avoid using duct tape, plastic, rubber, wood, or anything else that mice can easily gnaw through as sealants. Install bristle or brush strips underneath doors to prevent entry, especially in older properties where the door fit may not be secured.
- Get a Cat
Don’t let the mice get all the fun this festive season; let your pet cat get in on it too. What better way to overcome a mouse infestation than to put its safe haven at risk? Many cats love to hunt mice. If you don’t have a pet already, now may be a good time to stop admiring these fur babies and own one in real life. Cats are some of the most natural and effective mouse deterrents out there. Nonetheless, check to see whether you or any members of your household are allergic to cats.
- Set Live Traps
It’s totally understandable if you want to steer clear of harmful chemicals or find a more humane way to expel the little guys, especially during the festive season. Mice may be caught using live traps, which are non-poisonous and do not harm pets. These traps catch mice in a large box that they can enter but not leave. If you catch a mouse, release it at least a mile away from your house. Otherwise, it may come back again. This method is labour-intensive but humane and effective.
- Use Natural Mouse Repellents
Mice have a keen sense of smell, and you can use that to your advantage to get rid of them. You can try saturating cotton balls with peppermint oil and leaving them near entry areas. Or, fill cheesecloth sachets with cayenne pepper, cloves, mint, and other aromas they dislike and scatter these about as well. Ammonia has also been said to work, which you can leave out in capfuls near problem areas. Bear in mind that poison baits are an easy solution to get rid of mice. However, they can affect your children and pets.
BOTTOM LINE
As always, make sure to call a professional if these natural home remedies do not work or if you need assistance.
Don’t let the mice kill your Christmas spirit.
