From 1 to 2 to a Full-Blown Mouse Infestation

Dealing with mice at home is an unfortunate fact of life. Despite the lengths we go to ensure our house is spic and span, the occasional unexpected house guest is bound to visit every so often. Mice infestations can occur even in the most immaculate of settings. Knowing how to deal with it and taking measures to prevent it is your best defense. Here are some tips on how you can get rid of those furry, four-footed critters.

Prevention is key!
• Make sure you don’t leave any food out overnight. Keep all food in airtight containers or in the fridge.
• Assess any potential entry points around the house. Use steel wool in sealing holes or cracks as mice will have a hard time chewing through it.
• Rodent-proof crawl spaces under the house by eliminating any sources of water or humidity. Do not store any food there as rodents will scratch and chew their way through walls or cabinets to get to it. Monitor the area regularly and keep watch for any droppings or gnawed furniture.

If you’re dealing with an infestation and you're thinking about getting a cat to solve the problem, think again. While cats may be useful as a deterrent in mice coming into your home, if an infestation has already occurred, a cat won't be of much help.

While using traditional mousetraps can be useful, quick way to get rid of mice, it does not offer a long-term solution. Spring-loaded traps are a cheap and readily available in the market. Oatmeal or beef jerky are more effective bait than cheese or peanut butter. But even if they do work, they're not the most humane way of catching mice. Traditional mousetraps usually only maim the mouse, leading it to suffer until you check the traps.

When you already have a full-blown infestation in your home, the best approach is to call in professionals who employ humane methods to get rid of mice. Aside from catching the critters using professional-grade non-lethal traps, they release them back in the wild, far from your home. They also often offer exclusion services to prevent the return of mice to your home.