If you don’t know how to catch a mouse, you’ll learn quickly if you spot a mouse scurrying about your house, apartment, or RV. Going to battle with mice can be frustrating. But you can be victorious and have a rodent-free home before you know it.
Keep reading if you’re trying to figure out how to catch a mouse in your house. We’ve got some helpful tips and tricks that are sure to do the trick.
Let’s get started!
Is It Normal to Have a Mouse in Your House?
Unfortunately, having a mouse in your home is not uncommon, especially in older homes. There are estimates that 21 million homes in the US experience mice each year. So if you spot a mouse in your home, you’re not alone. There’s a good chance your friends, family, and neighbors have had a similar experience.
Is It Safe to Live in a House with a Mouse?
Spotting a mouse in your home isn’t a cause to pack up your things and sell your house. However, you do want to take action. Mice can carry and spread bacteria and diseases in their urine, droppings, saliva, and the materials they use to build their nests. They can carry and spread listeria, salmonellosis, and hantavirus.
If you don’t take action immediately, there’s a chance the mice could invite their friends and family or reproduce. You could quickly find yourself with a serious infestation that requires a professional. The longer you wait, the more likely this is to occur.
What’s the Fastest Way to Get Rid of Mice?
If you’re finding evidence of mice in your home, trapping them is the fastest and most effective way to get rid of them. Whether you want to kill them on contact or catch and release them, you can find either type of trap. If you decide to go the catch-and-release route, you’ll want to make sure you release them far enough away from your home that they don’t find their way back.
In addition to capturing them, you’ll want to ensure you find how they’re getting into your home. You’ll face a never-ending battle if you don’t stop them from getting in.
Why Do I Have Mice in My House All of a Sudden?
If you’re suddenly finding evidence of mice in your home, you’ll want to consider the time of year. Mice, like many other creatures, look for a warm place to spend winter. Many pest control companies will experience an uptick in calls regarding mice and rodents in homes. That’s because the temperatures drop in late fall and early winter.
Mice will often scurry to safety during the harvest season if you live in a rural area near a field. As farmers harvest their crops, they often destroy the homes of mice who have spent the summer munching on what is seemingly an endless buffet of food for them.
Either way, it’s a good idea to prepare in advance for these seasonal infestations. Look for any areas where mice could get into your home and seal them up. While you may want to create a welcoming and inviting home for your friends and family, you want to do the exact opposite for mice and other rodents looking for a place to stay.
How to Catch a Mouse
If you’ve made an enemy with a mouse or two in your home, you’ll want to get rid of it as soon as possible. Here are a few things you should do to help win the war against mice and other rodents getting into your home.
Find and Seal Up Their Entrance
You need to find and seal up the entrance they’re using to get into your home. If you have a large hole or gap in your foundation or home, fill the gap with stainless steel wool. You can then use an expanding foam spray to create a long-lasting barrier to keep mice and other rodents out of your home.
Clean Your Home and Store Food Properly
Once you’ve sealed up your home, you need to give it a good cleaning. Just because you have to catch a mouse in your home doesn’t mean that your home is dirty or unclean. But mice have a very strong sense of smell. They can be very determined to hunt down crumbs under refrigerators and stoves or any that may be left on counters and floors.
You want to clean up any messes left behind by the mice. It’s a good idea to wear gloves and a mask to avoid breathing in or touching anything they may contaminate with bacteria or diseases.
Use disinfecting cleaning solutions to wipe down all your surfaces and toss any food showing signs that mice have gotten into it. Take the opportunity to invest in thick plastic storage containers for as much of your food as possible.
Set Traps
We mentioned that trapping mice is the most effective way to get rid of the mice in your home quickly. Whether you choose to catch-and-release traps or a more lethal trap is entirely up to you.
However, you want to place several in the areas where you’ve seen evidence of mice activity. If you’ve found where they’re accessing your home, then place the traps close to the entrance to catch a mouse as it comes and goes from your home.
Use a Combination of Baits
Not only do you want to use several traps, but you also want to use a combination of baits. While most mice aren’t picky about what they eat, you never know what will do the trick.
While cheese slices were once the go-to method for many people, dabs of peanut butter are also a great option. Peanut butter is excellent because it has a powerful odor and is thick. It will take a bit of effort for the mouse to get the peanut butter off the trap, increasing the odds that the trap will be effective.
Check Traps Often
Whether you use catch-and-release traps or the lethal option, you can’t just set your traps and forget about them. If you want to release any mice that find their way into your traps, you’ll want to make sure you’re checking your traps daily. A dead mouse will quickly develop a strong odor and can fill your home with a putrid smell.
Make sure you put the traps in spots where they can be effective. They should also be easy to check at least once a day, especially when you’re first going to battle with the rodents. Notice a smell and it’s been a day or two since you last checked your traps? You may be able to easily identify which traps or baits are the most effective in your situation.
Keep Your Home Free of Rodents
Knowing that rodents are living rent-free in your home is nothing anyone wants. However, if you put forth some effort to seal up your home and stay consistent about creating the least hospitable environment for them, you’ll be able to keep your home free of mice and other rodents.
However, if you see any signs of mice in your home, you need to spring into action. You don’t want the situation to grow and become something you have no choice but to call in a professional to handle.
Discover the Best Free Camping Across the USA
To be honest with you, we hate paying for camping. There are so many free campsites in America (with complete privacy).
You should give it a try!
As a matter of fact, these free campsites are yours. Every time you pay federal taxes, you’re contributing to these lands.
Become a FREE CAMPING INSIDER and join the 100,000 campers who love to score the best site!
We’ll send you the 50 Best Free Campsites in the USA (one per state). Access the list by submitting your email below: