How do I get rid of mice in the house?

Question: How do I get rid of mice in my house and keep them out?

Answer: Getting mice out of your home requires a strategic approach combining effective trapping, smart prevention, and knowing when to call in an exterminator. Here's your complete game plan:

How to Trap Mice in Your Home

When it comes to addressing a mouse problem, trapping is a primary method. Various traps offer different benefits, and successful results depend on strategic placement and baiting.

• Snap Traps: Don't fall for the "one mouse, one trap" myth; use 6-12 traps in your home for quick results. Place traps perpendicular to walls, with the trigger facing the baseboard, as mice travel along these paths.

• Electric Traps: A good option for those uncomfortable with traditional snap traps because they may be cleaner and less messy.

• Live Traps: These offer a humane catch-and-release solution. Once the mouse is captured, you must relocate them far from your home to prevent their return.

• Bait: Mice are more attracted to high-value baits like peanut butter, chocolate, dried fruit, or hazelnut spread rather than traditional cheese. For the best results, replace the bait every two days and adjust the trap's location if it's not working effectively.

How to Prevent Future Mice Infestations

By making your home less appealing and harder to get into, you’ll significantly reduce the chances of another mice infestation.

• Seal entry points: Mice can squeeze through openings as small as a dime. Inspect your foundation, walls, and gaps around pipes and vents. Fill these gaps with steel wool, then seal them with caulk or cement. Avoid spray foam, as mice can chew through it.

• Improve food storage: Store dry goods and pet food in airtight containers made of glass, metal, or durable plastic. Keep them in elevated locations. Clean up crumbs and spills immediately.

• Reduce clutter: Declutter storage areas. Remove debris from your yard and trim plants at least 18 inches from your foundation. Store firewood away from the house and ensure garbage cans are tightly sealed.

• Manage your yard: Remove fallen fruit promptly. Maintain compost piles properly. If you use bird feeders, place them away from the house to avoid attracting rodents with spilled seeds.

When to Call Professional Pest Control

If DIY efforts fail after a few weeks, or if you observe rodents during the day, it's time to seek help. Professional exterminators bring advanced tools, expertise in identifying entry points you might miss, and integrated pest management solutions that address the root cause, not just the symptoms.

Call your local Orkin branch to schedule a. thorough rodent inspection. Upon an assessment of the situation, your Orkin Pro will design and implement a customized treatment to help get rid of mice and any other pests that may be found.

Additional Information

Rodent control

Rodents contaminate food, damage property, and spread disease through droppings and bites. Their rapid reproduction makes early detection and control critical.

House mouse

House mice are small but destructive pests that contaminate food and surfaces with droppings and urine.

Deer mice control

Deer mice are known carriers of hantavirus and often nest in secluded indoor areas. Their presence can pose serious health risks if not properly addressed.

Related Questions

Orkin used the information above to also answer the following questions submitted by Orkin.com users:

Question: How do I get rid of mice in my basement?

Question: How do you get rid of mice? What is the process this company does? and what types of chemicals/poison do you use?

Question: What is the best solution for eradicating mice?

Question: I have house mice. Is there a spray to be sprayed around my house to keep them out? How do you catch them? How much does this cost run?

Question: Does Orkin have any products that can get rid of mice?

Question: We rent an apartment in San Francisco and recently saw two mice in our house. When we told the landlords, they said that exterminators told them that traps were are only options. Is this true? Are there any other methods of getting rid of mice?

Question: Is there any type of spray or poison that a pest control specialist can put down to kill mice (Other than just using the normal traps/poison pellets)? I'm wondering if a type of spray or something can be put down and when the mouse touches it—that it will be killed? Any recommendations—we have a mouse in our home, and trying to get it has been somewhat of a chore—any help you can provide would be appreciated.

Question: In two consecutive days, we have found two mice in our house. There are no droppings, and we don't know how they are coming in. What can we do to protect our home until our scheduled appointment?