Rodents - those menacing creatures that, alongside their day-to-day activities, invade homes in search of food, water, shelter, and partners to procreate with. Yes, some can be converted into pets, but the other 99.9% have no place in your home.
If you have recently sniffed that unmistakable gas (ammonia) or have spotted pallet-like droppings under furniture and along skirting boards, intruders have broken the gates. The alarm bells are ringing.
Win the war with these 5 tried and trusted ways to eradicate mice (and other rodents) from your home:
1. Peppermint oil
The pungent smell of this essential oil is detested by rodents.
Open your medicine cabinet and take out all the cotton balls you can find. Add a single drop to each one and place them where you think they are and where you really do not want them to be. Inside food drawers, under beds, around the lounge, throughout the attic.
When you are out of cotton balls, use folded toilet paper as the next best alternative. The more places you cover the better since any weak spot will have them move there instead of outside entirely.
Kill two birds/rats with one stone by planting mint outdoors which both deters them from breaking in and provides near unlimited garnish for your victory cocktails.
2. The tried and trusted trap
Mousetraps are another great way of dealing with an infestation. Despite the contraption going through hundreds of iterations, the classic wooden base and spring-loaded metal wire is still as effective as ever.
For bait, forget the unnecessary gourmet ingredients and opt for either choose or peanut butter.
As mousetraps target a single creature at a time, they are best used at the beginning when only a few a roaming around.
3. Hire your buddy’s cat
I have seen dogs mingle with ducks, birds rest on kittens, elephants play with dogs. You won’t see the same with rats and cats (unless they grow up together from birth) as they are mortal enemies.
Utilize that primal hatred by bringing a cat into your house. If you don’t have one, ask a friend if you can do some cat sitting.
If it hasn’t killed them after only a few days, feel free to hand it back as its scent and presence will linger and drive those pests out soon after.
Millions of homes would be a rodent’s haven if it weren’t for a feline on patrol.
4. Mashed potato mix
Welcoming a rodent with a few tablespoons of instant mashed potatoes that are dehydrated does the job, too. The flakes expand in their stomach which kills them before reaching the other end.
5. Bring in the pest control
Rodent control can be difficult, frustrating, and time-consuming. If it has gotten to the point where you are going 1 step forward, 2 steps back, it is time to hire a pest control company. A professional exterminator not only has the training and experience required to finish the job in the most efficient and humane way but will potentially save you hundreds of dollars in failed attempts.
Get their professional opinion on how to prevent future infestations. They will be able to spot weak points which you would have never considered.
Bonus tips:
- Use Caulk to seal all the possible entries of the rodents
- Always keep your home and attic clean
- Keep your garbage cans covered with a lid
- Cut down all the weeds and tall shrubs from your garden
- Remove all the leftover food and grease from BBQ grills
- Do not spill food or leave it uncovered
- Get your partner a kitten (a win-win situation)
Having a rodent problem is not something to procrastinate over. If you spot the telltale mentioned at the start, jump into action straight away. And remember, when there is one, there is more!