You’ve got a rodent problem in your home. Now what?

If you want to know how to get rid of mice in the house, the first thing that you need to know is that there is no single effective solution.

On the contrary, you have to employ different strategies in conjunction with one another. Otherwise, you’ll only attain short-term gains that fix the symptoms rather than the inherent problem at hand.

Prevent mice from coming back in

The first step that you need to take in order to get rid of mice in your home for good is to identify all possible entry points in your home.

Rodents have the uncanny ability to go through the tiniest openings. So how do you determine if an area is a possible entry point? Get a pencil and see if it fits through it. If it does, you have a possible entry point.

Once you have identified areas that these rodents use to access your home, the next step that you need to undertake is to seal off these areas.

Ideally, you should use caulking and steel wool to seal these entry points. Materials like wood and rubber can be easily gnawed off by these pesky pests.

Set traps around your home

One effective way to get rid of mice in your home is to use mouse traps.

But instead of using just one or two in a particular area in your home, it is a good idea to use more — up to a dozen. The reason behind this is because most people underestimate the number of mice in their homes.

Some of the best types of bait to use are bacon, peanut butter and dried fruit.

When laying down the traps, these should be positioned perpendicular to the wall with the trigger section positioned facing the wall. This will help increase your chances of catching your unwanted guests.

Pest control experts also recommend varying the location of the traps every other day.

Clean your home

Cleaning your home does not necessarily help you get rid of rodents.

However, mice are enticed to enter a home due to unsanitary conditions.

Make it a habit to sweep the floors and wipe counters regularly to remove food debris. Dispose of garbage immediately and put these outdoors in a secure container.

Enlist the help of your furry pals

You’ve probably grown up watching Tom and Jerry or Itchy and Scratchy from The Simpsons. There’s an underlying reason behind the antagonism between these characters that you can leverage – cats, and some breeds of dogs, hunt mice.

Since time immemorial, people have used their pets to protect their crops and properties against rodents. If you have been thinking of adopting a pet from the shelter, now may be the right time to get one or more.

To learn more about how to control pests in your home or business, be sure to contact your local Modesto pest control company.