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| How to Get Rid of Mice Naturally |
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| Having mice in your home is both a nuisance and a health hazard. |
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| They can cause property damage, create a mess, and produce unpleasant smells. |
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| In addition, repelling and removing rodents from your home can be a hassle if you don't know what you are doing. |
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| It can also be dangerous if you use toxic chemicals and poisons. |
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| It's a good thing, then, that there are some simple ways to effectively get mice out of your home without the use of toxic chemicals and poisons. |
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| Method 1 Discouraging Mice Naturally |
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| Keep your home clean. |
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| Many times mice are drawn into homes on the search for food. |
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| If there is nothing to eat, mice will be less likely to stay. |
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| Keep all food stored properly in airtight containers or in places that are safe from mouse attack. [1] |
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| Apply peppermint oil. |
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| Peppermint oil is a natural deterrent. |
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| The smell is simply too intense for rodents and they will not try to go near it. |
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| It also helps to mask the scent of any tasty morsels that have been missed when cleaning. |
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| It also gives the house a lovely smell, and is not toxic, unlike many synthetic chemical treatments. |
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| You can get peppermint oil in most health food stores and even some major grocery stores. [2] |
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| Place a drop or two on a cotton ball. |
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| Place a cotton ball under or near your garbage can to deter mice from getting into it. |
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| Place the cotton balls in areas where mice are likely to enter your house, by doorways, or heat vents, etc. |
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| Peppermint oil cotton balls need to be replaced after 5 - 7 days, depending upon the quantity of oil you put on it. |
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| Try growing peppermint plants near the entryways. |
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| You can use the mint in cooking, as well as it serving a deterrent purpose. |
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| Use dried snake feces. |
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| Visit a local reptile center, zoo, or pet store and ask for some dried snake poo. |
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| You can also sometimes find someone who owns a pet snake. |
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| Place near entrances and in places where mice seem to go. |
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| This will keep mice away. [3] |
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| Be sure to keep the feces out of the reach of children and pets. |
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| Zap mice with ultrasonic sounds. |
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| There are electronic units sold that emit an ultrasonic beeping sound that rodents hate. |
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| They should be available at your local home improvement store or online. |
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| These work only on a single line of sight, so you need to know the exact path the mice are taking. |
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| The units may only work for a short time because mice can become used to them. [4] |
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| Use a commercial, organic deterrent. |
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| Many companies that specialize in organic garden and home products make mice repellents that are better for the environment than traditional poisons. |
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| Many of these products use natural ingredients, such as peppermint, that are known to be disagreeable to mice. |
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| They will not kill mice but they should keep them out of areas where the product is applied. |
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| These products should be available at your local gardening or home improvement center. |
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| If you want a specific product, try doing a online search to see where it is available locally. |
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| Get a cat. |
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| A house cat can take care of the problem. |
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| Cats that spend time outdoors are more likely to hunt to find their own food and may track down that mouse. |
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| Just be aware, not all cats have enough energy, interest or training to hunt mice. |
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| Kittens typically have to be taught by the mother to easily become a mouser. |
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| Well-food indoor kitties might just see the mouse as a toy, and grow quickly bored of it after scaring it half witless. |
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| Shelters and adoption agencies often do not know if a cat is a good mouse hunter, and generally do not test for this. |
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| Sometimes this information is available, but usually not. |
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| While many mousers are great pets as well, not all are. |
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| 'Barn cats' may not be socialized well with humans, although used to hunting mice for food. |
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| Even if you do not have a cat, you can use used kitty litter to deter mice. |
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| Place tubs of used kitty litter around entrances of the house. |
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| The mice will sniff the smell of cat urine and clear off in a jiffy. |
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| If you have a large infestation, a cat may not be enough to totally get rid of it. |
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| However, once you eliminate the infestation, a cat will probably prevent reinfestation. [5] |
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| Put your trash cans far from your home. |
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| Mice smell garbage and get attracted to your house. |
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| If you keep the cans away from the house, they are less likely to take up residence in your home. |
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| Promote the nesting of birds of prey in your yard. |
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| Build a shelter box in your garden to attract some onto your property. |
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| This may take some time, but it's worth the effort if you can attract a wild mouse eater to your yard. [6] |
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| Make sure the shelter box has no nails or safety hazards. |
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| A barn owl is the best. |
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| A family of barn owls can eat many mice in a night! |
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| However, you might attract other types of owls or birds of prey with your nesting box. |