Did you know that every winter, 21 million homes in the US get invaded by rodents? Worse, not only do they steal your food, but they can also cause significant structural damage to your home!
What’s even scarier is that these creatures can host dozens of pathogens. They can transmit over 60 different diseases, including Leptospirosis and typhoid fever.
Note that even the tiniest house mouse can cause rodent-borne diseases. That should be enough reason to get rid of and kill mice as soon as you notice their presence at home.
The thing is, mice are a reproducing machine. They even produce more offspring than rats! That can make them challenging to eliminate from your home permanently.
Don’t worry, though, as this post will let you know the top tricks to get rid of mice.
5 Home Remedies to Kill Mice
1. Baking Soda
In science laboratories, euthanizing mice and rats usually involve carbon dioxide exposure. While you shouldn’t pump pure CO2 into your home, you can use baking soda to induce a similar action.
Here’s how it works.
The scientific term for baking soda is “sodium bicarbonate” or “sodium hydrogen carbonate.” When it comes into contact with an aqueous solution, it breaks down and turns into carbon dioxide. The same happens when it mixes up with weak acids, such as those found in the digestive tract of mice and rats.
Mice, like all rodents, can’t throw up, nor can they pass gas. So, they can’t regurgitate baking soda-coated treats, nor can they “fart” out CO2. Because of this, they can die when fed with baking soda.
To make the white powdery stuff attractive to mice, you need to mix it with something they’d want to eat. This can be anything from ground seeds to powdered fruits or cornmeal.
You can also use cocoa powder, but only if you don’t have pets. Chocolate is toxic to cats and dogs.
Depending on how many mice you think you have, you can start with a ratio of 1:1. That would be a cup of each ingredient (the actual food and the baking soda). Mix it well so that the baking soda spreads evenly.
Get a few jar covers and fill them halfway. Place these by the areas of your home where you’ve seen the critters (or their droppings). You’re likely to find a few dead mice within a few days.
2. Bay Leaves
Some homeowners and even farmers swear by using bay leaves as a mice deterrent and a killer. According to them, the chemical composition of bay leaves is toxic to rats and mice. This herb is even more useful because it draws the critters in with its sweet smell.
It’s not a 100% sure kill strategy, but you might want to give bay leaves a try to see if they can indeed keep mice at “bay.” Place some of the whole leaves in areas where you’ve spotted mice in. Weigh them down with a small stone or pebble to secure them in position.
3. The Classic Trap
These are the traps that snap to catch mice and either kill them instantly or render them immobile. Even if they don’t die right away, they can’t move, so they can’t feed themselves. They need to eat at least three grams of food each day, so if they can’t, they’d die of malnutrition.
The drawback to classic traps is that most can only catch one mouse at a time. Since you likely have multiple mice at home, you’d need several of these devices. The upside is that they’re cheap, and you can reuse them several times.
4. Multi-Catch Mouse Traps
You can use a multi-catch mouse trap if you have kids or pets and have seen multiple mice. These are individual devices designed to catch several tiny rodents in one go. Some can catch up to 30 at a time, so you don’t have to worry about setting up dozens of single-catch traps around the home.
These traps involve catching them alive and releasing them back into the wild. If your only goal is to get rid of mice at home, this is a more humane way.
5. The Fastest (And Least Messy) Way To Kill Mice: Zapper Traps
Zapper traps instantaneously kill the critters they catch by delivering a high-voltage shock. These devices work by using a small plate that holds the high-voltage current.
A mouse enters the enclosed trap and inevitably steps on this charged plate. The plate releases the shock and electrocutes the mouse as soon as it gets pressed.
So, in a way, that makes them a more humane method to kill mice than poison. Also, since the mice have passed, you can tip them straight into your trash bin. In addition, their enclosed structure makes them good choices for households with pets.
Do note that zapper traps rely on either disposable or rechargeable batteries. You’d need to ensure they’re always on a full charge; otherwise, they might run out of power in the middle of a zap. If this happens, they may deliver a lower voltage shock, which might not be enough to kill the mice.
Defense Is Your Best Offense: Fortify Your Home First
Before you attempt any of these ways to kill mice, ensure that you seal up all possible entry points at home. This includes gaps under your front and back doors, which you can fix with a wrap-around door sweep. It would help if you also sealed large cracks in your windows with caulk or gap fillers.
If you have wired systems connecting to outdoor service lines, close up their holes. Mats, rice, and other pests can find their way into your home through these entry points.
Finally, keep your home as tidy and clutter-free as possible. Mice infestation doesn’t always equate to an unsanitary home, but filth attracts vermin. So, it’s best always to keep your sink free of dishes and your floors free of mice grub.
Conclusion
The easy part of mouse control: Don’t let mice enter your home!
As you can see, there are several DIY ways to kill mice, the fastest being using zapper traps. If you prefer to catch and release them, then live mice traps can do the trick. What’s important is to get them out of your house ASAP, so they can stop spreading pathogens in your home.
Looking for more useful guides on how to deal with mice invasions? Be sure to check out all these useful and informative mice-related posts!
The mice here remove the peanut butter from the trap without ever triggering it. They also will not approach the trap that nearly cuts their heads off. I am at my wits end.
Hey Sophia
I am sorry to hear that! These mice can be very sneaky, can’t they? You should check out these tips if your bait is being stolen.
Hope it helps!