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Rats and mice are some of the most destructive pests in a home. If your home is already infested with mice, you should then take immediate action to prevent them from breeding or getting out of control. You don’t even have to wait for the exterminator or spend lots of money to get rid of these.
This guide to getting rid of rats outlines some of the simple DIY tricks you can try yourself.
1. Use Peppermint Essential Oil
The smell of mint drives mice and rats out of their hiding and away from your house. Grab a bottle of peppermint essential oil from the local health foods store, then spray every corner of the house with the diluted peppermint oil. You can also dab the oil on cotton balls, then place them where mice and rats are likely to be.
2. Use DIY Rodent Spray
Mothballs are a perfect repellent for rodents. They produce a pungent smell to rodents thus driving them away from the house. Take around five mothballs, place them in a Ziploc bag and crush the balls to form a powder. Put the powder in a spray bottle, add a few drops of dishwashing liquid, then fill it up with water. Shake well for the contents to mix, then spray everywhere pests are likely to be including baseboards. Be sure to keep the mixture away from pets and young children.
3. Use Mice Traps
We all know mice love cheese. While this may be true, mice prefer peanuts to cheese. That said, peanut butter is a better (and stickier) bait for mice than cheese. The mice won’t be able to pick peanut but and get away with it.
You will need latex gloves to lay the bait. One of the reasons why is because rats have a sharp sense of smell hence will catch the scent of humans on the trap hence stay away. Having latex gloves on reduces the risk of leaving your scent on the trap. Be sure to use the foods rats and mice love. This includes bananas, cheese, raw bacon, bread, and peanuts. Place the baits near sources of water in the house, and around their nesting – look for rat droppings to identify the perfect spot.
4. Mousetrap Removal
Some people are terrified of handling trapped mice and rats. A trapped mouse is however harmless. All you need is place the baited trap in a brown paper bag. Place the bait in a small space. Once a mouse is trapped, scoop it right away and toss it away.
5. Eliminate Rodents For Good
Dealing with a mouse infestation can be quite tiring. If your home is already infested, you need first to identify their entry points. After spotting their entry points, seal the holes and gaps with caulk to ensure your home is sealed up. To do this, sprinkle baking soda or baby powder on your floor before going to bed. The mice will leave paw prints on the flow whenever they come inside the house. Seal all entry points to keep the rodents out.
6. Use Steel Wool
Steel wool can be used to eradicate mice from your home. All you need to do is fill all gaps and holes with the steel wool. The mice will chew the steel wool to gain entry to the house. If the rodents swallow the wool, it will cause internal bleeding killing them eventually.
7. DIY Rat Poison
Boric acid is a known poison for pests. All you need to do is entice mice to feed on the powder. To do this mix one-part boric acid with peanut butter, then make small-sized balls out of it. Leave the mixture in easy to reach areas for the mice to feed on. The acid will kill the rats in their sleep, hence getting rid of the menace. Boric acid should however be handled with care for it is poisonous to pets and humans as well.
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