Are Traps A Good Way To Get Rid Of Mice?

December 11, 2014

In: Residential Pest Control

Mouse traps are about as good at getting rid of mice as fly swatters are at getting rid of flies. After a lot of effort and the joys of disposing their disgusting remains, you might kill a few, but they're not gone. They keep coming back, over and over and over again. With flies, that's not too much of a big deal because they are mostly a nuisance. But mice carry bacteria, human-spread diseases, and parasites. These are not creatures you want living in your walls, no matter how cute they are.

The biggest problem with mouse traps is not whether or not they are effective at killing mice, it is the perception that they stop an infestation. What do I mean? Let's say you lay down some traps and kill half a dozen mice. What happens next? You listen to see if they're still making noise in the walls. If the noises have stopped, you consider the problem gone. Meanwhile, your family battles with diarrhea, vomiting, fevers, and intestinal cramps, unaware that these are symptoms of a mouse infestation.

So what do I do about mice in my house?

Learn to recognize the signs of a mouse infestation. Yes, they can make noise in your bedroom walls, but many times they don't use those wall voids to get down to the kitchen or pantry--or they simply nest behind the pantry wall. Mice prefer to be close to their food source. Leaving traps out or listening for noises in your walls will not guarantee that you'll detect mice. Look for their droppings on pantry shelves, in the back of drawers, and in cabinets. If the droppings are black and moist, they are fresh. Also, look for chew marks on food packaging or walls. These are the best ways to know if you have mice in your home.

If I have mice, how do I get rid of them?

To stay mouse-free means ridding your house of its current infestation, sealing your home from further entry, and decontaminating areas where mice have been living. Get a professional pest control company involved. They will get rid of your infestation in a humane manner, cleanse infected areas, and help you seal your home from continued entry. If you want to protect your family from unexplained illness and protect your home from wood- and wire-chewing rodents, this is the only way to go. I speak from first-hand experience, mice can cause your family misery and you won't even realize where the sickness is coming from. Get protected today, and get peace of mind.