How to Get Rid of Mice and Rats

Co-authored by Kevin Carrillo

Last Updated: September 28, 2024 References

Mice and rats are well known to never pay rent or restock the toilet paper, which makes them even worse roommates than most humans. If these furry monsters are wreaking havoc on your home, a two-part approach works best. Lay out enough traps (live or lethal) to reenact Home Alone; then work on making the building as inhospitable and inaccessible to rodents as possible.

1

Look into humane traps.

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Cage traps catch the rodent alive. When the mouse or rat steps on the baited pan located inside the trap, the mechanism is tripped and the door closes. This traps the rodent without killing it.
- Place cage traps parallel to walls, so the rodent runs into them.^{[1]
  X
  Research source} Look for places with droppings and gnaw marks, or place traps in dark corners and behind furniture.
- For fast results, set a dozen or more traps. If no rodents are caught within three days, remove the traps for a couple days, then set them again in a new position a short distance away.
- When an animal is caught, handle the trap with rubber or disposable gloves and disinfect it afterward to prevent disease. If releasing outdoors, be aware that rodents can travel more than half a mile (0.8km) to return home.^{[2]
  X
  Research source} Indoor mice will likely not survive outdoors.^{[3]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  The Humane Society of the United States
  National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare
  
  Go to source} Alternatively, call a veterinary clinic and ask if they will humanely kill rodents.

2

Consider lethal traps.

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Snap traps are easy to use and kill the rodent quickly. These are the least inhumane of common traps.^{[4]
X
Trustworthy Source

The Humane Society of the United States
National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare

Go to source} When the rodent attempts to take the bait, the mechanism snaps onto the neck to kill it.
- Traps with a larger trigger area are more effective. If you are using a classic mousetrap with only a small metal plate for the bait, attach a 2" (5cm) square of cardboard over the plate before setting the trap.^{[5]
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  Research source}
- Place snap traps at a right angle to the wall, with the trigger end against the wall.^{[6]
  X
  Research source} Dark corners and areas behind furniture work well.
- Glue traps are not recommended as they are inhumane options, killing mice slowly and cruelly. They are not effective against rats.^{[7]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  Penn State Extension
  Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities
  
  Go to source}
- To reduce risk of disease, spray disinfectant on used traps and dead animals before handling. Wear rubber or disposable gloves while disposing of the animal in a plastic bag. Wooden traps are not safe to reuse.

3

Experiment with bait.

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A desirable bait will make traps much more successful.^{[8]
X
Expert Source

Kevin Carrillo
Rodent Control Specialist

Expert Interview. 22 October 2019.} Whole nuts, peanut butter, bacon, or small wads of cotton (for nesting material) are all good options that work with just about any rat or mouse species.^{[9]
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Trustworthy Source

EDIS
Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles

Go to source} Keep these tips in mind:
- Tiny pieces of bait work best.
- A variety of traps with different bait increases your chance of success.
- Fresh bait is more attractive. Replace the bait frequently.

4

Try poisons as a last resort.

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Poison is mostly useful for farms, not homes. A poisoned rodent often ends up dying within your walls or in other inconvenient locations where they are difficult to clean up. Poison is also not safe for areas with children, pets, or livestock. Consider poisons only for grain storage areas and other places that require constant protection:
- Some rodenticides take several days or even a couple weeks of feeding to kill the animal. Newer anticoagulants like brodifacoum or difethalone can work in a single dose and are somewhat less dangerous to humans and pets.^{[10]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  EDIS
  Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles
  
  Go to source}
- Packets of poison can be left intact for the rodents to gnaw through.
- Liquid baits containing a little sugar work especially well in dry weather and for rats.^{[11]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  University of Missouri Extension
  University of Missouri program dedicated to research-based, practical public education
  
  Go to source}
- Place the poison and the bait in a covered box big enough for several rodents, but not accessible to other animals or children. These work best with a hole on opposite ends, about 2½" wide (~6cm) for rats or 1½" (~3.5cm) for mice. ^{[12]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  University of Missouri Extension
  University of Missouri program dedicated to research-based, practical public education
  
  Go to source}

5

Make your home and yard unfriendly to rodents.

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Make the area less rodent-friendly. Minimizing sources of food, water, and shelter can be extremely effective for rodent control.
- Clean your kitchen frequently and keep food stored in sealed containers when possible. Food storage high above the ground is less accessible to rodents.^{[13]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Kevin Carrillo
  Rodent Control Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 22 October 2019.}
- Cover all trash cans with tight-fitting lids.
- Clear up any piles of junk, brush, or other materials in your yard that offer shelter to rodents.
- Empty or cover sources of water in your yard (especially for rats, which drink more water than mice).

6

Try homemade repellents alongside other methods.

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Repellent materials discourage rodents, but rarely solve the problem. There are quite a few home remedies for keeping mice and rats out of your home. Unfortunately, once a rodent is inside, it's not likely to move out into the cold or stop taking your food just because of a bad smell. But if you make cleaning and food storage your top priority, these secondary approaches might help convince your whiskered enemies to move on:
- Essential oils of eucalyptus, peppermint, lemongrass, basil, and thyme have all been used as rodent repellent.^{[14]
  X
  Research source} Try putting drops of the oil onto cotton balls and placing them strategically at openings where rodents are coming in.
- Steel wool is great for blocking rodent holes, as mice and rats will rarely chew through it.^{[15]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
  
  Go to source} Try to wedge it in enough that it can't be pushed out of the way.
- Aluminum foil often shows up on blogs as an anti-rodent "life hack," but this is at best a mild deterrent; rats will sometimes even take the foil to insulate their nests.^{[16]
  X
  Research source} Covering your fruit bowl might not be a bad idea, but papering every kitchen surface in foil might annoy you more than the rats.
- Some people lay out scented dryer sheets hoping the fragrance will deter rodents, but there is no real evidence showing that this works. Try it if convenient, but don't bother buying any just for this purpose.

7

Be realistic about house pets as rodent control.

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Cats (and some dogs) will deter but rarely exterminate. Housecats can help deter mice from moving in, but most of them are pretty bad at actually catching them—and rats are even more likely to get away.^{[17]
X
Research source}) Dogs (except for trained terriers and other rat-hunting breeds) usually have even less effect on an infestation, although interestingly having both cats and dogs can keep rats away better than cats alone.^{[18]
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Trustworthy Source

PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Go to source}
- For best results, give your pet access to every part of the house, including storage cupboards, so the rodents have nowhere to live that doesn't smell of your pet.^{[19]
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  Research source}
- Keep the pet food in sealed containers and clean up the floor and pet bowls after each mealtime.

8

Repair cracks and holes.

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Block the openings where mice and rats enter your home. Mice and rats often wiggle their way into your living space through small cracks in your walls or roof. By filling in all of these subtle openings, you can prevent them from getting in.^{[20]
X
Expert Source

Kevin Carrillo
Rodent Control Specialist

Expert Interview. 22 October 2019.}
- Block small openings with caulk, copper wool, or stainless steel wool, which the rodents can't chew through. Avoid foam caulks in places exposed to sunlight.^{[21]
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  Research source}
- Block gaps under doors with aluminum kick plates (≤20 US gauge).
- Block larger holes with galvanized sheet metal (≤24 US gauge), concrete or brick and mortar (3 ¾" / 9.5cm thick), or reinforced concrete (2" / 5cm).^{[22]
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  Research source}
- Block any opening ½ inch (12mm) wide if you have rats, or ¼ inch (6mm) for mice.^{[23]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  EDIS
  Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles
  
  Go to source}

9

Rodent-proof vents and pipes.

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Use rodent-proof materials to block entry points. Rodents are impressive climbers and jumpers, so they may be getting into your house via drain pipes or vents. After you've dealt with your current infestation, prevent a recurrence with these materials:^{[24]
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Trustworthy Source

EDIS
Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles

Go to source}
- Rodent-proof vents and the openings of exterior drain pipes with perforated metal grills (≤14 US gauge) or hardware cloth (≤19 US gauge), with holes no larger than ¼ inch (6mm).
- Dryer vents should not be covered this way, as the mesh will reduce air flow and increase fire risk. Instead, install a cover with a "floating ball check valve" that blocks the hole while the dryer is off.
- Seal all cracks where pipes, vents, and electrical conduits enter your walls with caulk.
- You can stop rodents climbing the outside of drain pipes with a 12" (30 cm) tall piece of metal flashing over the pipe, or a cone-shaped guard of the same height.^{[25]
  X
  Research source} This may not be worth the trouble if there are trees nearby that the rat can use to reach your roof anyway.

10

Contact a professional exterminator if nothing else works.

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Hire an exterminator. Contact a professional rodent exterminator if you’ve tried a few different methods and you’re still having problems, or if you aren’t comfortable trapping or killing mice and rats. Ask around for recommendations, call the exterminator, and ask for a quote.^{[26]
X
Expert Source

Kevin Carrillo
Rodent Control Specialist

Expert Interview. 22 October 2019.}
- Confirm that the exterminator is licensed by the state and/or a professional association.^{[27]
  X
  Research source}

How Do You Keep Mice Away?

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Question

Does poison actually work to kill rats?

Kevin Carrillo
Pest Control Specialist, MMPC
Kevin Carrillo is a Pest Control Specialist and the Senior Project Manager for MMPC, a pest control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) based in the New York City area. MMPC is certified by the industry’s leading codes and practices, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News.

Kevin Carrillo

Pest Control Specialist, MMPC

Expert Answer

It can, but it's not a particularly effective method for combatting rats. They have a very sensitive nose, and they can typically tell if something is poisonous before consuming it. It will also only ever work once. If a rat sees another rat eat something and it dies, it won't go back to that same food source.

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How do I get rid of one mouse?

Kevin Carrillo
Pest Control Specialist, MMPC
Kevin Carrillo is a Pest Control Specialist and the Senior Project Manager for MMPC, a pest control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) based in the New York City area. MMPC is certified by the industry’s leading codes and practices, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News.

Kevin Carrillo

Pest Control Specialist, MMPC

Expert Answer

I hate to break it to you, but there's rarely one mouse. Mice are social creatures and they typically live with families. It's very unlikely that you're just dealing with a single mouse. If you've seen a mouse multiple times and it looks identical, it's possible that they're multiple mice that just look very similar.

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How do you get rid of mice or rats in walls?

Hussam Bin Break
Pest Control Professional
Hussam Bin Break is a Certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator and Operations Manager. He and his brother Hussam co-founded Diagno Pest Control in the greater Philadelphia area in 2018, and have since expanded their services to include the New Jersey market. Diagno Pest Control has received Home Advisor's Top Rated and Elite Service Badges for quality of work and customer service.

Hussam Bin Break

Pest Control Professional

Expert Answer

Place a trap right outside of any holes and wait a few days before you repair it. You don't want to seal up the hole and trap the mouse inside of your walls because then they'll just look for another exit point. Place some food out to lure them toward the hole and then put a trap right underneath it. After a day or two, you should be good to patch up the gap.

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Always set out more mouse traps than you think you’ll actually need.

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Warnings

If you don’t check your humane traps at least twice a day, the trapped mouse or rat may die of dehydration or starvation before you can release it.

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Ensure safety by following a trap’s included directions.

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