How do I make sure mice don't come in?

Author: Prof. Myron Cremin MD  |  Last update: Wednesday, October 29, 2025

What to know
  1. Look for gaps and holes in and around your home.
  2. Seal up any gaps and holes you find to prevent rodents from getting in.
  3. Make sure food and garbage inside your home are sealed up tight.
  4. Keep outdoor areas clean and food sources away from the home.

How to figure out where mice are coming in?

Look for gaps around the following locations:
  1. Kitchen cabinets, refrigerators, and stoves (check inside and underneath)
  2. Fireplaces.
  3. Closets near floor corners.
  4. Floor vents and dryer vents.
  5. Attics.
  6. Crawl spaces.
  7. Laundry room floor drains.
  8. Doors.

What smell will keep mice away?

Mice have a very strong sense of smell and are often repelled by very strong odors like cinnamon, vinegar, dryer sheets, clove oil, peppermint, tea bags, and cayenne pepper. I decided to try diluting peppermint oil in a spray bottle and misting it around my feed room and tack room.

How do you get rid of mice when you don t know where they re coming from?

  1. Locate their entry points. Before mice can nest in your home, they need to find a way inside. ...
  2. Set humane mouse traps. ...
  3. Clear out the garage. ...
  4. When all else fails, call an exterminator. ...
  5. Seal off entry points. ...
  6. Prune branches from your house. ...
  7. Cut off food sources. ...
  8. Make your garbage off-limits.

How to mouse proof a door?

To rodent-proof a door, you can install door sweeps and thresholds at the bottom, and weather seals or weather stripping around the sides and top. Just like people, mice and rats commonly use doors to enter buildings, but they typically go under them rather than through them.

How to Get Rid of House Mice (4 Easy Steps)

How to stop mice from coming in?

Seal any holes you find to stop rodents from entering.
  1. Fill small holes with steel wool. ...
  2. Use lath screen or metal, cement, hardware cloth, or metal sheeting to fix larger holes. ...
  3. Fix gaps in trailer skirting and use flashing around the base of the house.
  4. Seal outbuildings and garages as well.

What scares away house mice?

Peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, and cloves – Soak some cotton balls in any of these essential oils. Then place the cotton balls around your house in common hiding spots for mice and rats. Apple cider vinegar and water – Mix these ingredients up in a spray bottle and spritz it around the outside of your house.

What do mice hate the most?

13 scents that mice hate and can help you to keep them away
  • Cinnamon. This has a strong and spicy aroma that mice probably hate. ...
  • Vinegar. Mix some water and vinegar in a spray bottle to mist any areas where they have been seen more often.
  • Dryer sheets. ...
  • Cloves/clove oil. ...
  • Peppermint oil. ...
  • Teabags. ...
  • Mint toothpaste. ...
  • Ammonia.

How many mice are there if I see one?

Signs of an Infestation

A much more likely scenario is that you're already too late. Spotting one elusive mouse typically means there are at least five or six hiding out in your walls, basement, or attic. This is particularly true if you see a mouse at night or in a low-traffic area of your home.

Where do mice hide during the day?

Under or behind kitchen cabinets and appliances, inside or under bathroom cabinets, inside old cardboard boxes, in water heater closets, between ceiling that are near heat sources, under furniture, inside upholstered furniture voids, and in corners of an undisturbed room with lots of clutter.

What kills mice asap?

Zinc phosphide is an acute toxicant that causes the death of a house mouse within several hours after a lethal dose is ingested. It appears to be the fastest way of getting rid of mice by reducing their population.

Do dryer sheets keep mice away?

Dryer sheets do not repel mice. The belief that dryer sheets can repel mice has gained popularity over time, primarily due to the assumption that scent of dryer sheets might deter rodents. However, this is a misconception, and using dryer sheets as a mouse repellent is not a reliable or proven method.

Do mice hate aluminum foil?

It may seem like a folk remedy, but aluminum foil is actually an effective natural mouse repellent. Mice dislike the sound and smell of aluminum foil. And even though they are good climbers, they just can't cling to it. To use aluminum foil to repel mice, wrap it around the objects you want to protect.

What is the most likely place for mice to get in?

Where are mice most likely to enter a house?
  • Gaps Below the Garage Door Seal: Your garage door may serve as more than just a barrier for your vehicle—it could also be an entry point for mice. ...
  • Damaged Vent Screens Around the Foundation: ...
  • Gaps Leading to Basements or Crawl Spaces Below Porches:

How do you lure a mouse out of hiding?

So what's the most effective way to lure mice out of their nests? There are two effective ways to drive rodents out of hiding: using food bais to attract them outside and utilizing repellents to force them out of the nest. If you choose to bait them, bait like peanut butter will attract them outside in no time.

Is there a device to detect mice?

Fixed thermal imagers use infrared technology to detect heat signatures, allowing them to spot rodents even in the dark or through dense foliage.

How do you keep mice away permanently?

To discourage mice, remove all food sources by storing grains, pet food, and other dry goods in metal containers. Make sure mice won't find nesting material by storing all soft, fluffy material like fabric, rugs and blankets in heavy plastic or metal boxes.

Will mice leave if they see a dead mouse?

A dead mouse repels other mice, which is why it's important to get rid of them immediately.

Do mice learn to avoid traps?

Mice Might Learn to Avoid the Trap in the Area

Although traps are new to them at first, they'll eventually know what it does and find different ways to get the bait while avoiding it. One of the ways that mice do this is to run along walls.

What is the number one mice repellent?

What is the most effective mice repellent? In our experience, the most effective mice repellent is the Rodents Away Odor Free Pouches. But if you're looking for the easiest DIY treatment to use, you can go the ultrasonic pest repellers route with the LONAOO ultrasonic repeller.

Will mice leave if they smell a dog?

Mice have a very sensitive sense of smell, and if they sense the smell of a predator, they are much more likely to avoid the area. However, mice do not seem to be afraid of dog smells or their fur.

Will sleeping with lights on keep mice away?

Will sleeping with lights on keep mice away? No, sleeping with lights on is ineffective for keeping mice away. Mice are nocturnal creatures and are less likely to be deterred by light.

How do I get rid of mice in my house asap?

How to get rid of mice in your house
  1. Eliminate entry points.
  2. Use mouse traps.
  3. Choose the best bait for mouse traps.
  4. Proper placement of mouse traps is critical.
  5. Place bait stations carefully in the house.
  6. Good sanitation won't get rid of mice, but poor sanitation will attract them.

What noise makes mice go away?

High-pitched noises may affect rodents, but research has shown the effects are often overcome within a day or so because the rodents adapt to the sounds, regardless of whether the frequency is variable, intermittent, or random.

Does pine sol keep mice away?

Mice generally avoid the smell of Pine Sol. The strong scent is unpleasant for them, and they tend to steer clear of areas treated with Pine Sol. While it is not guaranteed that all mice will avoid Pine Sol, it effectively deter most mice from the treated areas.

Previous article
Can I turn a fridge off overnight?
Next article
What is the best primer for newly skimmed walls?