Do you have a suspicion that someone might be stealing your food, seen little black droppings or heard the occasional squeak? Then, the chances are that you might have mice. Edinburgh is known for its stunning, historical tenement flats, and unfortunately, this also means that mice are extremely common in the city’s buildings. Even if you are one of the few who haven’t had mice in your flat, you probably know at least a few people that haven’t been so lucky! As the colder months and darker nights are now approaching, mice will start to scuttle off the streets and into your warm home. We’ve come up with some tips on how to make your home rodent free and get rid of these speedy pests:
Keep it clean and food free
Mice will soon leave and move on to the next flat if they realise there is nothing for them to eat. Don’t leave food lying around and make sure any open food is sealed in an air-tight container. Always make sure you clean your dishes after using them, keep crumbs off the worktops and sweep the floors. Why not create a cleaning rota so you and your flatmates can take it in turns to clean up and take the bins out?
Seal up nooks and crannies
Did you know mice can squeeze through spaces as small as the width of a pencil? Make sure all nooks and crevices are blocked and sealed with appropriate non-mice gnawing material. This should help prevent little Speedy Gonzales from busting through.
Peanut butter traps
Although mousetraps may seem like a nasty and painful route to go down (especially for anyone who has seen Lee Evans star in Mouse Hunt!), it’s actually a fast and relatively pain-free method of pest control. Instead of wasting your valuable cheese, why not pop a scoop of peanut butter on the trap? Mice love peanut butter and it’s a much more effective way of enticing them onto the trap. The only downside is after the mouse has been caught, you will need to dispose of it.
Ultrasound repellent
This genius device plugs into your wall and sends out ultrasonic waves through the air, discouraging the mice from even entering your home. This means a clean deterrent with no deaths involved – a win, win for everyone! Check out Amazon for low-cost ultrasound repellents.
Sticky situation
Mouse Glue Traps should only be used as a last resort as they can lead to a traumatic experience not only for the mouse, but for the unlucky tenant who has to dispose of it. If you do wish to use them, place them in an area where mice are most likely to visit, such as the kitchen. If you want to set the creature free once it’s been caught, pour some vegetable oil over the mouse which will separate it from the glue trap. Then, place the mouse in a small Tupperware container and release it in the wild. To make sure the mouse doesn’t find its way back to your home you should release it at least one mile away from your flat.
Call in the experts
If you don’t feel comfortable laying traps yourself, we recommend calling a local pest control company. The City of Edinburgh Council offers a range of pest control services and can provide you with a quote.
