Quick Fixes

• Mice invade human dwellings because they are looking for warmth and easy access to food in times of cold weather. It is important to immediately limit access to your food supply (this includes access to pet food). Make sure that all food is stored in durable containers and put away so that the mice are unable to gnaw through the material.
  Mice also like to live in cluttered corners of the home that are warm and quiet. Clearing piles of magazines and disorganized closet space can discourage mice from nesting. Keeping your home clean will also limit or prevent exposure to mice excrement and urine.
  Sealing all openings will keep the mice from getting in and out. Make sure that windows and doors are flush, and repair the gaps if any exist. These crafty intruders can wiggle their way into spaces as small as 1/4-inch wide. Lavender, mint and mothballs can be placed in corners and suspected mice entry holes. Cotton balls soaked with pure oils of lavender and mint are effective homemade mouse repellent.
  
  

Traps

• Setting traps can rid your home of mice quickly and easily. There is a wide selection of mouse traps on the market. There are wooden traditional traps that catch mice with metal trip springs. Some traps entrap mice for easier disposal--just pick up the trap with the mouse in it and dispose in the trash bin.
  
  

When to Call a Professional

• If you have tried everything possible (including employing the use of the neighbor's cat), it's time to call a professional. If the mouse has had time to nest and reproduce, the infestation can be too far gone for a homeowner to tame alone. If you are an apartment dweller, it is important to notify your management company, because often mice will travel through adjacent apartments. Professionals will be able to eradicate the mice and help to identify the source of the problem.