When you realize you have a mouse infestation, all you can think of is getting rid of them. After all the host disease ridden fleas, can carry the ticks that cause Lyme’s diseases, and can pass their illnesses on to humans and pets. Then… you begin to realize that you do not really want to brutalize any creatures, and you do not want to endanger your family or the Earth by using harmful chemicals and pesticides. Besides, Poisons and kill traps are not only inhumane, but will leave a litter of corpses rotting away. That is not only unhealthy, but smells, and attacks carrion feeders

Here are a few more humane ways to get rid of mice, and keep them gone. This can be done without the use of torture, toxic chemicals, and dead bodies.



Use your four-legged family member! If you have a cat or dog, let them terrorize the little interlopers. They will leave to avoid being eaten! Make sure you do not use poison in case you pet catches one and eats it!

Use condiments and spices! Use peppermint plants in your yard and peppermint oil or spearmint in your home. The smell drives mice away. Put some habanera, Tabasco, or cayenne peppers (or mix the three) about 1-cup peppers to 2 gallons water. Bring to a boil, let set for a day, and administer with a spray bottle. It can be used inside and out, but check drapes and other fabrics for colorfastness! Mice also find the smell of ammonia and vinegar off putting.

Here are some non-lethal mousetraps that will work. Live-traps are your best bet if you do not want to kill mice. Often the traps use bait just like lethal traps, but the mouse is contained instead of killed. The mouse enters the trap through a door that will snap closed behind him. Live traps are very effective, but usually trap only one mouse at a time. This could take a while if you have let your problem get out of hand. Exclusion funnels are another efficient trap, and easy to DIY. A piece of hardware cloth is folded into a funnel shape, which is then attached over a rodent “doorway”. The mouse can leave through the large end, but finds its way blocked when it tries to return.

There are different kinds of traps available. Some are offered for purchase at stores or online, while others like exclusion funnel which can be bought, but is simple to DIY at home. Once your mouse is caught, remember to take it at least a mile away before you release it!

Read the How to get rid of mouses page for helpful information and to learn more about How to get rid of mice without killing them

How to get rid of mice without killing them