How to Get Rid of Mice in Your House (DIY Guide)

Let's start with the uncomfortable truth: if you've seen one mouse, there are almost certainly more. Mice are social animals that live in groups. A single female can have 5–10 litters per year with 5–6 babies each. So that one cute little mouse you spotted in the pantry? It could become 60 mice in a matter of months.

The good news is that mice are creatures of habit. They run the same paths every night (usually along walls), eat from the same food sources, and use the same entry points. Once you understand their patterns, trapping and exclusion is very effective.

The species you're almost certainly dealing with is the house mouse (Mus musculus) — small, gray-brown, with large ears and a long tail. They're 2.5–4 inches long (body only) and weigh less than an ounce. If you're seeing something bigger (6+ inches), you might have rats, which require a different approach.

• Snap traps — The classic wooden or plastic snap trap is still the most effective mouse trap available. Get at least 6–12 of them (more is better).
• Bait for traps — Peanut butter works best. Forget cheese — that's a cartoon myth. Hazelnut spread, chocolate, and nesting materials (cotton balls, dental floss) also work well.
• Steel wool — For plugging small entry holes. Mice can't chew through it.
• Caulk and/or expanding foam — To permanently seal entry points after stuffing with steel wool.
• Flashlight — For inspecting dark areas where mice travel.
• Gloves — Disposable gloves for handling traps and cleaning up droppings. Mouse droppings can carry hantavirus.
• Disinfectant spray or bleach solution — For cleaning contaminated areas (1 part bleach to 10 parts water).

Total cost: roughly $15–$50 depending on how many traps you buy.

Step 1: Confirm You Have Mice (Not Rats)

Look for these telltale signs: droppings (small, dark pellets about the size of a grain of rice — rats leave much larger droppings), gnaw marks on food packaging or wood, greasy rub marks along baseboards where mice run repeatedly, nesting material (shredded paper, fabric, or insulation), and sounds (scratching or scurrying in walls, especially at night). Mice are nocturnal, so you'll hear them most between dusk and dawn.

Step 2: Find Their Highways

Mice are predictable — they run along walls, behind appliances, and under cabinets. Look for droppings and rub marks to identify their travel routes. Common hot spots: behind the stove and refrigerator, under the kitchen sink, in pantries and food storage areas, in the garage near stored items, and in attic spaces near insulation.

Step 3: Set Traps Along Their Routes

Place snap traps perpendicular to the wall with the trigger end touching the baseboard. Mice run along walls, so you want them to cross the trigger naturally. Set traps every 2–3 feet in areas where you found droppings.

Use a pea-sized amount of peanut butter on the trigger. Don't use too much — you want them to work for it and trigger the trap, not lick it off easily.

Pro tip: For the first 2 nights, set traps with bait but don't set the trigger. Let mice get comfortable eating from the traps. Then set the triggers on night 3. You'll catch way more this way.

Step 4: Check Traps Daily

Check every trap every morning. Remove caught mice promptly (wearing gloves) and dispose of them in a sealed plastic bag in your outdoor trash. Reset or replace traps with fresh bait. If a trap hasn't caught anything in 3 days, move it to a different location.

Step 5: Find and Seal Entry Points

This is the most important step. A mouse can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime (about ¼ inch). Inspect your home's exterior and interior for gaps:

• Where pipes and wires enter the house
• Gaps under doors (install door sweeps if daylight is visible)
• Cracks in the foundation
• Gaps around window frames
• Dryer vents, exhaust fans, and utility openings
• Where the roof meets the walls (soffits)

Stuff each hole with steel wool first, then seal over it with caulk or expanding foam. The steel wool prevents them from chewing through the sealant.

Step 6: Eliminate Food Sources

Store all food (including pet food) in glass or metal containers. Clean up crumbs daily. Don't leave pet food out overnight. Secure trash cans with tight-fitting lids. Clean behind and under the stove and refrigerator where food debris collects.

Step 7: Continue Trapping for 2+ Weeks

Keep traps set for at least 2 weeks after your last catch. Mice reproduce quickly, and there may be juveniles that weren't yet foraging when you started. No catches for 2 weeks is a good sign the population is eliminated.

• Do a "mouse audit" every fall — Walk around your home's exterior in September/October before mice start moving indoors. Seal any new gaps or cracks. This one habit prevents most mouse problems.
• Keep a clean kitchen — Wipe counters nightly, sweep floors, and store food in airtight containers. Mice only need about 3 grams of food per day, so even small crumbs matter.
• Declutter storage areas — Garages, basements, and attics full of cardboard boxes and clutter are perfect nesting sites. Use plastic bins with lids instead of cardboard.
• Move firewood away from the house — Woodpiles next to your home are mouse condos. Keep firewood at least 20 feet from your house and elevated off the ground.
• Trim vegetation — Overgrown shrubs and ground cover near your foundation give mice cover to approach your home. Keep a clear zone of at least 12 inches around your foundation.
• Consider a cat — Not entirely joking. The scent of a cat alone deters many mice, and an active mouser can be an effective ongoing deterrent.

• Using poison bait indoors — Mouse poison (rodenticide) works, but mice often die inside your walls where you can't reach them. The smell of a dead mouse in a wall can last 1–2 weeks and is absolutely horrible. Stick to snap traps indoors.
• Only setting 2–3 traps — You need way more traps than you think. For a moderate problem, set 12+ traps. Traps are cheap, and overkill is better than under-trapping. You want to catch as many mice as possible in the first few nights before they get trap-shy.
• Not sealing entry points — Trapping without sealing is like bailing water out of a boat with a hole in it. New mice will keep entering from outside. Always combine trapping with exclusion.
• Using glue traps as your primary method — Glue traps are generally considered inhumane, and mice can sometimes pull themselves free, dragging the trap around your home. Snap traps are faster and more effective.
• Relying on ultrasonic repellers — Multiple studies (and an FTC warning) have shown that ultrasonic pest repellers don't effectively repel mice. Don't waste your money.