Go Natural
With the growing trend toward living a chemical-free life, organic pest control is becoming a more reliable and viable option. Poisons, commonly used in mice removal, are often loaded with chemicals that have been proven unsafe for pets and humans alike. While mouse traps are technically a form of organic mice control, many people looking for green pest control options are also hoping to find more humane solutions as well. Whether you are in the market for non-lethal mice control or simply want to try a natural pest control method, the solutions are out there.
Pest Control from the Kitchen
Mice have been on the Earth as long – if not longer – than humans, so there are plenty of natural pest control remedies that have been passed down through the generations. The following is a list of tried-and-true, do-it-yourself pest control remedies that Grandma would be proud of.
- Peppermint and Moth Balls: Not a combination you normally see, peppermint and moth balls are both natural pest repellents. Placing either item or both of them in areas where you wish to ward off mice is one way of keeping the pests away. Growing peppermint near the foundation of your home or around windowsills can help deter mice from ever entering your house, and provides you with fresh mint for your organic pest control venture.
- Cornmeal and Dry Cement Powder: Another lovely combination, mix equal parts cornmeal and dry cement powder for an organic mice control poison. The mice will ingest the mixture and become very thirsty. Once some water enters their system and combines with the dry cement, the mice will die.
- Mashed Potato Buds: A pile of mashed potato buds and a dish of water can be a yummy, but fatal, recipe for a mouse. To make this green pest control solution work, you need to put the pile of buds and water close together. The mouse eats the buds then drinks the water, causing deadly bloating.
- Large Bowl and Oil: Traps are a common form of organic pest control. This homemade, humane design may take longer, but should eventually catch your house mouse. Grease a large metal bowl and place a treat inside. Make a ramp for the mouse to use to get up and into the bowl. The mouse will be safely trapped in the bowl until you are ready to release him.
Don't Try this at Home
Homemade poisons, while an effective organic mice control technique, can also be very dangerous to pets and children. Mixing anything potentially dangerous with something kid-friendly, like peanut butter or sugar cereal, is a recipe for disaster.
Electronic pest control devices pose a
different kind of danger – you would be in danger of throwing your money away if you purchased one. The
Federal Trade Commission has effectively announced these products as useless, saying that the devices do not prevent rodents from entering a home as advertised. In fact, no studies have been done to prove that these products do anything beneficial whatsoever. While it would be nice if you could simply plug an electric pest control device into your wall and watch the mice run away, you should consider this one ‘too-good-to-be-true.’
Green Market
Green pest control can be as simple as setting a few snap traps. If poisons or repellants are what you are looking for, then there are plenty of natural pest control alternatives to try.
- Mouse Magic Natural Mouse Repellent: Made from a combination of spearmint oil, peppermint oil, and corn cobs, this organic mice control product is non-toxic, safe for homes with kids or pets, and completely biodegradable. Each box comes with four packs of ready-to-use pellets – just place the pellets anywhere you wish to ward off mice. Each pack treats a 10-foot by 14-foot area and is guaranteed to remain effective for up to 30 days.
- Quintox Seed: Vitamin D3 is the active ingredient in this natural pest control poison. The Vitamin D3 acts like a strong blood thinner in the rodent and causes death within 1-2 days of feeding. Makers of Quintox are quick to say that no secondary toxicity exists with their product. This means that, should another animal eat the poisoned mouse, that animal will not feel any effects of the poison or be harmed in any way by it.
- Shake Away Organic Rodent Repellent: This 100 percent, organic mice control product uses scent to drive away pests. Shake Away is made of non-toxic granules scented with animal urine from foxes and coyotes. Pests like mice and rats detect the scent of these predators and flee the scene. This green pest control product is safe to use indoors and out.