How to get rid of field mice naturally.

How to Get Rid of Field Mice Naturally (DIY Home Remedies)

So, you need to get rid of field mice around your home or yard. And you need to do it fast.

In this comprehensive pest control guide, you’ll learn:

  • How to identify the different types of mice
  • How to humanely and organically eliminate field mice
  • Home remedies to protect your home from future mice problems
  • Ways to naturally repel and get rid of mice from your home and garden
  • Common DIY home remedies that work (and don’t!)
  • And more

Mice are persistent and annoying pests that can carry disease, spread bacteria, destroy your garden, damage your home, and crawl on you while you sleep!

We’ll cover everything (well, almost everything) you need to know to naturally get rid of them.

Note: Feel free to bookmark this page so you can easily refer back to it during your question to eliminate these pests.

Sound good? Let’s go mouse-free!

Last updated: 7/21/20.

 

What’s a field mouse?

How you can get rid of field mice at home naturally.
Field mice come in all sorts of colors and patterns. But they’re all pests!

A field mouse is just a special name for a variety of household and outdoor mice found all over the US. These mice are found in weeded and dense fields with plenty of foliage.

But they’re also known to live within structures, homes, and warehouses. So they’re pretty much the “all-around” mice pest that you’ll encounter.

Field mice include a variety of species and the terminology overlaps:

  • House mouse – the most common pest (Mus musculus)
  • Yard mice
  • Garden mice
  • Deer mice
  • Dormouse
  • Spiny mouse
  • Zebra mouse
  • Wood mice

This tutorial will discuss techniques to get rid of the most common pest mice found in the US. In other words, the details outlined here works across multiple species.

What do they look like?

Field mice have a range of colors that can span from black, brown, or white with all the colors in between. They can be a single color or a mix of them. Field mice are about 4-6″ in length and have rough fur on the dorsal side and gray on the underside.

They have visible and lengthy tails that span a few inches with two colors and ranges about 2.5″. They weight about 0.6-1.0 ounce. Their paws and hairless and pink. Field mice have a stocky structure with a blunt nose and ears that span about 4″ with minimal fur.

Compared to regular mice, they’re smaller with bulgier eyes and pointed ears.

They’re often confused with voles, such as meadow voles.

House mice vs. deer mice

Although field mice are the overarching term, there are a few distinctions between the various mice species.

  • House mice are usually lighter colors or gray with a solid shade. Their tails are hairless. They also may travel outside of the nest quite some distance to harvest food.
  • Deer mice are tan with white shades on their underside, legs, and feet. They also have dark tails with lighter shades underneath. Deer mice will harvest food and seeds nearby.

Where do they live?

They’re all over the northern and eastern areas of the United States. They’re also found in New England all year-round. Because they’re able to breed quickly, they’ve become a nuisance for homeowners.

They’ve been found to live near humans because they need a source of food and water. They can also be found in the west and like warmer, wooded areas with dry air. They’re not often found in colder areas.

Life cycle

Field mouse outdoors.
They have a simple life cycle that allows them to reproduce quickly.

Mice have a straightforward life cycle. Adult females will enter heat for about 4 days and are susceptible to males.

After mating with a male, they’ll become pregnant and give live birth after 21 days. This depends on temperature.

A litter of mice contains up to 8 pups and they’re capable of having up to 60 pups annually.

Pups are hairless and blind until two weeks later. They’ll gina the ability to see and grow hair.

During this phase, they’ll start eating and become destructive. They repeat the cycle after 60 days. This allows a single mouse to replicate quickly.

Are field mice a serious problem?

Field mouse in the yard.
Field mice aren’t threatening themselves, but the problems they bring are the real threat.

Field mice can damage your home over time with feces and urine buildup. Their waste can also transmit diseases to humans.

And they can destroy your plants outdoors. Depending on where they’re nesting, field mice will cause all sorts of problems if you ignore them.

They can also pose a fire risk because they chew on wires, which can also screw up your electrical wiring.

Field mice are known to nest within wall voids and chew up your insulation. This means less temperature control and more money spent on AC, blackouts, or circuit problems.

They’ll also eat up any stored items, which means valuables can be chewed up and destroyed. Furniture can be damaged by their chewing and fecal matter. Floors can be scratched and urinated on. And they can stink up your home over time.

As you can see, field mice can be a serious problem.

Will mice crawl on you while you sleep?

Field mouse on bed.
House mice don’t really care if you’re sleeping or awake!

Yes, but not likely. Mice will come out during the night and search for food. They’ll climb to your bed just like rats to search for something to eat.

However, once you see them, they’ll probably scurry out and run. If you have house mice that have been hanging out in your home for some time, it’s only a matter of time before they migrate into your home and eventually crawl on you.

This is why you need to act quickly to control them.

Can you vacuum mouse droppings?

You should definitely NOT vacuum up mouse poop. This will kick up dust from the feces and urine, which poses a danger. You need to wear protective equipment and use a paper towel to pick up the waste.

Then you need to sanitize it after safely disposing of it. Here’s a tutorial from the CDC.

Do field mice live in houses?

House mice have a single shade of color and dark tail.
A house mouse has a single shade of color and tails of varying lengths.

Field mice are just another name for house mice, so yes, they can. They live both outdoors and indoors and are commonly found near water sources.

Some of the common places where field mice live are:

  • Gardens
  • Homes
  • Sheds
  • Lofts
  • Basements
  • Crawl spaces
  • Warehouses
  • Attics
  • Barns
  • Cainbets
  • Wall voids
  • Storage crates
  • Apartments
  • Granaries
  • Townhomes
  • And, of course, fields!

Are field mice dangerous?

Field mice dangers.
The mouse really poses no danger- but the damage, bacteria, and waste they produce are.

By themselves, field mice aren’t dangerous. They typically won’t bite, scratch, or sting humans and they’re not poisonous. But that’s not the problem with field mice.

They’re dangerous because they have the ability to transmit a host of nasty diseases to humans.

There have been many registered illnesses and health risks stemming from field mice. But you probably already knew this.

The CDC has stated that mice are a vector of diseases that can spread to humans through multiple means:

  • Direct contact
  • Indirect contact (touching something that the mouse has touched)
  • Touching mice feces or urine
  • Mouse bites
  • Through mouse saliva
  • Through pests that transfer disease from the mouse to humans (ticks, fleas, and mites)

There are many ways that a disease can be transmitted to humans.

And this is why you need to act quickly when you notice field mice. And in the event that you have field mice in your home, this just makes them all the more dangerous.

Field mice can carry a bunch of different diseases, bacteria, and viruses.

Since they’re relatively messy, they’ll leave urine, feces, leftover food with saliva, and other contaminated objects.

You’ll find this around their nest and feeding areas. When you come into contact with their waste or contaminated objects, you’re putting yourself at risk to contract a disease.

Never directly touch any of their waste products, body fluids, or contaminated materials. They can also transmit a disease from a pest, tick, or mite that has fed off the mouse.

Here are some of the most common diseases field mice can transfer to humans.

Salmonella

Salmonella virus.
Salmonella is no joke.

You’ve heard about this one before.

But it’s not just for reptiles, birds, and food. Field mice can also transmit this disease because they go hunting for food and will eat anything they can scavenge.

This means they can carry Salmonella. Then they can transfer it to you by walking across your bedroom floor, running around your bathroom, or climbing around your kitchen cabinets and pantry.

Salmonella is a real threat and field mice are no exception. They can easily transmit this disease and that’s why you need to act quickly when you see them.

Hantavirus

This is a virus that stems from specific mice species, like deer mice. The most common contact that humans with the hantavirus come from mice urine and feces.

Touching either of those (accidentally or intentionally) can transmit the disease. As you know, field mice feces are small and easy to mistakenly touch or step on.

For those who aren’t paranoid yet, consider this situation:

  1. You walk into your shed, which is usually clean, but today there are a few field mice pellets on the floor.
  2. You then walk on the pellets, which happen to have the hantavirus unknowingly.
  3. Then you walk back into your home. You’ll be tracking the pellet on the bottom of your shoe and smearing the virus all over the floor.
  4. Later, you retrace those steps without shoes and now the virus is on your feet.
  5. Then, you scratch your feet and not wash your hands.
  6. And finally, you rub your eyes, which are a perfect entryway for bacteria.

Do you see this setup? This is just one paranoid way that can possibly get you sick with a disease.

Now consider the millions of other possibilities.

What’s even scarier is the mice feces and urine are nearly invisible and easy to come into contact with.

Eventually, they can turn dry and into a thin “dust” that can still transmit the virus around.

People who get hantavirus will show signs of chills, fever, aches, and pains. Hantavirus can be life-threatening if untreated. Consult a doctor right away if you think you may have been exposed.

Field mice can also transmit pests

Field mice fleas, ticks, and mites.
Field mice have pests of their own that they can transfer to you!

As we mentioned, pests that live on mice can also transmit diseases to humans.

Other than the nasty ones we outlined above, some ticks, mites, and fleas can bring diseases of their own.

Some of the most common diseases are:

Colorado tick fever

This disease comes from ticks that feed on mice then hop over to humans. The bites from the ticks can be directly injection of the diseases.

CTF is a serious disease and must be treated immediately.

Lyme disease

This is another disease transmitted by ticks. Mice and ticks go hand-in-hand.

And if the specific field mice colony you’re dealing with has these ticks, you need to avoid them at all costs. Hire or get professional help.

These ticks can easily multiply and start to take over your home. Lyme disease can have serious consequences and very long-term effects on your body.

That’s why you need to get rid of field mice and keep them out of your home and yard ASAP.

Various plagues

Fleas are another common hitchhiker on field mice since they’re out in the “fields” all day. Fleas can transfer from the mouse to a human and transmit various diseases.

The Bubonic plague was one of the most famous records of rodent-flea-human transfers.

And these fleas still exist. So it’s still something to be wary about.

How do exterminators get rid of mice?

Professional exterminators use a combination of traps, poisons, and industrial mice repellents.

While these are effective, they often come with some nasty side effects.

The chemicals used are often dangerous towards humans. If you’re looking to stay organic or natural, you should try to do it yourself first. If you still can’t manage your mice problem, then you can hire a professional to finish the job.

The fastest way to control mice

The process is always the same.

You’ll want to:

  • Set up traps to kill the mice
  • Repel the mice
  • Prevent them from coming back

This part of the tutorial will provide you with some techniques that can help get rid of them and repel them. Feel free to use a bunch of them and see what works best for you.

How to get rid of field mice – Natural home remedies

A persistent house mice that hides in your home.
Here’s the good stuff. Be patient and persistent.

Here are a bunch of DIY home remedies you can use to get rid of field mice. The trick is to use what works and avoid what doesn’t.

As obvious as it sounds, some people waste their time with methods that take way too much effort, time, or just plain don’t work.

These will help you get rid of field mice fast. With persistence, you can try out a few of them at the same time- this is the absolute fastest way to drive them out.

Remember that some of these techniques may work for others but not you. You’ll need to try a few of them out and see which ones work best. When you find them, scale them up!

Let’s get started. We’ll cover some of the most common questions about getting rid of field mice and popular remedies that work and some that don’t work.

Do mice like vinegar?

Vinegar jars.
Vinegar could work for small areas only.

Field mice don’t enjoy the scent of vinegar, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good approach to repel or deter them.

As you know, you can’t really make your entire home smell like vinegar to keep them out.

Vinegar works when used in small areas, such as small entryways or holes that they’re using to get into your home. But as for a natural repellent, vinegar is ineffective for anything beyond that.

When used for an expansive area, it’s pretty much useless for mice. If you don’t know where the mice are coming into your home, or you don’t know where the field mice are active, vinegar shouldn’t be used. It’s a waste of time because it’s ineffective.

So I’d say to avoid it unless you’re using vinegar in a very concentrated area as a mouse repellent.

Do mothballs repel field mice?

Just like vinegar, mothballs aren’t that effective against field mice.

They do emit a nasty smell, but won’t really keep mice out because the area of effect is minimal. This may work for small areas that are confirmed so the mothball scent covers the entire area.

But for outdoors and larger areas, mothballs are useless. Avoid using them because they’re dangerous if ingested by a pet or child.

And the scent they release proves to be harmful to humans over time.

What about dryer sheets?

Dryer sheets also prove to be useless for field mice.

Although they hate the smell, dryer sheets won’t much unless you plan to cover your entire yard or home with them.

For small crevices or nooks and crannies, you can stuff a dryer sheet or two to keep mice out. But for everything else, dryer sheets are ineffective against field mice.

Does baking soda kill mice?

Baking soda has been reported to be fatal to field mice. Although I couldn’t find any solid proof of this, there have been some anecdotal reports from homeowners online.

Some reports say baking soda works and kill field mice (or any mice for that matter).

Baking soda as a DIY field mouse killer

If you plan to use baking soda as a mouse killer, here’s how you can make it easily at home, DIY style.

What you’ll need:

  • Baking soda
  • Sugar
  • Flour

How to make it:

  • Mix the baking soda, sugar, and flour in equal parts.

How to apply it:

  • The baking soda is the key ingredient speculated to kill field mice.
  • You mix it with the sugar and flour to mask the scent of it. The sugar also acts as a bait so the mice eat it.
  • After they eat it, they’ll end up with some baking soda in their digestive system. This should kill them over time.

Baking soda traps

Baking soda can also be used to detect mouse movements.

You can sprinkle the stuff around areas where you think field mice may be scurrying about.

This is especially useful during the night, as mice are nocturnal. You’ll notice when a field mouse has been active by the mess they make.

They’ll leave a trail of baking soda behind and you’ll see that it’s been disturbed. You can use this trick to see where the mice are going and what they’re doing.

Some areas that you could place the baking soda:

  • Around your home’s perimeter
  • Beneath doors
  • On windowsills
  • Next to patio doors
  • Around the kitchen
  • Around the bathroom
  • On the floor next to the entrance of each room (so you can see which rooms the mice are going into)
  • In the basement
  • In the attic
  • Outdoor sheds or outhouses
  • On your patio
  • Outside your home

All these are prime areas where you can place baking soda to detect field mice activity.

What foods kill mice?

Field mouse eating DIY mouse killer.
A few foods you can use at home that will kill mice.

There are a few foods that will kill field mice that you can use to make DIY mice killer. Here are the proven ones to save you time.

Chocolate

Chocolate can be used to bait some species of mice and will also kill them nearly instantly. The thing to keep in mind is that some mice will be lured to eat the chocolate which will kill them.

Others will avoid the bait. For those that don’t eat the chocolate, you can cover the chocolate square or bar in some other bait.

Use peanut butter, nuts, seeds, or even jam. Cover up the chocolate with a light layer.

They’ll eat throw the bait and then end up taking a few nibbles on the chocolate, which will kill them right away. You need to play around and see which combo of boat and poison will kill the field mice.

 

Chocolate is poisonous to them. You just need to make them eat it.

A tip is to see what they’re already eating from your home. Cover the chocolate with this food and see if they take.

You can also use candy that’s already covered with other attractants.

Or check out these handy DIY chocolate traps for field mice:

  • Shove a piece of chocolate into a small marshmallow.
  • Use peanut butter cups.
  • Put jam and nuts covering the chocolate.

Soda

 

Sugary drinks definitely are poisonous to mice.

Mice can’t handle the sugary contents of soda, carbonated fruit juice, and other fizzy soft drinks. They also can’t vomit or belch carbonated beverages.

So the gas will just disturb them until they eliminated. Drinking carbonated will kill them. The hard part is making them drink it.

Only some will actually drink this stuff. You can also try using fizzy water or other carbonated drinks. The point is to make them drink the liquid. Some fizzy tabs may also work for this.

Although this method doesn’t work for all mice, assuming you have field mice that will drink carbonated water- you can kill them right away.

What smells do mice hate?

Cinnamon smells delicious for (most) of us, but terrible to mice!

Here we’ll cover some of the smells that field mice hate and some they don’t.

You can save time by using only solutions that actually work to repel them. And save yourself a ton of headache from ones that don’t.

Does cinnamon keep mice away?

Cinnamon is a popular choice for repelling mice naturally. You can buy cinnamon in powder, stick, or oil form and apply it as necessary around your home.

This means you should stick the cinnamon in places you want to keep field mice out of as they absolutely hate the scent of cinnamon.

You can also use it in kitchen areas like cabinets to stop them from going near your food. Other areas like closets, basements, attics, and garages are all good places to set up cinnamon repellent.

Cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper has a strong aroma that even humans hate. This stuff is powerful enough to make you cry. So it can definitely deter field mice.

You can buy cayenne pepper in powder form. Sprinkle it anywhere you suspect field mice to be present. This works especially well if you can find their nest or for tight areas where they travel through.

You can use cayenne pepper for entryways like under doors, windows, or other mouse holes you notice around your home. You can use this to keep field mice away naturally.

Cayenne pepper is a natural way to get rid of field mice. Most pets won’t come near it.

And you can tell your kids to stay away from it also. It’s probably one of the few scents that actually repel field mice effectively compared to the multitude of other home remedies.

Garlic

Garlic repels field mice.
Garlic is a super repellent due to the pungent odor.

You probably knew this. Garlic is another natural approach to deter field mice. You can buy garlic in powder, oil, or even just a regular clove of them.

To keep things cheap, buying a bag of whole garlic seems to be the best way to safely repel mice. The smell from freshly cut garlic is much stronger than powder or oil.

You can cut open a clove and place the pieces around your home where you wanna protected form field mice.

Fresh garlic does eventually dry out and you’ll have to replace the cloves. The powder will last longer but isn’t nearly as strong in odor. The oil will evaporate but lasts longer than fresh garlic.

You can use whatever approach is best for your situation. The strong odor from garlic will irritate field mice and makes them go away to another location.

You can even plant garlic plants outdoors to keep them away from your garden outside. This is very useful to keep field mice out of your home!

Mint

Mint is another strong field mice repellent. It’s natural and you can grow some in your own yard to naturally repel them.

This is handy if you have a bunch of field mice scurrying around outdoors. You can also just buy mint at the store and place it in various locations to keep mice out.

Note that mint will spoil quickly, so consider using peppermint oil.

You can add a few drops of it to a cup of water and spray it around your home. Since they hate the smell of mint, they’ll know better than to enter your house!

Pepper flakes

You can buy pepper flakes (the red variety) in any grocery store.

Sprinkle them under your doors and around your home’s foundation. Build a perimeter of flakes to keep mice from getting into your home.

You can also bunch them together using a hairnet or take apart a loofah to make a flake ball. Place the ball of pepper flakes where you suspect field mice activity to be present.

This will help drive them out and keep them out. Pepper just has a scent that’s way too strong for field mice to bear.

Use kitty litter

You can use soiled kitty litter to scare mice off. Just scoop up some cat litter from your cat’s litter box and sprinkle it wherever you suspect the mice are present.

This gives you a second use for something that you were going to throw out anyway! Mice are afraid of cats. So if you can trick them to thinking there’s a cat present (which there actually is), they’ll be scared to make any moves.

Toothpaste

The minty scent of toothpaste can be used to repel mice as they hate the scent of mint.

You can smear it against baseboards, doors, and other areas of your home (provided that it’s safe to smear) as a repellent. This is a simple and cheap way to deter them which costs you nearly nothing. A very budget-friendly way to repel house mice.

How to get rid of field mice humanely

Wild field mouse.
There are plenty of ways you can control your mouse problem using humane methods.

There are many ways to get rid of them humanely. Some traps, like sticky traps, should be avoided as these are just plain torture for the mice.

Mousetraps are a lot more human because they kill the mouse a lot faster, but that’s debatable.

The most humane method would be to use natural or organic repellents to keep field mice away.

This way, you’re not really killing them and don’t have to deal with their diseases. You just make them leave your home and stay away.

There are many natural repellents you can use outlined throughout this guide.

Comb through them and choose the ones that seem humane to you. The subject of being humane when you get rid of mice definitely is subjective.

Camphor

You can use camphor as a deterrent for field mice. They hate the stuff and you can easily just soak a bunch of cotton balls into the mixture.

Then place the cotton balls around your yard to repel them. You can also use these cotton balls as “repellent stations” around your home.

Ammonia

Ammonia is another liquid that mice hate. Just like the camphor approach, you can soak cotton balls in ammonia and place them around your garden. This will keep mice away because it has some nasty effects on rodents entirely.

Be sure to avoid using them in confined areas, as the scent is harmful to humans. So don’t use it where your family, other people, pets, or any other creature will be.

Other than the pest mice, of course. You can throw the ammonia balls into crevices that you think the mice are using to get into your home.

Or use them in tunnels, holes, or other cracks that you can’t normally reach. Remember to be careful before you go tossing them everywhere.

You don’t want to get them permanently stuck somewhere you can’t remove. Ammonia can cause permanent damage to surfaces and the scent is harmful.

Essential oils

Field mouse scavenging for food.
Essential oils work well against mice and offer a natural approach.

There are a few essential oils you can use to repel mice. They all pretty much work the same way.

You just add a few drops to a cup of water. Then you pour the solution into a spray bottle.

With that, you mist areas where you think the mice are present. Or areas where you want to keep the mice away from.

Here’s a simple recipe for peppermint oil.

What you’ll need:

  • Bottle of peppermint oil
  • 1 cup of water
  • Spray bottle

How to make it:

  • Mix 8 drops of peppermint oil and 1 cup of water into a spray bottle.

How to use it:

  • Spray it where you want to repel mice.
  • Be sure to note that some essentials can damage furniture, floors, or other surfaces.
  • Some essential oils can be flammable.
  • Always test in a small area before spraying everything.
  • Some plants can be damaged by essential oils.

Here are some other oils you can use to repel field mice:

  • Mint oil
  • Citrus oil
  • Neem oil
  • Garlic oil
  • Orange oil
  • Tea tree oil
  • Camphor oil
  • Thyme oil
  • Lavender oil
  • Lemon oil
  • Rosemary oil

You can make the spray stronger or weaker by either adding more or fewer drops of the oil. You can also adjust the amount of water to dilute the concentration. Either works.

These work well for enclosed spaces like the attic, basement, shed, or other small areas.

Holly leaves

Holly leaves emit a strong scent that can dissuade field mice.

You can either buy fresh holy leaves online and have them shipped to you. Or you can harvest them yourself if you have holly trees nearby.

Grow plants that repel mice

There are a few plants that will organically repel field mice. Depending on where you live, you’ll have to check the hardiness zones.

Don’t grow something that won’t grow in your area. Stick to native plants or ones that are suitable for your temperatures and hardiness zone.

Here are a few plants reported to repel field mice:

  • Daffodils
  • Grape hyacinths
  • Camphor plants
  • Alliums
  • Euphorbias
  • Lavender
  • Mint plants
  • Garlic plants
  • Holly trees
  • Jalapenos

A study showed that some common rodents like voles, house mice, and other rodents seem to avoid plant secondary metabolites (PSMs). The research took 4 different PSMs and used their odors tested against various rodents. They filled boxes with soil treated with specific PSMs to see which ones the rodents avoided.

The researchers mention black pepper oil and anthraquinone as a few odors they tested against:

For common voles the combination of methyl nonyl ketone + black pepper oil was the most repellent PSM. House mice made fewer visits to all PSM boxes; boxes with the anthraquinone were visited least.

After the research, they concluded that:

House mice made fewer visits to all PSM boxes; boxes with the anthraquinone were visited least. Furthermore, house mice consumed less food from boxes containing soil treated with all 4 PSMs. Our results suggest that PSMs are repellent in murid and microtine rodents under semi-field conditions. In addition, the future use of PSM odors for repelling both pest species, especially house mice, seems promising.

“Like or dislike: Response of rodents to the odor of plant secondary metabolites.” Hansen SC, Stolter C, Imholt C, Jacob J. (Via PubMed.)

Clean up after your pets

Clean up after your dogs to prevent mice.
Obvious, but overlooked.

For those who keep their pet bowls outdoors, be sure to clean up any excess pet food or mess after your dog or cat eats.

This applies to any other pets that may eat outdoors and leave a trail of food behind.

Whether you have birds, cats, cattle, sheep, dogs, cats, or other livestock- secure the food so that mice can’t eat it and remove the excess food. This applies to pets that also live indoors.

Be sure to not leave any accessible food behind and clean up any leftovers after your pets eat.

Water is another thing. Don’t let the mice have access to water sources.

This means security water that’s meant for your pets and blocking off mice from accessing it. You’ll have to dump it out or put the water source somewhere secure.

Don’t forget to check leaky faucets, sprinklers, or spigots. Fountains and water features are another things to monitor.

Also, check for birdbaths and such.

Don’t mulch when unnecessary

You probably read that twice.

Mulching your soul will only encourage field mice because they like soft soil with plenty of grass clippings and straw.

Thus, if you don’t mulch, you won’t provide them the chance to nest with this material. This also means cleaning up any excess plant foliage, leaf litter, or grass trimmings.

Don’t leave this stuff out. The mice will use it to nest. Mulching only helps provide them with more nesting materials.

Get a dog or cat to scare mice off

Natural mice predators.
Use your dog or cat as a repellent.

The perfect excuse to buy a dog or cat.

Just the presence of having a dog or cat nearby will be enough to scare off some mice. Especially for those who keep their dogs outdoors.

The dog acts as a guard and will hunt down mice or chase them off. Mice are well aware of other predators and will avoid them when possible.

This means if a dog suddenly appears out of nowhere, they’ll go into hiding until they starve or are forced out of your yard.

This also works for indoor field mice. Just get an indoor dog. Even the smallest dog is enough to repel them.

The best part is that the dog will be on the hunt actively 24/7 and has the senses to pick up on the slightest sounds. Thus, field mice stand no chance.

Of course, these are assumptions. Not every dog will chase mice. And this isn’t practical for everyone.

But for those who’ve already wanted a dog or cat, here’s another reason to buy one.

And for those who already have one, consider using it to your advantage and act as a mouse hunter.

Attract natural predators

Owl predator of mice. And this can help get rid of field mice.
Owls will eat mice. And they’re just one of many.

Another thing you can do, kind of just like the dog/cat solution, is to attract predators that eat mice.

Depending on where you live, you have plenty of solutions. You only want to attract predators that are already around your neighborhood.

You know the native predators more than anyone else- so think about it.

Think about those predators that prey on mice. What are they? How can you attract more of them?

Here’s a list of the most common species that eat field mice:

  • Stray cats and dogs (wild and domestic, most sizes)
  • Birds (hawks, eagles, and owls)
  • Snakes (most predatory species)
  • Skunks
  • Coyotes
  • Foxes
  • Dingoes
  • Large lizards
  • Ferrets
  • Weasels
  • Mongooses
  • And even humans (but not applicable here)

The trick is to find out which one of these predators are native to your area. So attract more of them.

You can do a search for it by using something like “how to attract [name of predator]” and you’ll see some other articles.

Keep your yard tidy

Another pretty obvious but overlooked solution.

Keeping your yard maintenance and clean will help prevent field mice in your yard.

This means doing stuff that you should already be doing. Not only will this help prevent and get rid of field mice, but it can also prevent a host of other pests like moles, kudzu bugs, and chiggers.

Here are some useful tips on keeping your garden free of field mice:

  • Secure or get rid of woodpiles
  • Clean up all leaf litter weekly
  • Secure all sources of water (sprinkles, faucets, birdbaths, hoses, pooled water, etc.)
  • Prune your trees, plants, and shrubs (mice use these to build nests)
  • Clean up all grass clippings (they use this also)
  • Don’t mulch your soil
  • Get rid of all debris and clutter
  • Secure your trash bins
  • Clean up excess pet food, livestock food, bird feeders, or anything other sources of food outdoors
  • Repair any damaged fencing, bricks, or foundation cracks

How to stop field mice getting from into the house

Field mice in yard.
Field mice can be stopped from entering your home.

To stop mice from getting into your home in the first place, you can do the following to help reduce the number of mice.

Try doing the following:

  • Repair any damaged window or door screens
  • Caulk or seal any foundation cracks
  • Don’t leave doors or windows opened
  • Repair any damaged vents or grates
  • Fix damaged basement windows
  • Make sure your garage door is flush against the walls
  • Seal up the gap under your doors
  • Caulk cracks around your patio doors

These are the most common ways that field mice get into your home.

How do you get rid of field mice in the house?

How to find field mice nest.
Field mice will establish a nest within your home if not controlled.

You can prevent mice from staying inside your home by doing some basic practices.

The main points to keep your home clean and tidy just like your yard.

Mice need clutter and plenty of hiding places to survive. They also need a source of food and water.

Eliminate all these and they have nowhere else to go. This is how you can naturally get rid of field mice in your home.

Here are some basic housekeeping tips to prevent field mice:

  • Secure all your food sources (put them in the fridge, air-tight containers, etc.)
  • Clean up all leftovers
  • Repair any leaky faucets, showers, and sinks
  • Wipe up any water spills after using water sources
  • Get rid of clutter, cardboard, storage, and any other junk
  • Store all unused clutter neatly
  • Manage pet food and clean up after your pets eat
  • Place natural mice repellents (plenty outlined here) around the home
  • Use baking soda to track mice activity

In summary, just keeping your home clean will help. As far as actually catching the mouse, you’ll want to use a mousetrap.

That’s the easiest, human, and cheapest way to catch them without resorting to nasty poisons.

Use commercial approaches

Mousetraps are the most popular choice in the market.

They’re cheap, available everywhere, and are humane as they kill the mouse quickly.

Catching a field mouse inside the home is tricky, but using a trap would be the easiest way.

You can use a variety of baits to lure the mouse, such as:

  • Peanut butter
  • Gumdrops
  • Nuts (any)
  • Fresh fruits
  • Cheese
  • Candy

How to set the trap:

  • Follow the directions on the package.
  • Be sure to place them distanced from each other. Using too many together doesn’t work. This just drives them to be suspicious and avoid the traps.
  • If the field mice are outdoors, place the traps about 8 feet apart.
  • Check the traps daily for any caught mice and dispose of them safely.

How to get rid of field mice in the backyard

A field mouse trapped for a photo.
Field mice can be stopped outdoors before they find a path into your home.

You can use the techniques that we covered in this guide to help control field mice in your yard.

You should start by using a combination of methods on this list.

The process is always the same.

Assess the situation

Find out where the mice are nesting and what they’re eating.

Doing these preliminary actions will help you determine what you need to do next.

Kill the mice

After you know where the mice are hanging out and what they’re doing, you can start to use some DIY techniques accordingly. You can find them throughout this guide.

Here are a few:

  • Set up mouse traps using the baits listed here
  • Set up chocolate traps
  • Make camphor or ammonia cotton balls
  • Use mice predators

Set up natural repellents

At the same time, you’ll want to start using some natural remedies to deter mice from your backyard.

In combination with the active measures you’re taking, these will help supplement them by stopping more from coming into your garden.

Here are some tips:

  • Use essential oil sprays or cotton balls
  • Plant mice-repellent plants
  • Get a dog or cat to patrol
  • Prune your foliage
  • Clean up your yard
  • Use garlic cloves
  • Attract predators

Prevent mice from coming back

After you set up repellents, you’ll then want to make adjustments to your yard and home as necessary.

This means doing basic maintenance outdoors, sealing up and protecting your home, and also cleaning up indoors also. All this stuff has been covered in this guide, so check it out.

Doing all of these steps should keep you free from field mice for good. Or at least reduce their numbers agnatically.

Whether you have them in your shed, walls, garden, apartment, basement, attic, garage, or any other area- the point is to use a combination of the techniques outlined here and see what works.

Further reading

Did you get rid of the mice?

A house mouse eating leftovers outdoors.
With patience and persistence, you can control field mice both indoors and out!

That’s all I’ve got.

You have over 6K words of information here. I hope this guide has helped you just a tad bit to get rid of mice from your home.

By now, you have the knowledge to identify, repel, and control house mice. You also know what to do now to prevent them from entering your home.

And you know how to get rid of them for your garden. You were also relayed some tips on preventing them in the future.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below. Or if you’ve found this to be helpful, let me know. Consider telling a friend who may be having the same pest problem!

Be sure to check out my other pest control guides! I share everything I know about DIY pest control!

Thanks for reading!

4 thoughts on “How to Get Rid of Field Mice Naturally (DIY Home Remedies)”

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