Mice migrate into people’s homes in search of food, warmth, or shelter. They reproduce fast and can spread diseases.

They often cause damage by chewing on wires, books, and toys, or getting into cupboards and spoiling food by gnawing on storage bags and even plastic containers. Mice leave traces of urine and feces, which contain bacteria and viruses.

Read on to find out how to get rid of mice if you have them in your home, and how to prevent an infestation if you don’t.

Mice can get through tight spaces because of their small size. Cracks even as small as 1/4 of an inch need to be sealed.

If you have mice in your home, knowing their preferred locations will help you get rid of them faster. The black fecal pellets they leave behind are a giveaway of their whereabouts.

Keep food away from these areas, and store everything edible in containers that can’t be chewed.

Once you’re familiar with the whereabouts of your mice, try one of the following ways to get rid of them.

Get a cat
If no one in your family has a cat allergy, getting a cat might just be the easiest way to get rid of mice. If a cat isn’t an option, buy cat litter and spread it in areas most frequented by the mice. This can act as a deterrent. Be sure to keep cat litter out of the reach of children.
Use essential oils
The strong smell of peppermint oil and clove oil seems to repel mice. Saturate cotton balls with these essential oils and put them in areas that attract mice like drawers, cupboards, and home entryways. Although the smell alone won’t be enough to get rid of mice completely, it can work in conjunction with other methods.
Set humane traps
Humane traps keep mice alive so you can release them. Place traps in the areas of your home most frequented by mice and check them every morning. Mice generally come out looking for food at night. Examples of yummy treats to attract mice include peanut butter, cheese, and buttered popcorn.
Be sure to release any mice you capture at least a mile away from your home, and preferably not in an inhabited area. Don’t touch the mice directly in order to avoid any diseases they might be carrying.

Try a hot pepper solution
Poison baits may seem like an easy solution, but they can also be risky. Poison can sicken pets and children in your home, so it’s safer to stick with nonpoisonous baits and treatments. Try a concentrated hot pepper solution. Spray it in spots out of the reach of children and pets, but where mice frequently visit, such as under the stove or behind cabinets.
Build your own humane trap
If you’re crafty, try to build your own easy-to-use live traps using household items:
Bucket, stick, and plastic cup: Skewer the cup with the stick and lay the stick-and-cup contraption across the open top of the bucket. Smear some peanut butter on the cup to act as bait.

The mouse should run out to the cup, and then fall into the bucket. Release the mouse in the morning.Repeat as needed.
Glass and coin: Using a large glass with peanut butter smeared inside, balance one side on an upright coin.

When the mouse runs in for the peanut butter, it should knock down the coin and become trapped inside the glass. Repeat as needed.

Pack spaces with steel wool
Pack steel wool into the tight spaces mice like to sneak into. Steel wool is impossible and unpleasant to chew and will create a natural deterrent for the little buggers.
Block with duct tape
Once you identify some of the entry points mice are using, such as under your sink around the pipes or at the back of cupboards where there are wires, cover them with duct tape.