5 Best Ways to Get Rid of Mice in the Garage

Garages are the favorite bunking destination for mice as they are warm, clutter-free and has dog foods and bird seeds. What’s more, they also have nesting materials like leaves, paper, cotton, etc. Over the course of this piece, I’ll guide you on how you can eliminate mice from your garage.

5 Best Ways to Eliminate Mice in the Garage

1. Prevention – The Best Way to Get Rid of Mice

While prevention is better than cure may sound like a cliché, that doesn’t make it any less true. If you want mice to keep away from your garage, make sure that nothing invites them more.

Garages are likely to attract field mice. And here are the steps you can take to prevent them:

• Declutter your garage – Clean and organize your garage. Remove needless papers because they allow mice to build their nest. Papers, dirty leaves, cotton are big no-no as they’re perfect for mice to build nest and live.
• Cementing holes – Find potential entrances at the garage and seal them up. You can protect the garage door using metal rodent guard, replacement vinyl or threshold; seal any drainage or vent (air conditioning vents especially) because they can be easy entrances for mice.
• Seal food items – Especially the dog food, birdseeds, and fertilizers. Put them in plastic airtight containers.

2. Set a Trap

Some prefer humane methods of trapping mice because they don’t like killing them.

In my opinion, instant kill is also a humane way to get rid of mice. If a mouse trap can provide clean kill that minimizes the animal’s trauma and suffering, then why not?

Other humane methods include:

• Not keeping food in their reach
• Not keeping the trash can open indoors
• Employing ammonia and peppermint

There are different types of mouse traps, anyone can be used to get effective results:

Electric Mouse Traps

These quick-catchers need to be several in order to see success. Using 3 or more of these strategically can turn out really effective. And because you can use them over and over, they’re cost effective as well.

Here’s how these traps work:

1. You open the lid and set the bait
2. As the bait is at the back of the trap, mice must enter the trap
3. Once the sensor senses the presence, it emits a huge electricity and kills it
4. You open the lid and trash the mouse
5. Rinse and repeat

Plastic Snap Traps

These are made of solid, long-lasting plastic, which is reusable. It has a small cup for the bait – perfect for a small piece of peanut butter.

Here’s how these work:

• Place a bait
• You pull back the lever exactly 90 degrees
• After the mouse hits the plate, the lever is released and the mouse is caught

Plastic Enclosed Snap Traps

These are effective and safe for using around your pets and kids. The success depends on you setting the bait right. The trigger isn’t much sensitive like other models. So if you’ve really small mice, they sometimes steal the bait without being captured.

Here’s how they work:

• You bait the trap
• You press the lever or turn it open until it makes the ‘tick’ sound
• The mouse enters, the sensor senses, and bam, the mouse is caught
• You trash the mouse (don’t forget about precautions)

Catch and Release Mouse Traps

As the name suggests, these traps are for capturing the mouse and then releasing them. There are 2 types of such traps – Plastic Tubes and Metal Cages – it’s up to you, both work the same.

Here’s how they work:

• You bait the trap
• Then you set the trap up and make sure the door is open
• Once the mouse enters, the trigger closes the door
• The mice get trapped

These are geared towards people who can’t stand killing these creatures.

3. Ultrasonic Mice Repeller

These devices emit extreme-frequency, intolerable sound waves to mice and stop them from entering your property. These are plugged in an area where there is mice infestation.

When using this, you need to keep objects from standing in the waves’ way as that’d only dilute it. You have to plug it somewhere close to the entrance or exit of mice, else, it won’t be very effective.

Check my guide: The Best Ultrasonic Pest Repellers on the Market

Using several units can help you to get rid of mice infestation from your garage. However, if you keep leaving your food on the ground, the mice would return regardless of the sound.

4. Kitty Litter

Cats have a long history of dealing with mice. Therefore, the presence of cats can help you deal with mice.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Trace down the potential mice entrances
• Wear latex gloves
• Scoop up some cat litter from your cat’s box, make sure it’s from somewhere where the cat has urinated
• Then put the litter inside an open box for the mice to smell it
• Keep the box close to the entrances
• Rinse and repeat

5. Natural Remedies

There are some smells mice hate, here are some of them:

Peppermint oil

Dip cotton balls inside oil (use only 100% pure oil) and place them at problematic areas.

Cayenne pepper, pepper, and cloves

Place cloves or dry cayenne or mint in cheesecloth sachets at problematic areas.

Ammonia

It smells like cat urine. So place it in infested areas in capful amounts.

Kitty litter

Keep it close to the doors, and mice will not enter.

A cat

Nothing beats a cat itself on repelling mice.

Related: 10 Best Remedies to Get Rid of Mice Naturally

Last Words

Mice can be very threatening for your life because of all the diseases they spread. And garages need extra attention in terms of mice problems.

So before signing off, let’s take a recap at the steps I’ve mentioned above:

• Declutter, organize and clean your garage
• Seal the entrances and food items out of their reach
• Place a trap that can solve your mice problem properly
• Plug in ultrasonic mice repellents that’ll chase mice away from some distance without entering your home
• Put kitty litter at places you think mice may pass by or get in your house
• Leverage natural repels like cloves, dried cayenne, and peppermint oil