Seeing a little mouse scurry across your kitchen unexpectedly can be a bit nerve-wracking, especially once you know that a single mouse can produce as many as 300 offspring in their lifetime. Unless you want a full-on mouse infestation on your hands, it's a good idea to be proactive about catching mice as soon as you notice their presence, and taking steps to prevent their return. Here are six tips for effectively dealing with mice in your home:

Seal Possible Access Points

Mice can squeeze into tiny holes and cracks, so it's important to look for cracks, gaps, and holes around both the exterior and interior of your home where they could possibly be getting in. Seal holes and cracks with caulk, cover vents and pipes that provide indoor access with fine wire mesh, and replace any old weatherstripping around doors and windows that has worn away or cracked. This will go a long way toward eliminating ways for mice to get inside your home.

Set Traps

It's also important to set traps to catch the mice that are currently inside your home. There are a variety of mouse traps available, including old-fashioned snap traps, more modern electronic mouse traps, or humane traps that catch the mice but don't actually kill them so you can relocate them far away from your home. Whichever type of trap you opt for, you will need to add tempting bait in the form of a treat like peanut butter, candy, cheese. You can set traps along walls, near doors, inside cabinets, and anywhere you've spotted mice or their droppings.

Tidy Up Around the House

While mice definitely end up in very clean homes from time to time, in general they find messier homes more appealing because there are more places for them to hide as well as more crumbs and other sources of food. Use this as an opportunity to get to that de-cluttering project you've been putting off, and put away any excess clutter or piles of belongings that could hide mice. Sweep and vacuum your floors, wipe down the counters, and generally tidy up to make your home less mouse-friendly.

Remove Food Sources

Next, go through your home and carefully seek out possible food sources. These can include dog or cat food, unsealed or open boxes of food like cereal or rice, or the potato chip crumbs that your teenager always manages to spill all over the couch. Invest in tightly sealed storage containers for both human and people food and get your whole family on board with wiping up crumbs and food spills immediately.

Consider a Cat

If you are already considering adopting a cat, this may be a great time to take the plunge. Cats are natural mouse hunters, and mice will often avoid homes where cats are present. Cats are a big commitment, but if you were already interested in adopting one anyway, you may want to take advantage of their natural talent for mouse hunting by getting one now.

Work with a Pest Control Company

If you have more than a couple of mice or just want the peace of mind that comes with knowing the problem is being professionally taken care of, it's a great idea to work with a pest control company. They can handle all of these steps and more for you, to save your time, while using their pest control expertise to do a more thorough job.

By following these tips, you will be able to get your mouse problem under control before it grows more severe, while also helping to prevent future infestations. Learn more about your options by contacting services like American Pest Control Inc.