13 Tips: How to Get Rid of Mice in Kitchen Cabinets

If you let mice into your home, they can cause a lot of problems. Learn how to get rid of mice in kitchen cabinets using natural ingredients and other useful materials.

They don’t simply consume your food and ruin your kitchen. They could dig into your walls, eat your food, and attract other pests and vermin in the process.

If they are contaminated with a virus or bacteria that may be transmitted to people, they can potentially constitute a health danger.

Mice are attracted to your kitchen, especially the kitchen cabinet, where they can find food.

If the mice come and get into your kitchen cabinet, beneath your sink, or on your counters, you’ll need to move quickly to eliminate them.

I’ll explain how to get rid of mice in kitchen cabinets completely in this article.

Understanding why mice come to your kitchen cabinets

1. Because there is a food source

Mice come to your kitchen cabinets because they are attracted to things they think are food. If you put your cabinets are near the kitchen, they will come. Also, if you have leftovers in one of the kitchen drawers, they will try to open the drawer and eat them.

2. Because there is warmth

Mice always come to the kitchen cabinet for warmth. This phenomenon is especially true when the temperature drops.

They like to stay warm and love dark corners. They can be found in the kitchen cabinets since mice often hide near food supplies.

3. They are looking for a place to breed

When you find mice in your kitchen, it’s because they’re looking to nest and have babies. They’re looking for a dry, dark place to give birth. They come looking for your kitchen cabinet because it meets all of these criteria.

How to get rid of mice in kitchen cabinets

1. Block their way in

You must first determine how the mice enter your home.

Mice can get into your house through microscopic crumbs, small breaches in the walls, and even fissures in the basement. You won’t be able to get rid of them on your own unless you know where the mouse enters, and you don’t want to wind up with ineffective interim remedies.

Then, in order to get rid of mice in the kitchen, you must plug the openings to prevent mice from entering. Make sure your kitchen’s entrance is secure. Leave no crevices or holes accessible that a mouse could use to enter to your home.

Mice can enter through small gaps, so don’t leave any around pipes, wires coming through the wall, or where cabinets or drawers are built. Block any holes created by a stove or oven with steel wool.

2. Get rid of any leftovers.

It’s not a good idea to store leftover food in the kitchen cabinets. If you have leftovers of your favorite foods, keep them in the refrigerator rather than in the cabinets. Food attracts mice, and they will build a nest in your kitchen cupboards if there is enough of it.

You can’t have food piling up in your kitchen cabinets if you want to get rid of mice.

Mice will return to your closed kitchen cupboard if there is food that attracts them. So clear out your cabinets and toss out everything edible.

3. Mothballs

A great way to get rid of mice in the cabinets is by putting mothballs on the edge of the cabinet. Mice are extremely sensitive to smell, so placing these strong-smelling things near their home will repel them.

Mothballs are essentially balls of chemical composition made mainly of naphthalene and can be used to repel and kill mice and smells atrocious, making the mice leave their nesting places and seek out new ones.

4. Peppermint oil

Peppermint oil helps to control the smell of mice. It leaves a strong scent that they don’t like. 

You can get rid of mice by sprinkling peppermint essential oil on small cotton balls, and then placing them in your kitchen cabinets. Or, you can spray it to the edge of the cabinet.

5. Vinegar

Vinegar is another natural material you can use to keep the mice away from the kitchen cabinet. It has a strong smell which is unpleasant for bugs including mice. So, if you put it in a bowl and place it at the edge of the cabinet, they will stay. The smell is too strong for mice’s noses so they can’t stand it.

6. Use dried  orange peels

Mice hate the smell of orange peels. Set some old orange peels in a few places in your cabinets, and keep them there for a few weeks. The mice will avoid your kitchen cabinets if they’re always surrounded by that scent.

Orange peel consists of ethyl acetate, which is one of the ingredients for glue. Therefore, mice can’t stand the orange-based smell.

However, it’s very important to put only fresh orange peel in the cabin. Fresh orange peel has the maximum amount of ethyl acetate and this smell can stay in your cabinet for days.

7. Place some dry coffee grounds at the back of each cupboard.

Coffee grounds are an inexpensive and non-toxic way of getting rid of pests. The smell of the coffee repels mice due to the caffeine content.

Place a bowl with dry coffee grounds on the floor in the cabinet where you usually see mouse droppings and you won’t see any new ones as long as the coffee grounds remain there.

To effectively use this trick, make sure the coffee grounds don’t get wet.

Coffee grounds are also great at absorbing odors, so they can be used in cupboards to absorb food smells.

8. Use plug-in ultrasonic devices

If you think mice are invading your kitchen, try plugging in an ultrasonic device. These new devices are inexpensive, do not require bait, and do not hurt the mice in any way. They are an excellent, humane way to get rid of mice.

Placing electronic devices in areas where mice are active, such as near their food supply in your kitchen cabinets, will cause them to flee and seek a quieter environment.

9. Seal the food in the storage container

You will never catch a mouse in a trap if it knows that there is food nearby. One of the most suggested ways to keep mice away from your home is to keep food away.

Mice are always looking for food, and so if you put away food and seal it in an airtight container, the mouse won’t be able to get any of it.

In order to get rid of mice, you have to make sure that they have nowhere to nest and nowhere to hide. Sealing food in its storage container will get rid of the mice in your kitchen cabinets.

10. Sprinkle some chili powder

Chili powder is actually a great way to get rid of them because it irritates their nose. Sprinkling the chili powder in the cabinets should help drive them away from your home and to free your kitchen from mice.

It’s even possible to put this in a bowl so that you don’t need to spray it everywhere randomly.

11. Buy a humane mouse trap.

When you want to get rid of mice in kitchen cabinets, you don’t have to kill them. You can use a humane trap, such as a glue trap or a rat box trap. These traps are very simple to use and provide an all-natural solution. Glue traps are among the most common of these products.

By using these traps, you will be able to catch a mouse without being cruel to it. They won’t hurt your little mice friends, and can actually save them from certain death outside.

Once you catch the mice, you can simply release them in a field or a forest far away from your home.

12. Get a cat

Cats can be a good pest control solution. In order to get rid of mice from your cabinets, or any other room in your home, you can put a cat in your home.

Cats are known for hunting mice.

By having a cat in your home, you will then be able to keep the mouse population under control and not have them invading your kitchen at all times.

13. Call a professional pest control

If you feel very stressed with rats, it’s best to call professional pest controllers.

Professional companies will be able to deal with pests safely and effectively.

They’ve been trained on the proper way to deal with infestations, and they know the most efficient ways of eradicating pests

Can I use insecticide to get rid of mice in kitchen cabinets?

Insecticides are a dangerous way to get rid of mice. It’s crucial to remember that using it implies that you’re frightened about them and that they’re upsetting you.

You don’t want to gain any long-term effects from using one of these.

If you need to use an insecticide, then be sure to use it carefully and only apply it where the mice will run across it. For example, you might put a dab on their usual track from where they get into your house to your cupboards.

You should only use this in extreme cases of distress, or for some reason if your life depends on them getting out.

Insecticides are not just bad for the mice- they’re also bad for your family and pets.

You should only use this when it is absolutely needed and as a last resort.

FAQ

What is the fastest way to get rid of mice in the kitchen?

The humane mouse trap is the least harmful way to get rid of mice. You just need to place a bait in the box and trap them inside. After that, release them far away from your building so they can’t find their way back and start a colony.

How do mice get into kitchen cupboards?

Mice can often get into your kitchen by entering the hole or cracking into a cupboard. They come to the kitchen because of the food source, warmth, and comfortable place to breed which is better than their place in the unknown outside world.

Do mice go away on their own?

Mice will never leave on their own. If a place provides them a good shelter, they won’t do that. Mice will only leave a place when they find more food somewhere else.  That’s why you will have to use traps and baits in order to catch them and make them go.

What smells keep mice away?

Mice didn’t like mothballs, peppermint oil, vinegar, dried orange peels, chili powder, and dry coffee grounds. Make sure to put the smelly natural things above because mice will avoid them.

Will vinegar get rid of mice?

Yes, vinegar could be used to keep the mice away. Just put the vinegar in a bowl and put it at the edge of your kitchen cabinets or cupboard.

What is the best mouse repellent?

The best method for mouse repellent is using by sealing their entrance and cleaning any leftover food. It’s best to prevent them from coming than use any ingredients to keep them away.

Conclusion

We all hate them, right?

Those pesky rodents are the bane of our kitchens, infiltrating our cabinets and making a mess of things! Who can blame us for hoping to find a fast and effective way of getting rid of them?

You’ll be impressed to know that there are ways to get rid of them cheaply and easily. In this article, I am going to reveal to you some of the top tips on how you can get rid of mice in your cabinets!

  1. Block their way in
  2. Get rid of any leftover food
  3. Mothballs
  4. Peppermint oil
  5. Vinegar
  6. Use dried  orange peels
  7. Place some dry coffee grounds at the back of each cupboard
  8. Use plug-in ultrasonic devices
  9. Seal the food in the storage container
  10. Sprinkle some chili powder
  11. Buy a humane mouse trap.
  12. Get a cat
  13. Call a professional pest control

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