How to Keep Mice Away From Your Kids’ Playroom

Mice are not just annoying pests, they can also spread disease. They carry numerous afflictions, including bubonic plague, rat-bite fever, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis and typhoid fever.

Keep mice away by regularly scrubbing floors and shelving, sweeping up crumbs, and storing food in tightly sealed metal containers. Try using mothballs in storage areas, but only if the container is out of reach from kids and pets.

How to Know That There Are Mice in Your Kids’ Playroom?

One way to tell if mice have invaded your child’s playroom is to look for signs of activity. Mice typically leave behind droppings, footprints, and trails of dust and debris that they create while scurrying around the room.

Look in dark corners, behind furniture and toys, or underneath rugs and other soft surfaces. If you notice any of these signs, it’s likely that mice have moved in.

Listen for noises such as scurrying or squeaking coming from the walls or other areas where they may be hiding. If you hear something that could be mice, investigate further to confirm their presence and take action to remove them.

If you identify mice in your kids playroom, here is what you could do to get rid of them:

Remove Food Sources

Mouse infestations can be very unpleasant. Not only do these pests ruin your home’s aesthetic, but they also carry many dangerous diseases that can be transmitted to you and your family. They can leave behind a foul smell in your house as well.

Mice are attracted to areas that offer them food and shelter, such as kitchens, garages and attics. Which makes kids taking snacks to their rooms their ideal suppliers. They will also go for places that provide easy access to water. Mice like a variety of foods, including grains and cereals, fruits, nuts, seeds and pet kibble. They are also attracted to sweet smells, and will make a beeline for your candy and cookie jars.

To prevent these tasty treats from attracting mice:

• Remove all visible sources of food and place them in sealed containers. Also, clean up all crumbs on counters and stovetops, and empty garbage frequently.

• Make sure to place pet bowls in metal or heavy-duty plastic containers with lids.

• Cover any exposed pipes with steel wool to prevent them from leaking.

• Clove essential oil is another effective way to repel mice, as it is a powerful scent that they cannot stand. You can simply apply a few drops on a cotton ball and stick them in the suspected entry points of your home.

Use Natural Repellents

You can use natural repellents to keep mice away from your kids’ playroom. One of the most effective is peppermint, which has a strong scent that mice dislike. You can grow peppermint plants around the house or use a commercially available peppermint spray to keep the rodents at bay.

Another effective natural repellent is used dryer sheets. Mice find the smell of these sheets unpleasant, which helps to deter them from entering your home. You can also hang some of these used dryer sheets in the attic, garage or basement to keep the mice at bay.

Use scented candles or oil lamps that contain essential oils, such as citronella, geranium and peppermint, to ward off mice.

It’s important to remember that repellents only work as intended if they’re used properly. You must reapply them often, particularly during outdoor play and after swimming or sweating.

If you choose to use a repellent, make sure it’s labeled for children and that it doesn’t contain DEET, which is not safe in high concentrations. We recommend a DEET-free option like the highly rated lemon eucalyptus spray.

Seal Up Any Cracks or Holes

Closely inspecting the foundation of your house and filling any openings with caulk can help prevent mice from entering. You can also keep critters out by trimming any trees, bushes, or ivy that might be brushing against your roof, eaves, attic vents, or utility wires.

Those holes where pipes come into the house are another entry point for mice, and you can close them up with steel wool or caulk. You can even fill them with a mixture of steel wool and expanding foam.

Set Traps to Catch Existing Mice

A snap trap is a great way to kill mice in a hurry but must be set away from anything that might trigger it accidentally (like pets or kids). This type of trap requires frequent inspection and care when handling, as the sharp spring can hurt people. If you use it, always wear gloves.

Glue traps are a cruel alternative to snap traps and still require frequent inspection and care when handling. They also take longer to kill the rodents than traditional traps. The key is to lure mice with foods they find irresistible. The best bait includes grains like oats and wheat, nuts, seeds, fruits such as apples and bananas, peanut butter, and even candy or syrup.

It’s also important to regularly change the trap bait to avoid mice from becoming accustomed to it. Switching to a different kind of food also prevents bacteria growth within the trap and reduces its effectiveness.

Keeping your home clean is another way to discourage mice and other pests from coming into the house in the first place. Keep crumbs and other food scraps under control, store garbage in metal bins with tight lids and tie down the lids, and sprinkle your trash area with peppermint oil or other scented repellents.

Related reading: 6 Tips on How to Make Cleaning Enjoyable with Your Kids

Keep the Playroom Clean and Free of Clutter

When toys are out of control and piled everywhere, it is easy for mice to enter the playroom. To help prevent this from happening, take some time to get your kids’ playroom organized. Start by sorting toys into three piles: keep, donate, and trash. This makes it easier to see which toys they’ve outgrown or no longer play with and to make a decision about whether to keep them or not.

Once you have all of the toys sorted, use bins to store them when they’re not being used. This will keep your children from throwing everything on the floor and make cleaning up much easier. If your kids have a hard time putting away their toys, try setting aside a daily time for them to do so together. This will teach them responsibility and help them learn where each toy goes.

It’s also a good idea to invest in some over-the-door organizers for things like books, crayons, and small toys. This will keep these items off the playroom floor and out of reach of mice. If you don’t have any over-the-door storage, consider a book bin or a simple toy box that can be stored under a table.

Related reading: 5 Cleaning Tips to Clean Your Children’s Bedroom Efficiently

Closing Remarks

Keeping mice away from your kids’ playroom is an important task that should not be taken lightly. Taking the necessary precautions such as sealing entry points, using natural repellents, and maintaining a tidy space can help prevent rodents from invading and potentially contaminating their environment.

It may be beneficial to educate your kids about the dangers of having rodents around and to establish a routine of properly storing food items and regularly cleaning their playroom. Taking these steps can help keep your family and home safe from unwelcome visitors.

If you suspect that mice may have infiltrated your child’s playroom, take immediate action. Contact a pest control professional to inspect your home, as they will have the tools and expertise necessary to remove any rodents from your living space.

Doing so can help protect your family from potential health hazards associated with having mice in the home. Implementing some of the methods discussed above can help prevent them from ever entering again.

The wellbeing of your family and home should be a top priority. Keeping mice away from your kids’ playroom can help ensure the safety of your living space and provide peace of mind for you and your children.