anyone with a persisent MOUSE problem, what did you do/are doing?

[cookiemonstress]

Oh this is a long and sorry saga. We live in a terraced london house and we have mouse issues, which I hate. Two years ago around this time of year, we discovered we had mice. Cue much financial outlay on not one but two (including rentokil) pest control interventions and various electric/sonic plug ins. About three months later, the problem came under control and the mice appeared to have disappeared.

At exactly the same time the following year, it happened again. I bought a supersize plug in (as the existing one has just died) and that seemed to do the trick. However we were welcomed into 2009 with the aroma of dead mouse (which I know smell everywhere I go, it never leaves you....aaaH)

In july this year we heard scratching under the stairs. Then they moved in under the sink.

They seem to have a 'run' (think this is a technical term) which starts from the kitchen sink, down the back of the kitchen units through the wall, into the back of the stairs.

I have bought rentokil poison which is being eaten by the bucket load it seems and it still being touched. We have tried to fill every hole but short of ripping out the entire kitchen units, there are some that are just impossible to reach. I'm desperate but unfortunately don't have the spare cash to justify this exercise.

I hate, hate, hate them. They are making me dislike my house and I can't relax in the evening. The house next door is empty and neighbours on both sides have them.

Please please give me hope. I'm reticent to get a cat because my dd's are frightened of them and they bring their own rodents in.

Should we get rentokil in again?. It's over a £100 and the poison i'm buying from B and Q is rentokil endorsed.

I would persevere with the poison, keep putting it down until it's not touched any more. Also get in touch with the council, ours had special 'packages' of poison that could be left in place (behind cupboards etc) just in case you get any more visitors after this lot have gone.

you poor thing. Ww had a similar problem in our last house and we were OBSESSED with the bloody things. The only thing that really worked (and it was very very expensive) was a special trap that rentokil put down - they (the mice - not rentokil!) would run in and then the doors would come down and they would die (as humanely as possible!) from some awful gas that was blasted into them. And then the chap from rentokil would come and change it. It did cost a bomb but it finally rid us of the things.

We also blocked up every gap we could find (and there were so many!) with wire wool or that foam stuff that hardens.

What worked for us in London and the house we moved into subsequently (were they following us around?!)

• ensure there is NO FOOD accessible so only tins in lower down cupboards etc

• traps. lots of traps, with peanut butter on and a DH with a strong stomach to deal with the results.

Both times we found once we had caught the existing ones and removed the reason for them to be there ie the food it fixed it. Fingers crossed there is not a recurrence this year god I hate them.

Cat. Best solution.

We leave lots of traps out baited with peanut butter half with chocolate spread every few months, never use poison as then they find somewhere inaccessible to die then stink.