Unwelcome visitor - help!

[lazycat]

I think I have a mouse in my kitchen - someone with sharp teeth and an appetite for Asda 9p noodles and fig rolls has been making holes in stuff in my cupboard, and I don't sleepwalk.

I've taken all the stuff out there and cleaned it out with dettol, but do I need to throw away all the tins and packets that were there, even if they haven't been damaged, in case the mouse has peed on them and left horrible diseases? What's the best way of getting rid of the mouse? (I'd love to get a cat, but I don't have a garden.)

We had a problem with mice, but I got some of those sonic beeper things and they seem to have gone away. No sign for several years now. They look like those plug in night lights - they just fit into an electric socket and emit a beeping (at a level only mice can hear) which deters them. As for what to throw out, I really don't know. Tins should be OK as long as you wash them before opening. Packets.... depends on what they're made of I shouls think. Look on it as an early srping clean and get rid. If it were my cupboards most things would be out of date anyway

Just noticed your name - have you changed it for the post... or is that your problem? lol

A clam shell mouse trap like this, baited with peanut butter.

I'd throw away anything that had been nibbled through, but tins and so forth willbe fine.

No, not a name changer, but not a mouser either!

Really good idea about the sonic beeper thing. Do you know where I can get one, and what they're called?

Ok, have had mouse issue myself - for future ref, if you can get some plastic containers like "tupperware" style it is good to keep stuff in these as it is more tricky for the blighters to get into!

A good clean should do you some good and although not very nice there are worse creatures around your kitchen!

Also if you see any holes anywhere (they get through a hole the size of a pencil ) get some wire wool and put this in the holes as they can't chew through it!

Apparently they don't like peppermint/mint smell so putting that in cottonwool in any mousey looking areas can also work.

Peanut butter is apparently a fave/ chocolate (although such a waste )

To make you feel better, was speaking to a mouseterminator and he said that it is not necessarily a dirty house that mice will come to, they just want to get in the warm and are probably in all houses.

Oh and also, they have really dodgy eyesight so will more than likely stick to the walls in the house rather than the middle of the room so that is the best place to put the traps!

OP - worse creatures wasn't referring to you but in kitchens in general there can be worse creatures.

If it makes you feel better if you have mice you won't have rats apparently (don't quote me though!)

Great tips about steel wool and peppermint.
Like the idea of the sonic beeper thing though - that way I don't have to deal with any dead mice! I should be old enough not to stand on a chair and scream if I see one, but they creep me out.

These are what I use www.amazon.co.uk/Big-Cheese-Mouse-Repeller-Four/dp/B000LJ56OA

You could get a cat and keep in indoors. Get a catbox.