Mice can be adorable, and some people even have them as pets, but when they start moving into your house as an unwanted guest, these furry critters can become quite a pest.

They can carry diseases and parasites, so it is important to keep your family safe and your home free of these little rodents. Here are 15 tricks to help you run them off and keep them out of your home.

1. Baking Soda – As you’ll learn while reading this list, mice don’t like anything with a strong smell. So anywhere you notice mice, droppings, or their tracks, sprinkle a bit of baking soda there.

2. Predator Poo – You can actually buy products like fox urine and snake feces at some stores and use it to scare away small rodents. For best results, sprinkle it anywhere that you’ve spotted mice and around the outside of your house.

3. Use Traps Smartly – There isn’t such a thing as a perfect mouse trap, but if you use them correctly you’ll have better luck. Place them along walls where it’s harder for a mouse to stay away from the pressure plate, and spread them out in the areas where you’ve seen the mice. To bait the trap, try cheese, chocolate, dried fruit, and even cotton balls and feathers because they use them to build their nests.

4. Patch Leaks – Mice need water and food just like we do. They can’t use your sink so they will gravitate toward any dripping or running water in your home. Leaky pipes and damp basements make the perfect mouse hideout.

5. Peppermint Oil – This goes along with mice not liking strong smells. Place a few drops of peppermint oil on a cotton ball and place them around your home. Just remember to replace the balls every few days to keep the scent strong.

6. Check Outside Your Home – While mice may not be living in your walls, they could be living in burrows just outside your home. Check around your foundation for signs of mice and fill any holes with gravel. Keep junk piles at bay and remove weedy patches.

7. Kitty Litter – Cat litter works in two ways. It has a strong smell, but it also makes mice believe you have a cat hanging around your house. Spread the litter where you think mice may be nesting to run them away.

8. Block Holes – You may find right where mice are hiding if you look. Search for holes and block them with steel wool, copper mesh, or caulk. This will discourage them from nesting on your  property.

9. Avoid Poison – This is actually the least effective way to kill mice and will often result in sick or death of your pet.

10. Cloves – Another smelly pantry staple that mice can’t stand. Simply sprinkle cloves around their nest or leave cloves sitting out for mice to smell.

11. Get a Cat – It may sound cliche, but cats are natural mousers and will often clear away mice before you even notice them. Just don’t be surprised if kitty gifts you a mouse on your bed when he makes his first catch.

12. Moth Balls – Cedar balls or moth balls will drive away bugs and rodents. Just leave them out anywhere you’ve seen signs of mouse activity. Just be sure you place them where your pets won’t get into contact with them. They’re better placed in places like the crawlspace or attic.

13. Dryer Sheets – This is another strong smell that rodents don’t like. You can double up on dryer sheets by using them to make your house smell nice while getting rid of pests.

14. Ultrasonic Devices – Some people say these work like a charm and other say that mice seem to get used to the noise. Either way, they can be combined with other methods to drive rodents away. It never hurts to give it a try.

15. Clean Your House -Mice are attracted to all edible things including garbage, pet food, crumbs, and food left out in the open. So make sure that all of the food in the pantry is enclosed in a can or container and be sure to tidy up each night before going to bed.

Did you know all of these tips? Be sure to share them with your family and friends. If you’ve got a mouse problem it never hurts to give them all a try.