If you are wondering how to keep mice away then, chances are, you have mice in your home. They can be a real nuisance, causing damage to property and leaving droppings and urine. This can be unsightly and unhygienic. If you are serious about keeping mice away then you need to combine several different methods to be effective. Mouse proofing, repellents and conventional pest control methods won't work on their own. When all else fails you can always rely on RatMat.

1) Start simple; seal up the entry points. Mice can squeeze through smaller gaps than you think. Spend some time looking carefully for holes, gaps and cracks around doors, windows and rooves. Vents and pipes are common culprits. Remember that they are expert at chewing through materials so normal filler won't work, you will need to use steel wool or cement to fill the gaps. If you have cavity walls or a gap underneath your flooring then mice will use these as entry points. Make sure you seal up any access points to these areas. There are many mouse proofing products available, including RatMat which is described below. If you are serious about how to keep mice away make sure that you do this first step thoroughly.

2) Keep food and garbage stored securely. The smell of food is a strong draw for a hungry mouse. Garbage must be kept in metal bins with a tightly fitting lid and any spills cleared up quickly. Don't leave food on the ground for pets or birds. Clean up after the dogs if they spill food. If there have been mice in the area where food has been, you will need to scrub it with hot soapy water or pressure wash the area. This is to remove all traces of the food as they will still be able to smell it. Make sure kitchen cupboards are secure, if there is a particular food that they are after, keep it in a metal tin or in a cupboard that they can't reach. Clean regularly, wiping down with disinfectant and vacuuming up crumbs. Pay particular attention to areas under and behind cupboards and cookers.

3) Use natural repellents. Mice don't like strong smells and there are many common household ingredients which can be used to keep them away. Peppermint oil or eucalyptus drops soaked in to cotton balls can be placed where you think mice have been recently. As the oils are volatile, they need to be topped up regularly. Cinnamon and cloves can also be effective, as can bay leaves.

4) Try ultrasonic repellents. Some people have success with ultrasonic repellents. These emit a high frequency sound which mice might find unpleasant enough to make them leave the area. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Like many repellents, it is likely to depend on how hungry and desperate the mice are.

5) Trapping. Trapping mice can be effective at reducing the problem for a short time but as they breed so rapidly this is often a temporary solution. A single pair of mice multiplying unchecked for a year can lead to more than 30,000 individuals! You can keep trapping them but they will keep coming. Many people do not like using traps as they are inhumane and can injure the mice. Once you have caught one you either need to release it long way away or kill it which is unpleasant for you and for the mice. Look at it this way, people have been trapping mice for hundreds of years and this has not solved the problem.

6) Poisoning. Like trapping, poisoning is a quick fix solution as you can't poison all of the mice in the area. Mice are clever and will follow the scent of other mice. If they realize that there is an area where mice have been living and they are no longer there, they will move in. This means that once you have had a mouse problem, killing them often does not work without blocking up holes and using mouse proofing. Using poisons around the home is also dangerous for pets and children. Don't just think about your pets, think about your neighbours' as well. Unfortunately, poisons can enter the food chain and kill local wildlife. It can build up in animals over years and cause infertility, damaging our ecosystems and killing endangered wildlife.

7) When all else fails, try RatMat. RatMat is the world's first horizontal electric fence, designed to protect against rodent damage. By establishing a perimeter around your car, or across doorways to factories and garages, it creates an effective barrier. This makes it an excellent rat repellent for cars. Safe for humans and vehicles, the system allows you to walk over it with shoes or drive across without issue. Rodents, however, avoid the area due to the electric field. If they attempt to cross, they receive a mild, harmless shock—40 times weaker than a standard farm electric fence—ensuring they stay away. Click on 'Buy now' to get yours today.