Would you still use your pots and pans after mice ... - Page 5

qualityshopper · ‎12-04-2011

Thanks everybody for all of the great advice. Dealing with this has been very difficult for me, so I really appreciate your help. I haven't seen them pop their heads out since the Orkin man was here, but I know they're around. Can't help but wonder how many are left and where they are hiding. We know there's at least one female and some other babies. Orkin's supposed to be back out next Thursday to check the traps and remove any dead ones. I sure hope he finds some.

It still gets to me to think that, while I was sitting on my couch, there was a dead baby underneath. That probably explains why on Wednesday, I saw a wormlike creature (had to be some kind of insect) crawling across the rug and a little later another kind of insect. They must have been attracted to the dead carcass. I plan to ask the Orkin guy to have a more thorough look under my couch when he comes back. As for the closet where the adult lay dead for much longer, I can't even bring myself to go in there for now. I should open the door to let the odor air out, but I'm keeping it closed for now. There's another trap in there, and I figure a mouse would be more likely to go into a closed area than one that's wide open.

I keep waiting for the next shoe to drop. The last couple of months have not been good. First I had to replace the window regulator on my car, then the capacitor on the air conditioner. Next the bathroom light fixture went out and the bathroom sink faucets started leaking water badly (have to have an electrician and a plumber out still). Sure didn't need to have the expense and aggravation of mice to deal with as well.

Gardenman--You pointed out how the FDA allows so much feces to be in our food. I was aware of that, but probably like a lot of people, I tend to bury that knowledge to the deepest depths of my mind. If I didn't do that, I would have a very hard time eating anything. There's just something worse about actually seeing it (the live mice and the actual droppings) right in front of you--makes it impossible to ignore. I know in time I'll get over it, but for now, it's really hard.

Again, just want to thank everyone for helping me with this ordeal.

Imaoldhippie · ‎06-10-2015

I would wash them on the sanitary cycle in your dishwasher. Any thing that cant be put in the dishwasher you can use disinfectant wipes on after you have washed it in hot sudsy water.

I would not do a major cleaning until the mouse problem is solved. If you do it to soon you will have to do it all over again.

Good luck

BE THE PERSON YOUR DOG THINKS YOU ARE! (unknown)

Allegheny · ‎03-19-2010

@Venezia

Tell me more about the model of Victor Electronic trap you use. I did look it up there appears to be so many models. We would be using in the garage and a patio area under our deck. Thank you.

eddyandme · ‎09-24-2011

@aroc3435 wrote:
@qualityshopper Mice are creepy little creatures when they invade your space, aren't they?

I would wear gloves and then would proceed to fill the pots with water and some Dawn dish soap and boil on the stove top and then scrub and rinse them thoroughly with boiling water, then cold water.

No need to toss them. I would do the same with the drinking glasses and utensils--wash thoroughly in very hot water and then pour boiling water over them in the counter dish rack. And then I would discard the cleaning pads or dishcloths or dish brush I used to wash these items. If the dish brush is silicone you could boil it to get it clean.

Of course, if your pots and pans are dishwasher safe and you have a dish washer that will sanitize them, along with the glasses and utensils.

I would clear off my counters, empty my cupboards and shelves, and wipe them down with watered down ammonia or bleach (NEVER mix the two--that is deadly to you--as you probably know) and I think you will be okay.

When restaurants or other food services places like colleges have these "visitors" they get the exterminator but they don't toss everything after successfully expelling the mice.

Main thing is to check your packaged food carefully--the mice chew through everything to get to food, which is one of the reasons I love my Lock and Lock and other air tight containers.

When the weather gets cooler they try to get in, and because I'm a renter I can't have an indoor cat anymore, only fixed, feral outdoor cats that the whole DC neighborhood cares for, as encouraged by local statute.

When I had my cat for sixteen years until she died, the mice would try to come in but she'd evict them immediately if they were foolish enough to try to take residence.

Get a good night's sleep tonight; give a warm welcome to the Orkin person tomorrow and good luck.

I would do all of the above plus put dishwasher on sanitize setting; also would toss L&L (any plasticware). Also, take large bandaids and put Lestoil in gauze portion, then tape to drawers. (Had mice trapped in drawer, began chewing wood drawer!)

I was infested with them twice! Fifteen acres of trees bordering my home were pulled out in two sections. Then I got the mice! Tried everything - no kill traps did not work as the mice got used to them and did not want to leave the plastic house, then would return to my house! Got the enclosed plastic kill traps - they function 50% of the time. Finally called a pro - after my dog caught two mice: the first, he presented to me which didn't go over too well; the second, he ran outside with. After traps were installed all over, hired someone to plug up any possible entry points. Now that the acres of trees have been decimated there is no longer a problem. (Unfortunately, most of the wildlife, e.g., deer, foxes, etc., have left.)

Venezia · ‎03-09-2010

@Allegheny wrote:
@Venezia
Tell me more about the model of Victor Electronic trap you use. I did look it up there appears to be so many models. We would be using in the garage and a patio area under our deck. Thank you.

@Allegheny- I'm not sure anymore whether we're supposed to put in links for other sites, but if you search Amazon for "Victor Electronic Mouse Trap", it will bring up several versions.

The older version that I used for years was M2524. The newer version that I now have is M250S. I originally found out about these traps through my local hardware store, but since then have found them for a better price through Amazon (or even Walmart).

When things got bad in my garage one winter, I caught 17 mice in just one of these traps. After that, I had no problem for a long time. But I keep the traps loaded and switched on all the time.

I've caught a few mice in basement with these as well and at least I know if one of my cats get down there, they won't be harmed. I don't let my strictly indoor cats catch mice because of the health risk (parasties, bacteria, etc.).

The traps flash green, when there's a dead mouse in there and you just switch the trap off, open the top and dump it. No need to touch it. Reset the trap to on and put it back. Simple and effective.

Of course, if you have a severe infestation, as some seem to, I'd also call in the professionals, but I'd draw the line at poison or glue traps!

Allegheny · ‎03-19-2010

@Venezia Thank you so much for the information. Surprisingly based on where we live (middle of the woods) we've only had an issue with mice twice in over 30 years in the attic and garage. But I know they are out there.

We've had them chew thru the wiring where the AC unit is. Our HVAC folks check that when they do the semi annual service, stuffing that area with steel wool.

Last week during the quiet of the morning I heard scurrying noise in the walls of my laundry room. Fortunately for me I have exceptional hearing, but unfortunately my ears told me this probably was not a mouse. I am thinking a chipmunk. Only heard it on that one occasion, so I am thinking it exited. But I still have to find out where it got in.

Frau K · ‎02-02-2015

I’m sorry you are dealing with this. I can relate. For eight months we were battling roof rats. We are in the Phoenix area and these rats have become a big problem. I never saw one but heard them in the wall between the guest bathroom and the master bathroom. Also in the attic. They were active all night long. Didn’t get a good nights sleep for eight months.

We had the exterminator out every week pulling out dead rats from the attic. 13 in all. Once they weren’t getting trapped anymore and we still heard them in the wall, we hired a plumber to look in the pipes with a camera. Turns out there was a hole in the 63 year old cast iron pipe. They were chewing on it. We had to cut a hole in the wall and replace that part of the pipe.

Once that was fixed we heard no more activity. The cost for this whole thing was 3,000.00. It’s been about three months now and I’m still jumpy with every noise or house settling creak etc. it is getting better though.

qualityshopper · ‎12-04-2011

Well, another update. Haven't seen any mice since Thursday, but a few hours ago (9 pm), I started hearing an almost constant squeaking. It's almost midnight now, and it's still going on. I'm guessing one is caught in a trap, but I can't figure out exactly where. I know it's in the kitchen, but everywhere I look, there's nothing. It's really hard to discern where it's coming from. My guess is that it's in a trap set by Orkin which is behind the stove drawer. I am not going to check it out myself since it's alive, so I'll have to call someone to come over tomorrow. I'm just really puzzled by this because I thought Orkin's traps were ones that kill them instantly. I don't understand how one could be trapped but still alive.

Some of you have mentioned sanitizing my dishes in a dishwasher. That would be so nice, but unfortunately, I don't have one. This is a very old house, and there's just no place one could be installed. It'll all have to be done by hand. Dang mice!

aroc3435 · ‎09-30-2010

@qualityshopper Sometimes the darn mouse will get "caught" incorrectly by the trap and will not die instantly and will "drag" the trap around. Gosh, I so empathize with you. These critters give me the willies.

Mindy D · ‎05-23-2010

@qualityshopper wrote:
I am in panic mode right now because of the invasion of mice in my home. Have not had any mice downstairs probably in 40 years or more. Last week, started hearing stratching noises in the back of the kitchen cabinet. Nothing was seen in there--no mice or droppings--but would still hear occasional noises on different days. A relative of mine checked all around the inside and the outside of the cabinet, as well as the outside of the house, but couldn't find any entry points.

Never saw any mice until this Monday. I'm sitting on the couch in my living room and just happened to turn my head towards the kitchen when I saw one scurry across the kitchen floor. Now this was in the late afternoon and with the lights on. Then today, I had two sightings, again in the afternoon and with all the lights on. One ran from the back of a chair in the living room towards the couch, and a little later, saw one in the kitchen again. I am ready to go outside and sleep in the car at this point. What gets me is that I have 11 glue traps out and one regular trap, all baited, and they're not catching anything. So, I made an appointment with Orkin to come out tomorrow.

Meanwhile I got to wondering what to do with all my pots and pans that are in the bottom kitchen cabinets once this is hopefully over. I will definitely want to clean everything thoroughly but am wondering if just plain soap and water is enough. I've read about how dirty mice are, and it makes me feel like soap & water won't be enough. After what I've read about all the diseases they carry, I actually feel like I might want to buy new ones. Am I going overboard? Would really appreciate opinions about this. Thanks!

Wear disposable gloves, take pots outside in the grass. Pour water with two or three cups of chlorox in it over all areas and leave outside to sit. Repeat process. Make sure bleach solution covers all crevices. Rinse outside. Discard your gloves. You might need more than a few pairs of lates gloves. DISPOSABLE GLOVES, ONLY.