Humans have devised numerous ways of getting rid of stubborn and pesky mice from their homes. While some of these methods are effective, others are a waste of time.
Some mice eradication techniques utilize common household items, so I seek to address whether killing mice with toothpaste is effective.
Many find killing mice with toothpaste convenient and cost-efficient since this product is readily found at home. In addition, implementing this method is pretty straightforward.
You are in the right place if you are considering using toothpaste to kill mice. This post examines everything you need to know about toothpaste’s mice-killing capabilities.
Is Toothpaste Effective in Killing Mice?
Yes, you can successfully kill mice with toothpaste but doing would be pretty difficult as you must ensure the mice consume enough quantities to be fatal. To die, these tiny rodents need to eat a good amount of toothpaste containing ethylene glycol and fluorine.
Some people mix toothpaste with substances mice enjoy eating, like sugar, flour, and peanuts, to create a homemade mice poison that will kill them.
Related: Kill mice with salt
The problem is these tiny rodents may pick the tasty bits and leave behind the toothpaste.
Moreover, mice do not enjoy minty toothpaste, which is common in the market. Therefore, you may need to buy toothpaste to specifically kill them rather than using what you already have.
The other downside of using toothpaste is that other means of killing mice, like traps and mouse poison, are more effective.
Also read: Mice eating poison but not dying
Besides killing mice with toothpaste, you can use mint-flavored toothpaste to repel them. Plaster mint toothpaste on the mice’s entry points.
Related: Mice repellent home remedies
What Ingredients in Toothpaste Are Toxic To Mice?
Besides ethylene glycol, sodium fluoride is toxic to mice. This toothpaste ingredient helps protect human teeth from decay but lowers appetite, interferes with brain activity, and leads to bone cancer in mice.
Mice deaths resulting from fluoride can happen quickly or slowly depending on the amount consumed.
Ingestion of high fluoride amounts causes quick death, while small quantities take effect over a long duration. The mice’s health will slowly deteriorate and eventually cause death.
Therefore, if you want quick results, make sure mice consume a lot of toothpaste. Fluoride is usually found in poisons used to kill mice, with the quantities varying based on the poison brand.
However, many countries no longer use this substance in these poisons and have since replaced it with blood-thinning compounds that are deemed safer.
How Much Toothpaste Do Mice Need To Consume To Die?
Mice can survive moderate amounts of toothpaste, so if you want them dead, then increase the quantity to about pea size. This is about 0.4 grams of toothpaste, and the sodium fluoride in it is 0.972 milligrams.
How To Make Mice Poison With Toothpaste
Before making mice poison using toothpaste, you will need to gather some ingredients.
Ingredients
- Toothpaste- two tablespoons
- Sugar- one tablespoon
- Baking soda or baking powder- one tablespoon
- Fluor- two tablespoons
- Peanut butter or crushed salted peanuts- four tablespoons
Procedure
- Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl
- Add one tablespoon of water if necessary
- Create small balls
- Place the balls in strategic places where mice have infested
- Put more than one poison ball in one place to make sure the mice consume the recommended amount to kill them. The mice will resort to eating the poison balls if they do not find any other source of food and die once they ingest enough toothpaste.
Apart from making poison balls, you can use toothpaste without bait to kill these small rodents. All you have to do is squeeze pea size toothpaste and put it in entry points such as cabinets, windows, doors, and attics.
Why Should You Kill Mice?
Some people consider mice pets, while a majority view them as annoying pests and do not want them in their properties. Below are the reasons to get rid of mice from your home.
1. They Transmit Diseases
Mice may be cute tiny rodents, but they are disease carriers, so keep them out of your home to keep your family safe. Mice can spread diseases through their saliva, urine, and feces. The diseases spread by mice include salmonellosis, typhoid, leptospirosis, bubonic plague, pox, and hantavirus.
2. They Can Cause Property Damage
These rodents can cause significant damage to different parts of your property, such as the attic, basement foundation, ceiling boards, and wooden ceilings.
The integrity of your home will be compromised if mice chew through various parts long enough.
Attic insulation is essential since it regulates the cooling and heating of your home, so it is in your best interests to keep it in good condition.
Mice will invade your attic looking for water, food, and shelter if they get inside your house, compromising it.
The energy efficiency of your home becomes compromised when the integrity of your attic insulation is weakened, causing an increase in your electricity bill.
Besides your house, mice will also chew on your home appliances, furniture, and even clothes. Replacing or repairing them will cost you money.
3. They Attract Bugs, Pests, and Insects
The distinct ammonia scent of mice attracts insects such as fleas, flies, and ticks. So, if you have mice in your home, then expect bugs, pests, and insects to invade your property as well.
4. They Are Fire Hazards
Mice trim their ever-growing teeth by chewing on different materials. If they happen to chew on electrical cables in the attic or walls, it may lead to a fire outbreak.
Related: How to get rid of mice in walls fast
How To Prevent Mice Infestation
Keeping your home clean is the best strategy for keeping mice away from your home. Here are some ways to prevent mice infestation:
1. Keep your home clean and free of clutter
Mice are attracted to clutter and debris that provide hiding spots and nesting materials. Clean up any food debris, crumbs, or spills and remove clutter from your home.
2. Store food properly
Mice are attracted to food sources such as cereal, grains, and pet food. Store food in sealed containers, and keep them off the floor.
3. Seal entry points
Mice can enter through small gaps and cracks around windows, doors, and vents. Seal any gaps and cracks with caulk or other suitable materials.
4. Keep the outdoors tidy
Remove debris, tall grass, and weeds from your yard, and keep your garbage cans sealed. This will help to reduce the likelihood of mice nesting near your home.
5. Seek professional help
If you have a severe infestation, consider seeking the help of a professional pest control company. They can provide effective solutions to eliminate mice and prevent future infestations.
Conclusion
Killing mice with toothpaste is not popular. However, you can effectively get rid of these annoying tiny rodents using this common household product.
Just make sure they consume sufficient amounts to guarantee effectiveness.
I’m Mike Hyle, an exterminator with 7+ years of experience handling all sorts of pests, including mice, cockroaches, bed bugs, and termites. I also write for Pest Solutions DIY blog to share my knowledge and help homeowners keep their homes pest-free. Outside work, I enjoy hunting, snowshoeing, and exploring nature. Check out my blog for helpful pest control tips!