To get rid of mice in the house, take away their food, block the obvious gaps and set enough snap traps along the walls where you find droppings. In south-east Queensland, first check the animal is a mouse and not a protected native antechinus, and treat bait as a careful last step, because the rules for second-generation mouse baits changed in 2026.

The short answer: how to get rid of mice

A University of California pest guide calls trapping the preferred method in homes with only a few house mice, but warns there is no simple and easy fix, so combine traps with removing food and blocking the way in.

1. Check it is a mouse. Rule out a rat or a native antechinus first.
2. Take away food, water and shelter. Seal food, pick up pet bowls and clear clutter.
3. Trap properly. Set several snap traps against the walls and check them every morning.
4. Use bait only with care. Follow the label, and for second-generation products the 2026 APVMA instructions.
5. Clean up safely. Wear gloves and disinfect where mice have been.
6. Block the way in. Seal small gaps with materials mice cannot chew.
7. Know when to stop. Call a licensed pest manager when the warning signs below keep showing up.

First, check it is a mouse

A house mouse is small, with a pointed nose and large hairy ears; the Victorian Department of Health gives a head and body length of 8 to 10 cm. Rats are much larger. Watch for the native antechinus: Sunshine Coast Council says many are killed with baits and poison because they look so much like mice, yet they are carnivorous marsupials, not rodents. Brisbane City Council states that all native species are protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and that harming them is a serious offence.

If it looks like a rat, see rats in the roof and house. For the usual signs of activity, read the top 5 signs of a rodent infestation in Queensland homes.

Take away food, water and shelter

Removing food will seldom clear mice already nesting inside on its own, but it helps traps keep up. The University of California guide says some form of population reduction, such as trapping, is almost always needed once mice are established, and the RSPCA warns that if mice can still reach food, traps are unlikely to keep up with breeding.

• Store opened food in metal, glass or heavy-duty plastic containers with tight lids, as the RSPCA suggests.
• Clear food scraps promptly and clean food preparation areas thoroughly.
• Throw away any food or drink that mice may have touched.
• Keep pet bowls clean, feed smaller amounts more often, remove leftovers and store bulk pet food where mice cannot chew in.
• Fix dripping taps and plumbing leaks.
• Use bins with tight-fitting lids, empty them regularly and avoid open compost.
• Clear clutter, old cardboard and unused materials that give mice a place to nest.

Trap properly: which traps, where, how many and how often to check

For most homes, a well-designed snap trap is the practical first choice. WA Health calls the spring back-break trap the safest for home use, and the RSPCA rates a well-designed snap trap as more humane and faster than live trapping.

1. Set traps behind objects, in dark corners and where you have found droppings or gnawing, as the University of California guide suggests, but away from food preparation areas, as WA Health advises.
2. The RSPCA advises placing each trap parallel to and touching a wall, not at right angles to it, and says a tunnel or funnel of sturdy material helps guide mice in.
3. Put a little fresh peanut butter, dried fruit or bread only in the marked bait area.
4. Use several traps at once. The University of California guide suggests spacing them no more than about 10 feet (roughly 3 metres) apart where mice are active.
5. WA Health suggests leaving traps unset across mouse runways for a few days first, so mice get used to them.

Check every trap every morning, as the RSPCA advises, and remove dead mice; WA Health also says to refresh the bait daily. If traps are not being triggered, the RSPCA suggests changing the bait.

Baits: what changed in Australia and when to leave them to a professional

Householders can still buy mouse bait, but second-generation products now carry strict conditions. As checked on 7 November 2026, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has suspended the registration of all second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides for one year from 24 March 2026. These contain brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, difethialone or flocoumafen. During the suspension they may only be supplied or used under instructions the APVMA published on 10 March 2026, which apply nationally. For home-use products, those instructions say:

• Do not use the product outdoors.
• Use it only inside a tamper-resistant bait station, fixed in place where possible.
• Do not use it for longer than 35 days. If mice are still active after 35 days, seek advice from the supplier or call a pest control service.
• Search for dead rodents at each visit to prevent secondary poisoning; wrap them in paper and a plastic bag for the rubbish.
• Wear disposable gloves.

Sellers must give you a printed copy of the instructions, and packs must be under a set size. The wider APVMA review also covers the first-generation anticoagulants warfarin, coumatetralyl and diphacinone, with proposed restrictions on all anticoagulant baits, and the APVMA has certified that second-generation products should be declared restricted chemical products; if the Australian Government accepts this, access could be limited to trained, licensed users. The final decision had not been published when this page was checked, so check the APVMA website before you buy, and never use agricultural mouse bait in the home, as NSW Health warns.

The RSPCA warns that a poisoned mouse’s body is a significant risk to any animal that eats it, including native wildlife. Never bait where you suspect an antechinus. A mouse that dies inside a wall can also leave a bad smell, which WA Health lists as one reason poison may not suit every home. With young children, pets or nearby bushland, you may prefer to hand bait work to a licensed pest manager; WA Health notes you can also employ a pest management technician to treat your property with baits.

Repellents and home remedies: what the evidence supports

A University of California guide finds little evidence that sound, magnetic or vibrational devices drive established mice out of buildings. What deters them is a home with no food, water or shelter.

Cleaning up droppings, urine and nests safely

Clean up wherever mice have been, wearing gloves and using disinfectant. Queensland Health explains that leptospirosis spreads through the urine of infected animals, including rats and mice, and can enter through cuts, the eyes, nose or mouth, or breathed-in dust. NSW Health names other infections from mice, such as lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), while stressing these infections are rare. These steps follow WA Health and NSW Health guidance.

1. Wear disposable gloves, waterproof protective clothing and closed shoes, and cover cuts with a waterproof dressing. A face mask is recommended, particularly when sweeping up droppings or scrubbing.
2. Put dead mice in a sealed bag or wrap them in newspaper, then place them in the general rubbish bin.
3. Remove droppings, mop floors and clean surfaces with disinfectant.
4. Wash bedding and affected clothing in hot water with laundry detergent, and steam clean or shampoo soiled upholstery and carpets.
5. Wash and dry your hands with soap afterwards, especially before eating, and change your clothes.

Ideally, someone who is well and does not have a weak immune system does the clean-up, and someone who is not pregnant handles dead mice.

When DIY has not worked: a stop rule

Yes, you can handle a few mice yourself with hygiene and traps. Call a licensed pest manager if any of these signs show up after a period of steady trapping and clean-up:

• Fresh droppings or catches keep appearing despite sealed food and daily trap checks.
• Activity in several rooms, or scratching in the ceiling or walls.
• Gnawed wiring. WA Health warns that rodents chewing through electrical wiring can start fires.
• A nest you cannot reach safely.
• Someone in the home is pregnant or has a weak immune system.
• You suspect an antechinus rather than a mouse.
• Mice are still active after 35 days of second-generation bait, the point at which the APVMA instructions say to seek advice.

In Queensland, applying pesticides as a paid service requires a pest management licence, according to the Australian Government’s business licence information service.

Bob Gunn Termite Solutions offers rodent control across south-east Queensland, including Brisbane, and quotes are free.

Keeping mice out afterwards

Once the mice are gone, block the gaps they used. The Victorian Department of Health says mice can squeeze into gaps as small as 8 mm, and the University of California guide gives an even smaller figure of about 6 mm (1/4 inch), so check:

• where water pipes, vents and cables pass through walls and floors
• around external doors, windows and screens, which should fit tightly
• cracks in building foundations
• rainwater tank openings and floor vents, which WA Health says need wire mesh no coarser than 1 mm.

Seal openings with metal or concrete; the University of California guide warns that plastic, rubber, expanding foam and wood fail because mice gnaw them. For the full prevention checklist, see practical ways to prevent rodent infestation.

Next steps

If traps and clean-up have not settled things, compare your options in why DIY rodent control fails and what works in Brisbane. When you want help, see rodent control and ask for a free quote.