A rodent infestation is never a pleasant thing to deal with, but it's even more of a bother if you're living in a studio apartment with an open floor plan. Your apartment is essentially one big room, and therefore the mice will always be roaming around your space. In a large 2-bedroom with a separate kitchen, the little rodents might scamper around the kitchen or living room while you're asleep. Of course you don't want this, but it's not going to be a constant source of drama. In a open floor plan studio, however, you will hear them scurry around in the kitchen while you're trying to sleep, read, or get dressed for work. The good news is that there is an advantage to having a small space to secure. The primary one is that, because the space is so small, you won't have as many access points to secure. So, with that said, here are a few things you can do to deal with the unwanted rodent issue.
Seal Up All Open Gaps Around The Floor Trim
The best way to keep the mice away is to seal off their entry points. The most obvious ones will be near the space where the floor boards meet the wall. In older apartments there will often be a space due to the wood settling. This small gap might not be bothersome from a aesthetic perspective, but it's certainly enough for a mouse to come squeezing in. So, you need to seal those gaps. You can do this with expanding caulk. Another idea is to get steel wool and stuff it into the gaps before you caulk. This steel wool will prevent the mice from trying to eat through the blockade you create.
Set Up A Spray Bottle With Peppermint Oil
Mice don't like the strong scent of peppermint oil. It's a turn off for them, and it's not toxic, so it's safe if you have a cat or dog and don't want to spray rat poison. The best way to deal with this is to get a bottle of peppermint essential oil and then dilute it in water. You can then spray it around your kitchen area on the floors, behind the fridge and stove, and around the corners of the room.
Purchase Humane Traps
If you have sealed up the corners, and sprayed peppermint oil, and still spot the little rodents running across the room, then you should bring some humane traps. These are descend to trap the mice in a small container. The mouse will crawl in, seeking the bit of food you set as bait, and then the entry door will lock shut, trapping the mouse inside. You can then take the trap outside, open it up, and let the mouse leave.
You can also talk to a local rodent pest control specialist for more help.
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