If you see a mouse in your house, don’t kid yourself—his entire extended family has moved in with him. Reclaim your home, once and for all.

Step 1: Set traps

Set traps in areas where you’ve seen mice. Put a dab of peanut butter or a bit of chocolate on each. And don’t be stingy—put out a lot of traps.

Step 2: Don’t cook

Eat out or order takeout for a few days so you can stick a few in the stove and under the burners, where mice like to nest.

Step 3: Repeat

After you’ve caught some mice with your traps, rearrange the furniture a bit and put out traps in some new patterns. Always wash your hands with hot water and soap after disposing of a mouse.

Step 4: Inspect rooms

Go from room to room looking for holes in the walls, floors, and baseboards. Mice can squeeze through holes as small as dimes.

Step 5: Patch

Patch up the holes by stuffing them with steel wool—which mice won’t chew through—and then sealing them with caulking compound.

Step 6: Examine doors

Examine doors that lead outside; they should have a “sweep” at the bottom that prevents mice from running in. If they don’t, install them.

Step 7: Scatter moth balls

Scatter moth balls in front of your front door and garage door. They’re a great mouse repellant. But don’t put them indoors—they’re highly toxic.

Step 8: Check for rotting walls

Still not gone? Have a handyman pull out your sink; the moisture often leads to rotting walls. If that’s the case, have 24-gauge galvanized steel installed where needed.

Step 9: Prevent future infestations

Prevent future infestations by storing food in strong, lidded containers (especially pet food and bird seed), using covered garbage cans, and taking the trash out promptly.