Tired of worrying about gnawed wires, chewed-up items in storage, and, ugh ... droppings? Well, how to get rid of mice in attic areas and other out-of-the-way places is not all that difficult - and you can do it successfully in a non-toxic, environment-friendly way!

Getting rid of mice, rats, and squirrels in attic area include the following options:

- Traps. Three common types of traps exist for rodents - the kind that kill or maim, usually by a spring-loaded bar snapping down on them when triggered by the animal attempting to snatch a bait. The other two types of traps involve luring the animal with food into a cage that automatically shuts or onto a glue-saturated board upon which the animal becomes stuck. Both types require disposal of the animal - either while it's still alive or when it's dead. Neither type of trap is fail-safe. Often the animal escapes time and again before the trap actually "works."

- Poison. Most rodent poisons contain warfarin, an anticoagulant. Considered inhumane by many people, the ingestion of warfarin causes massive internal bleeding. It's important when using warfarin-based poison to keep water access unavailable. Craving water (due to dehydration caused by the chemical) forces the animal to go outside of the building in search of water (at which time it will die). Otherwise, you will find dead, decomposing rodents in your home. You must take care to close all toilet seats, as well as put away pet dishes and other containers holding water.

- Predator repellants. Non-toxic and pet- and environment-friendly, this is the one we recommend. The urine from foxes, coyotes, and bobcats prevents rodents from ever taking up residence in a building in the first place. Because predators "mark" their territory using urine, rodents smell the urine, determine the presence of one of these predators, and avoid the area in which these products have been placed. Available online at a number of retail sites, you can get this type of product in liquid, powder, or granule form.

That's our take for the best way to get rid of rodents in the attic or elsewhere. And studies from the USDA, Colorado State University, Penn State, Cornell, and other noted organizations support these findings. So get rid of those pests the humane, safe, and effective way. Get a predator urine-based repellant and keep your attic rodent-free.