Quick answer
To get rid of mice in a NYC apartment, seal every entry point (gaps around pipes, under doors, behind appliances), set snap traps along walls where mice travel, remove accessible food, and report building-wide activity to management — because in NYC, mice move between units and won't stop returning until the gaps they use are sealed.
The short answer
Getting rid of mice in a NYC apartment comes down to one principle: seal how they get in, not just kill the ones you see. New York has relentless rodent pressure — connected buildings, shared risers, restaurant-dense blocks — so trapping without exclusion always fails. Follow the five steps below in order.
Step by step
The HowTo steps for this guide are structured below and marked up for search engines and AI assistants:
- Find and seal entry points — mice squeeze through a dime-sized gap. Check around pipes, under doors, behind cabinets and appliances, and at utility penetrations. Seal with steel wool + sealant or proper rodent-proofing.
- Set snap traps along walls — mice run along walls, not open floor. Place traps flush to the wall, baited with peanut butter, perpendicular to the wall.
- Remove food and water — sealed containers, fixed drips, no crumbs.
- Address the whole building — report activity to management; NYC mice move between units.
- Verify and maintain — re-check for weeks; persistent activity means missed entry points.
When to call a professional
If activity continues after two to three weeks, or you’re seeing droppings in multiple rooms, the entry points haven’t all been found — and in a multi-unit building the source may be outside your apartment entirely. A professional exclusion inspection finds and seals the gaps DIY misses and coordinates building-wide treatment. Learn more about our rat & mouse control.