I used to live in a rural area. As soon as it began to get cold the mice - and sometimes a few rats - would start their annual pilgrimage from the freezing, dangerous fields into the nice warm safe human houses.

I bought some live catch traps. The mice blocked the entrances.

Really. They collected all kinds of crap that was on the floor and pushed it into the entrance holes.

If I'd known about the cooking oil trick, I'd have used that instead.