Mice are destructive species that can cause extensive damage to your home’s structure. Even worse, they carry multiple diseases that spread to humans and other animals. With food and water sources and a warm spot to nest, mice will multiply and cause an infestation.
The tips below will help you to avoid mice and rid your home of a mouse infestation.
What Do Mice Look Like?
Mice have small, slim bodies, and their fur can be light brown or dark gray with a light-colored underside. They can grow up to be 5-7 inches long head to tail. Due to their slender bodies, they fit into tiny holes to get into your home. Mice have an average lifespan of two years and reproduce at a rapid rate, giving birth to five to ten litters each year.
What Do Mice Eat?
Mice are omnivores that eat various foods. They are not picky eaters, and their diet includes whatever is available, even pet food. They have sharp, durable teeth allowing them to chew through food packaging and other materials.
Signs of a Mouse Infestation
Mice will often chew and scratch on soft materials like wood, food packaging, paper, and cloth. If you spot scratches or bite marks, you likely have an infestation.
They leave tiny, seed, or pellet-like droppings that you can spot near wall corners, under sinks, and furniture. Mice also pee frequently, leaving urine pillars that consist of body grease, dirt, and urine.
Mice build nests out of fuzzy, soft, warm materials like fabric, furniture stuffing, grass, twigs, shredded paper, and more. The nests can be found near food and water sources and in boxes, cabinets, or on the floor.
Mice are nocturnal, so you may hear them at night. They typically make squawking, hissing, and scratching noises.
If you notice your pets barking, scratching, or pawing at or under furniture or appliances, it may well be a sign of a pest infestation.
7 Ways to Get Rid of Mice Naturally and Humanely
Several humane yet effective natural remedies can keep mice out of your home.
Consider Having a Cat
Cats can detect and hunt mice instantly, and the smell of cat urine scares rodents away. If your home does not allow cats, leave ammonia-soaked cotton balls in places with high rodent activity.
Eliminate Food Sources
Remove all food items and store them in airtight containers, especially at night. It is also important not to leave your pet food out in the open and clean up spills and crumbs. Lastly, use garbage bins with tight-fitting lids.
Natural Mice Deterrent
These natural repellents are an excellent solution to repel mice:
- Apple cider vinegar and water
- Peppermint plants
- Essential oils such as cayenne, cloves, pepper, and peppermint
- Fabric softener sheets
- Steel wool
Remove Nesting Materials
Mice chew any soft material they encounter and use these materials to make their nest. Some common materials that mice use are fabric, rugs, blankets, paper, cardboard, and lightweight plastic.
Seal All Potential Entries
Use silicone caulk, liquid cement, weather-stripping, door sweeps, or steel wool to close any potential entry point.
Set Up Humane Traps
Live traps catch mice without harming or killing them. Once trapped, you can release the mouse outdoors, far away from your home.
Try Ultrasonic Units
There are commercially available ultrasonic units that emit beeping sounds mice hate, which are safe for your cats and dogs.
Getting Rid of Mice? Call Us for Help!
It can be a challenge to get rid of mice, so if the steps above don’t work, don’t hesitate to call us for help. From setting up traps and baits to complete mouse-proofing, our pest control experts will get the job done right!
