A mouse infestation, even a large one, isn’t always obvious. You’ll have to watch for signs of their presence, such as droppings, gnaw marks, and oily smears.
These small signs are often the only way you’ll learn mice have taken up residence. When you see mice directly, the infestation is likely already significant.
Removing mice requires a multi-step approach. Most DIY removal methods fail, as they don’t eliminate the mice completely. However, a few simple strategies can help keep these invaders away.
Why Are Mice a Menace?
There are many key reasons why you want to remove mice as soon as possible.
Property Damage
Mice chew through wood, plaster, and other materials with ease, which can damage the walls and structural integrity of your home. They also chew through electrical wires, wreaking havoc on your home’s electrical system and creating a fire hazard.
Health Risks
Mice pose a variety of potential health risks for both people and pets. As they move throughout your home, they spread disease wherever they go, such as inside cupboards and across countertops.
Some common diseases spread by these pests include:
- Hantavirus
- Leptospirosis
- Salmonella
- Plague
- Fleas and ticks
Mice also trigger allergic reactions in many people, especially children. Mouse allergens have been found in dust samples taken from 90% of homes with infestations, illustrating how mice can affect you even if you can’t see them.
Annoying Noise
Although the average house mouse is small, it can make a lot of noise. They squeak, scratch, and scurry inside walls, across roofs, and elsewhere. The larger the rodent infestation, the more noise you’ll hear.
Nesting Complications
Once mice find a source of food and water, they’ll start to nest. After taking up residence inside your home, they’ll produce urine, droppings, and scents that attract other rodents. Mice can die inside walls and other inaccessible areas, which causes a horrible smell that’s hard to get rid of.
How to Keep Mice Out: Control and Prevention Tips
Removing mice, and keeping them out, requires multiple steps.
Mice eat about 10% of their body weight each day, so you’ll want to prevent them from finding a food source. Store dry goods such as cereal and chips in a glass or plastic container, as mice can easily chew through packaging. Keep your home clean and free from food waste, too.
Block all potential entryways into your home, like cracks in the walls or holes in window screens. Place brush strips on the bottoms of doors, as mice only need a pencil-wide opening to get inside.
Remove any food sources and water from the perimeter of your home to deter mice from approaching. Secure your garbage in a closed trash can, and don’t leave pet food outside in a bowl.
Traps and poison bait can help control a mice infestation, but the best way to remove them permanently is by hiring a Baltimore pest control company, such as the experts at Phenom Pest Protection. They’ll develop a pest control plan to not only eliminate the mice you have but also prevent new mice from entering.
Keep Mice Out with Phenom Pest Protection
If you spot any signs of mice, you must act fast. A female house mouse will birth between five and ten litters annually of five to six mice each. Left unchecked, mice multiply quickly and cause a lot of damage in a short time. Phenom Pest Protection is ready to help you with effective and affordable pest control services. We offer custom removal and prevention services for residential and commercial locations in Baltimore and surrounding cities across Maryland. Contact us today to schedule a free, no-obligation inspection and learn more about how we can help.
