If you spot a mouse skittering around your home, you may have a mouse problem. Mice are resourceful, sneaky, and multiply incredibly fast. Spotting a mouse in your Baltimore home is a sign of a more serious infestation and needs to be addressed promptly.
What Attracts Mice Into Your Home?
Understanding mouse attractants is key in preventing an infestation. Mice have four basic needs for survival that draw them into our homes. These include:
Food
Mice do not need a lot of food to survive. Even the smallest crumb is a warm invitation to set up shop in your home.
Water
Mice do not require much water, as they get most of it from the moisture in their food. However, a home with excess moisture or damp areas is particularly appealing to mice.
Safe Hiding Place
Mice seek warm hiding spots, especially as temperatures drop during the winter months. They will thrive in dark, quiet areas in your home, which serve as the perfect areas to nest.
Clutter or Potential Nesting Materials
Cluttered and messy homes are ideal for mice to nest. Newspapers, clothing, tissues, toilet paper, and worn blankets are often used as nesting materials.
How to Tell If You Have Mice
There are a few telltale signs of a mice infestation. Droppings behind or under appliances or furniture, nests, and grease trails around the house are all obvious signs of their presence.
You may find food packaging or electrical cords that have been gnawed on. At night, mice make scratching or squeaking noises in the walls or attic.
Getting Rid of Mice: A Step-by-Step Guide
Eliminate mice for good with this guide:
STEP 1: Check for Potential Entry Points and Seal Them Up
Mice can fit into a hole as small as a nickel. Closely inspect your home for any cracks and crevices. Use caulking cement or steel wool to fill gaps and openings in your home’s foundation.
STEP 2: Get Rid of Possible Food Sources
Mice are not picky, so remove all potential food sources and store them in the fridge or airtight containers. They are particularly fond of seeds and grains, nuts, fruits, meat, and pet food.
STEP 3: Try Traps with Baits
Snap traps are a humane option to eliminate mice. Cheese, peanut butter, hazelnut spread, and crackers are some of the most effective baits.
Electric traps will kill mice swiftly with minimal suffering. Sticky traps do not kill mice and prolong their suffering.
STEP 5: For Persistent Mouse Infestations, Hire the Pros
We offer dependable pest control, elimination, and mouse-proofing services. Our knowledgeable pest professionals guarantee you the best and most effective pest control solutions.
An exterminator will walk through your home and provide different options that suit your needs and budget to get rid of mice fast and for good.
How to Keep Mice Out of Your Home
The best method to keep mice out is to maintain cleanliness indoors and outdoors. Don’t leave food items lying around or let dishes pile up in the sink.
Wipe up spills and messes promptly, and wipe crumbs off surfaces. Store pantry items and pet food items in airtight containers.
Run the garbage disposal daily and empty the waste into an outdoor trash can. Observe proper waste disposal and keep bins closed tightly.
There are a few natural mice repellents. Leave cotton balls soaked with peppermint oil to deter mice from entering. Cats are natural mouse predators and emit a scent that keeps them away.
Lastly, ensure that screens and door sweeps are in perfect condition.
Conclusion
Do not ignore mice, even if you only see one. One mouse can easily become an infestation. Mice may damage your valuables and are carriers of several diseases.
End your mouse problem with guaranteed mouse control and elimination methods from Phenom Pest Control. Call now to get started!
