It can be very horrifying when you are faced with how to get rid of mice in your home. Unfortunately, homes make the ideal habitat for mice. That’s because they have three things that they need, food, warmth and a safe place to raise young ones. Once they infest, mice multiply rapidly and will soon colonise your premises.
These arguably cute creatures are highly intelligent. Mice are natural learners, and in just a few days, they will master their way around your home. Soon, they’ll start causing all sorts of trouble, like inflicting enormous amounts of structural damage. Mice infestation health risks in the UK include the spread of serious diseases like hantavirus and salmonella.
Because their incisors never stop growing, mice need to constantly gnaw on structures to keep them from growing into their brains. Hence, they’ll often chew on food storage bags, plastics, books, and even electrical wiring. The insurance sector has approximated that mice damage is responsible for nearly 25% of electrical fires in UK buildings.
How Many Mice Is Considered An Infestation?
Perhaps you have spotted some signs of a mice presence in your home like droppings, gnaw marks, scratching noises or even footprints. Or maybe you have seen the actual mouse treading along your skirting boards. Either way, all signs point towards a possible infestation.
How many mice is considered an infestation? That’s an excellent question, as the answer will help you determine your next move. However, answering this question is relatively complicated. Why? If, for instance, one or two mice get into your home looking for water or food, that does not account for an infestation. But, proactive measures like sealing all entry points should be applied to keep the pests away.
Comparably, if one mouse, say a female mouse, makes shelter inside your home, that’s a threatening problem, and you’d be right to call it an infestation. Here’s why; a pregnant mouse typically produces 5-12 mouse pups per litter.
What’s even worrying is that the mouse can mate immediately after giving birth, meaning you’ll continuously shelter new litters after every 25 days. Secondly, in only 8-12 weeks, the newly born mice will be ready to start mating and giving birth frequently. Even before you know it, these breeding machines will develop into a full-blown mice infestation.
The Three Most Obvious Mice Infestation Signs
Below are the most obvious indicators of mice infestations in homes:
- Mice Nests: mice will make their nests in cavity walls. They are skilled at shredding any available materials, cardboards and insulations, to make enough room for their entire population.
- Gnawed Areas: mice ceaselessly gnaw to stop their incisors from overgrowing. If you check closely, you may spot gnaw marks and damaged structures. They seriously gnaw on pipes and electrical cables. You’ll also notice chewed holes in floorboards, furniture, walls, and soft metals like aluminium.
- Droppings: The biggest giveaway of mice infestation is their droppings, often found near their nests and activity areas like pantry, and pathways. You’ll notice shiny black, smooth droppings with pointed ends, usually 3-5mm in length.
The 8 Best Ways Of How To Get Rid Of Mice In Your Home
- Eliminate all entry points
The best way to deal with mice problems is applying proactive measures to keep them away. Mice are quite sneaky and can squeeze through the smallest cracks and gaps you wouldn’t imagine. To effectively rodent-proof your home, ensure that any openings on walls, foundation, and pipes are sealed. When sealing, you want to avoid using plastics, wood, or rubber, as mice can easily chew them and find their way in. Your best bet is using steel wool or caulking. - Rodent traps
Rodents traps are highly effective for small to moderate infestations. They attract the mice and trap them inside. All you need to do is place the traps strategically in places where the mice frequent. It’s okay to use as many traps to increases your chances of catching the mouse/mice. - Bait Stations
Though highly effective, bait stations are best handled by a professional exterminator. That’s because they come with a poisonous bait made with a non-repellent active ingredient. The bait is fast-acting and will kill the mice upon consumption. They are specially designed so that non-target animals, pets, and children cannot access the baits. However, it’s risky to overlook their safety threat when handled by untrained homeowners. - Get a Cat
Cats provide homeowners with an effective and effortless way to get rid of mice infestations but cat v/s mice is only effective if no-one in your home has cat allergies. - Use Essential Oils
Some essential oils like peppermint oil have a pungent smell that works to repel mice. Clove oil also exudes a smell that turns mice away. Dip cotton balls in some essential oil, and once perfectly soaked, strategically place them in mice activity areas like cabinets and pathways. Essential oils are best used in combination with other methods like rodent traps. - Eliminate all Food Sources
One of the major reasons why mice infest homes is because of the readily available food and water. The best way to keep them away or force them out is by eliminating all food sources, for instance, by securing foods in tightly sealed rodent-proof containers (glass containers are best) and keeping garbage bins secured at all times. Note that mice only need a few food crumbs daily to survive, so you want to ensure all spillages are wiped as soon as they occur. - Maintaining Proper Sanitation
Whilst maintaining top hygiene and a spotlessly clean home will not keep the mice away, it won’t attract them either. An untidy and dirty home will attract rodents and provide perfect breeding sites, increasing the infestation chances and health and safety risks. - Eliminate all Possible Mice Nesting Areas
Get rid of all places that mice can hide within your home. You can achieve this by eliminating all debris and clutter, properly maintaining the vegetation near your home, and destroying any active rodent nesting areas.
Professional Mice Control Services
It can be challenging to know how to get rid of mice on your own, especially if the infestation is full-blown. Additionally, mice exist in numerous species, with each species requiring a unique treatment solution to get rid of effectively. Pest control experts are highly trained to do a detailed inspection to identify the exact species of mice causing you trouble. They will then customise a treatment plan that will exterminate the mice and protect your home from chances of future re-infestations.