You’re a gracious host, but there’s one group of people you’d rather not share your home with mice. In addition to causing damage to your home, mice carry diseases that can endanger your family’s health. Fortunately, figuring out how to get rid of mice is simple.
Spokane Pest Control specializes in removing mice from walls, ceilings, insulation, and other areas. Our team provides a variety of humane and eco-friendly rodent control services, and we know how to get mice out of your house.
In this post, we’ll share some of our best mouse-removal tips and assist you in determining the best way to get rid of mice in your home.
How Do Mice Appear
The most common mammal on the planet is the house mouse. While mice are native to Central Asia, they arrived in the Americas on the first European ships to land on the continent. They now live in every state in North America.
Adults are small and slender, weighing between 0.5 and 1 ounce. Their ears are large and nearly hairless, and their tails are long, sparsely furred, and scaled. Light brown or gray fur with white or buff undertones. While captive mice can live for up to two years, wild mice only live for 9 to 18 months.
Mice are extremely adaptable and agile creatures. They have excellent senses of smell and touch and can jump twelve inches or more. They have poor eyesight, but their peripheral vision is good at detecting movement, making them difficult to catch. How to get rid of field mice quickly?
What Do Mice Consume
Mice eat a variety of foods. They prefer cereal, grains, and nuts, but will eat anything, including produce and pet food if it is available. They have sharp, long-lasting teeth that allow them to chew through plastic packaging and rubber. This means they can open even the most securely sealed containers.
What Draws Mice to My House
Infestation of mice at home
Experts currently estimate that there is one rodent for every person in the United States. These hardy creatures can be found in almost every country and terrain, from grasslands to forests and everything in between. While mice are adept at building nests in the wild, if given the opportunity, they will gladly enter a warm home. Here are three major factors that attract mice indoors:
1. a safe haven
As the weather cools and winter approaches, mice seek shelter and warmth inside homes. They can fit through spaces as small as 14 inches due to their small bodies.
2. Meals
Mice require consistent food sources to survive. That is, they will set up shop wherever they can find enough food to sustain them.
3. Materials for nesting
Mice build nests in which to give birth and raise their young. They prefer soft materials such as shredded paper and cotton, but will also use pet hair, insulation, and whatever else they can get their hands on.
How Do I Know If I Have A Mouse Problem
While mice are small, the traces they leave behind are often noticeable. Look for the following tell-tale signs of a rodent infestation:
- Chew or scratch marks on shelves and near food packaging You may also notice scratches on the baseboards or around the floor trim.
- Food crumbs or debris on shelves, in the pantry, or in unusual locations – such as the middle of the floor.
- Mouse droppings resemble small, oblong pellets. These are common in heavily trafficked mouse corridors, under sinks, on the backs of cabinets, and on in-room corners. To make it easier to find droppings, use a flashlight.
- Fabric, shredded paper, pet hair, string, or other soft, shredded material nests
- Nighttime noises such as scratching or squeaking in the walls.
- Barking and scratching or pawing at or under appliances are examples of unusual pet behavior. This could imply that your pets are aware of a pest infestation. To remove mice you can also contact field mice removal near me.
7 Natural and Humane Ways to Get Rid of Mice
If you have a mouse infestation in your home, you can get rid of the animals without killing them.
How to Get Rid of Mice Naturally
Here are a few gentle but effective hints:
1. Eliminate all food sources
Mice only require a small amount of food per day. Remove the foods they like to eat to get rid of them in your home. All grains, pet food, and other dry goods should be stored in glass or metal containers, which keep food safe because mice cannot chew through them. To keep mice away from your property, keep all potential food sources in tamper-proof bins, don’t leave pet food out for long periods of time, and clean up all spills and messes right away.
2. Remove any nesting materials
Store all fabric, rugs, and blankets in heavy-duty plastic storage bins to ensure mice do not find soft nesting materials. Keep in mind that mice will chew up cardboard, paper, or lightweight plastic to make nests, so dispose of your household’s recycling as soon as possible. Pay attention to the outside of your house as well. Remove all foliage and tree branches within three feet of your home’s foundation, and keep your home’s interior and exterior clean and free of garbage.
3. Securing entry points
Mice will try to get inside as the temperature drops. Use caulk or weatherstripping to seal tiny holes in your foundation, siding, and doorways to keep them out. Insert steel wool into vent openings to deter entry while not restricting airflow.
4. Make use of natural mice repellent
Mice have a strong sense of smell, which you can use to your advantage when trying to get rid of them. Consider the following natural mouse repellent options:
- Oils that are essential. Mice despise the smell of peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, pepper, and cloves. Purchase any of these essential oils from your local health food store, soak cotton balls in them, and place them anywhere you’ve had mouse problems, such as under appliances or in the backs of cabinets. Toothpaste, bleach, and vinegar can also be used.
- Water and apple cider Make an apple cider vinegar and water mixture. Spray it around the perimeter of your house, as well as any indoor access points, in a spray bottle. At least once a month, reapply any natural deterrents you use.
- Sheets of fabric softener Stuff these sheets into entry points to immediately stop mouse traffic.
5. Obtain a cat
Cats are among the most effective mouse deterrents available. Adopt a cat if you can to help keep your mouse population under control. If you live in an area where cats are not permitted, find a friend who owns one and place tubs of used kitty litter at the entrances to your home. Mice may flee the premises if they smell cat urine. Alternatively, you could go to the store and purchase some pure ammonia. Ammonia smells like predator urine and will keep mice away. Place ammonia-soaked cotton balls in areas where mice congregate.
6. Consider using live traps
Live traps can be used to get rid of mice without using poison or endangering pets. These traps catch mice in a large box that they can get into but not out of. If you catch a mouse, make sure to release it at least a mile away from your house. Otherwise, it might reappear.
7. Make use of sound
Ultrasonic units can be effective at deterring mice. Furthermore, these deterrent devices are safe for children, pets, and other animals. Purchase them at your local hardware store and place them in areas where you’ve noticed mouse activity.
Traditional Methods for Getting Rid of Mice
If you want to take a more traditional approach to get rid of mice, these are some options:
1. capturing
Trapping mice is the quickest way to get rid of them. While live traps catch mice and allow you to release them, other traps kill mice on contact, decimating mouse populations quickly. For small mouse infestations, traditional wooden snap traps are adequate, whereas bait traps and multiple-capture traps are ideal for larger mouse populations. Peanut butter, bacon, or dried fruit can be used to bait traps.
2. luring
Bait stations are sealed packets containing poison meal or pellets designed to kill mice. These packets are wrapped in plastic, paper, cellophane, or other material that mice can easily chew through.
3. repulsive
While natural repellents are available to deter mice, Spokane Pest Control also employs professional repellants for severe infestations. We strategically place these repellants to get rid of rodents and help you reclaim your property.
Spokane pest control is the best field mice, exterminator. However, big field mice are not easy to kill so you need a professional for it. For more information, you can call (509) 681-3949.