Mouse infestations are more common than you think.

When the weather starts to get colder, mice migrate indoors in search of warmth, shelter, and food. How do mice get in your home? They find holes in the wall/floorboards or sneak in through sewer lines.

Mice can cause damage to your home by chewing on doorframes, electrical wires, books, and toys. Mice reproduce fast. A single mouse can become 200 before you know it!

Mice are unhygienic and leave droppings and traces of urine around your house. That’s why getting rid of them is so important. Keep reading to find out how mice enter your home and the best methods for getting rid of them.

How Do Mice Get in My House?

Mice can enter your home through small holes in the wall or cracks in the floorboards. Mice can fit through tiny holes much smaller than their own bodies.

There are other ways mice can enter homes including through open windows or doors, sewer lines, and gaps in ceilings. Mice can even find their way into your home through drain pipes or around gas lines.

Infestations tend to occur in the Autumn time when temperatures begin to drop. Mice breed very fast so it’s important to get rid of them as soon as possible.

Signs of a Mouse Infestation

Many people have a mouse infestation without even knowing it! That’s why it’s important to be vigilant and look out for signs that mice have taken up residence in your home.

Here are some of the most common signs of a mouse infestation:

• Food crumbs in unusual places
• Claw and chew marks on wooden frames
• Droppings in cabinets or near to where food is stored
• Scratching noises coming from the walls

Identifying mouse droppings is easy if you know what you’re looking for. They are small, oval-shaped specks. They usually collect in cabinets, or around appliances. Examine your kitchen with a flashlight to identify droppings.

Getting Rid of Mice

Ridding your house of mice can take time. By using multiple solutions you can speed up the process and remove those pesky rodents once and for all. Here are some of the best ways to combat a mouse infestation.

Block Entry Points

The first thing you should do is discover where the mice are coming from. Starting doing a little detective work and see if you can find any obvious holes or cracks in your walls or floor.

Even if you don’t have a mouse in your home, blocking entry points can prevent a future infestation. Remember, mice can fit through tiny holes, so if you can fit a pencil into it, a mouse can fit through it too.

When you find cracks and holes, you can either seal them up or use them as places to put mouse traps. Mice can gnaw through rubber and plastic so if you want to seal up openings use steel wool or caulk.

Get a Cat

Did you know that getting a cat is one of the easiest ways to get rid of mice? Cats are efficient hunters and they are born with an instinct to hunt and kill prey. They use their keen sense of smell and night vision to track and catch mice.

While hunting rodents cats use their whiskers to detect small vibrations and their ears to listen out for feint sounds. Getting a cat can help you get rid of a mouse infestation but you may need to use other methods too.

Essential Oils

Certain essential oils repel mice. This includes both peppermint and clove oil. If you want to keep mice away from certain areas of your home you can use cotton balls soaked in oil.

Put them in drawers, cabinets, and entryways. Essential oils won’t get rid of mice entirely by they can help you control an infestation when used together with other solutions.

Set Traps

If you’re struggling to rid your house of mice, then using traps might be your best option.

You can use humane mouse traps to keep the mice alive so that you can release them later. But when you do, make sure it’s at least a mile away from your home, otherwise, they might just come running back!

Set your traps in areas where you’ve seen droppings or scratch marks. These are likely to be areas that they frequent.

For bait, you can use any food that mice enjoy eating from your home including popcorn, cheese, bacon, or chocolate. Remember to replace the bait every couple of days and if it isn’t working then try using nesting material instead such as cotton balls.

Good Sanitation

Whichever method you decide to use to get rid of mice, remember the importance of good sanitation. Mice survive off crumbs and food debris so make sure to vacuum your floors, wipe down countertops and clean out messy cabinets.

Mice have sharp teeth and can gnaw through many materials so don’t store food in plastic bags. Rather, store your food in airtight containers such as glass jars. Also, don’t leave leftover food lying around, and remember to take out your garbage regularly.

Prevent Another Infestation

Knowing how to get rid of mice is important, but you also need to know how to prevent them from setting up camp in your home again. Here are some ways you can prevent mice from returning.

• Keep your outdoor area clean and free from food debris
• Elevate your trash cans
• Keep your grass cut short
• Store food in airtight containers
• Keep eating areas clean
• Plug up any holes in your floor or wall panels
• Vacuum often to get rid of crumbs and food debris

Sometimes, no matter what you do, mice just don’t want to leave! In that case, you should think about calling in a professional exterminator.

If All Else Fails, Call a Professional

So how do mice get in? They find cracks in the floor and holes in the wall. They can even sneak into your home through drainage pipes!

It’s no fun having a mouse infestation. Mice are unsanitary and can damage your home.

Remember, mice reproduce very quickly so you need to act fast. Plug up cracks and entry points, use essential oils, and place traps if you need to.

Sometimes it can be tricky getting rid of mice. If you’re having a hard time, contact Safeguard Pest Control. We’ll help you get rid of those pesky rodents in time no.

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