Do you notice scratching sounds in your walls at night? Or maybe you’ve found droppings or spotted signs of chewing.
These are all signs that you have a mouse problem. Because mice tend to be most active at night (coming out of their hiding spots in search of food), it’s quite common for homeowners to notice red flags like these before ever seeing a mouse.
Another unpleasant sign that alerts homeowners to a problem is a bad smell. If you’ve suddenly noticed an odor in your home, it could be mice droppings, urine…or even a dead mouse decaying.
It’s all quite disturbing and you probably want to know the best way to get rid of mice in your house.
Even if you’ve never had a mouse problem, you may want to know what keeps mice away. You’d rather not have to deal with a problem in the first place!
In this article, we’ll dive into some of the effective solutions to get rid of mice as well as keep them away. Though these pests are quite elusive (and have become experts at hiding), with the right solutions, you can draw them out and get rid of them for good!
How to Get Rid of Mice Permanently
If you already have a known mouse problem, you’ll need an action plan to get rid of them. This typically involves trapping and removing existing mice that are already causing you trouble.
The fact is, once mice are inside your home, they’ll stay there as long as you allow them. That means they’ll hunker down, have babies, and raise generations of little mouse families inside of your walls!
The best way to get rid of mice in your house is with professional baiting and trapping.
While it’s true that you can buy these types of products on your own, when it comes to dealing with a problem like mice, we suggest leaving it in the hands of a pro. After all, mice can carry diseases and are a pest you probably don’t want to deal with on your own.
The key to success with traps is knowing exactly where to place them. This starts with a thorough inspection that determines where your problems originate from in the first place.
A professional will be able to successfully trap and remove mice that are already living in your home.
What Keeps Mice Away?
When it comes to how to get rid of mice in your house, you’ll also want to address how they’re getting into your home in the first place. This is why a thorough professional inspection is important.
A pest control pro can help determine through what entry points mice could be entering.
Small holes should be caulked or covered. Oftentimes, mice first enter through a garage or another outbuilding that is attached to (or near) your home. Don’t overlook these buildings. If you can keep mice out of these spaces, you can prevent them from eventually finding their way to your home.
Since mice typically find their way inside in search of food, addressing food storage and clean-up is also key to keeping mice away. That being said, it’s important to address the myth that mice are only attracted to “dirty homes.” This is not the case at all. Mice are scavengers and a hungry mouse will sniff out the tiniest crumb.
Even so, poor sanitation habits can contribute to more mice. Therefore, keeping up with proper food storage and cleaning can help with mouse prevention efforts.
Here are some tips we recommend to keep mice away.
- Sweep and vacuum regularly. Make your best effort to get rid of lingering crumbs. Again, since mice will seek out the tiniest of crumbs, this can be challenging. But you still want to make your best effort not to readily provide them food. Limiting eating to one or two main rooms can make clean-up easier.
- Wipe down countertops regularly. Again, make your best effort to remove crumbs. Remember to move appliances to reach those hidden spots.
- Store food properly. Don’t leave food out on countertops. Put any leftovers away in airtight containers. Since mice can chew through plastic, we recommend glass containers whenever possible! Don’t forget about the pet food. Any spilled pet food in the garage can be an attractor to mice. Keep pet food sealed up.
- Take the trash out consistently. Also, make sure that your trash bags are kept inside of a trashcan with a lid when moved outside. You also want to make an effort to keep mice away from the outside of your home as the closer they are to your house, the more likely they are to find a way inside.
- Don’t leave food in the yard. In making that effort to keep mice out of your yard in the first place, also remember that any snacks or picnic foods taken outside need to be properly disposed of when finished.
- Watch those bird feeders. While we know that many people in the Seacoast region love bird watching, you should keep in mind that bird feeders could also be feeding yard mice. Consider moving your bird feeder to a location that is further from your home.
Invest in Professional Pest Control Services
As we’ve mentioned, working with a professional is the best way to keep mice out of your home. You should not have to feel unsettled or worried when spending time in your own home.
When you hire a pro who can implement effective solutions, you gain back valuable peace of mind.
At Seacoast Turf Care, our pest control services in Northeastern Massachusetts, Southern New Hampshire, and Southern Maine not only cover mice but other common household pests, too.
The truth is, even when you take important proactive steps like cleaning up crumbs and sealing off entry points, tiny mice and other pests can still make their way inside. That’s why professional pest control is such a critical solution. It is a more effective way of keeping pests out.
Ideally, you want a pest control program that focuses on prevention and uses proactive approaches. After all, mice are sneaky and can move around inside your walls before you even realize you have a problem.
If you truly want peace of mind that you’re keeping pests like mice away, professional pest control is your best solution.
When you make this investment, you can get back to enjoying your life to the fullest without the worries.
Want to learn more about how pest control services can protect your family and give you peace of mind? At Seacoast Turf Care, we service NH towns near Stratham, North Hampton, Exeter and many more. Get pest control pricing for your Southern NH, Southern Maine, or Northeastern Massachusetts property.
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