Do You Have A Mice Infestation In Your Home?

Whether you live in a rural area, a town or a big city, you can still end up with a mouse infestation in your home. But, whatever you may think, mice aren’t a sign of a dirty home. Especially in the colder months, mice will see your home as a refuge, a cosy place to keep warm. But with the dangers a mice infestation poses to both your house and health, you will want to get rid of them as soon as possible.

 So what are the dangers of having mice in your house? 

First up is damage to your property. One mouse might not cause too much damage, but mice have a habit of multiplying quickly. Once there are many of them, they will get everywhere, chewing through anything in their path to collect material for their nests. This could include electrical wires, your clothes, furniture, and just about anything that they think they can get their teeth into. If left unchecked, chewed up wires could cause a fire, so this is high risk. If they’ve made it into your house, you can guarantee they will be in your kitchen, as that’s where they’ll find the food. Any open food could be contaminated. Mice host various parasites, they can carry fleas, ticks and mites. All damaging to your families health. The bottom line is, if left unchecked, mice can cause damage to both your house and your family's health. 

How do mice get into your home? 

It’s not like you leave the door open and call them in, but sadly mice need very little encouragement or space to get into your house. They can squeeze their bodies into very small holes. They can also climb vertically, and along thin rope or wires that lead to your house.

What are the signs that you have a mice infestation on your hands? 

Visible mouse droppings are a clear sign that you have more than a couple of mice running around. Usually, you will find them in cupboards, near food, and along runways (the route mice travel from place to place). Where they are at the highest concentration can help you find where they are nesting. If you think you can hear them but haven’t seen any obvious signs yet, why not try the flour test. Simply spread some flour on the floor around kitchen cabinets or places where you think the mice may be, then check the surface over the next couple of days. If you see mice tracks then you have your answer- you have mice and need to act fast to get rid of them. 

How can you get rid of mice?

You can begin by using traps such as mousetraps or small bait boxes. During this process it might be a good idea to pack all food in hard plastic containers, to make it harder for the mice to find a food supply. However, if after a few weeks you find you are still catching mice, or still seeing signs of them in your home, it might be time to call in the exterminators. In addition to removing the mice, they should also be able to tell you the weak points in your house, how and where the mice are getting in. When all the mice have been caught it’s important to keep them out. Go around the house and seal up any holes you find, remember mice can get through even tiny spaces. You can plug any holes with steel wool, spray foam it so that the mice can not simply move it out of their way.  

Finding mice in your home isn’t the end of the world, but you can’t just leave them to it and think they will leave by themselves. Mice will always multiply, and you will want to get rid of them before the infestation gets too big, for your health, the safety of your pets and children and to protect your property.