Many are tempted to delay taking action to eliminate the rodent problem, not realizing that “time is not on their side.” Mouse populations can soar in just a few weeks and cause extensive damage.
Therefore, it is critical to contact a local pest control company with rodent control services as soon as possible after a mouse sighting.
Here are five steps to get rid of mice from your home / business:
1. Detect / detect mice
Anywhere there is a food source and a warm, sheltered place to nest, mice are likely to feel right at home. However, mice are fast and elusive nocturnal foragers, so you may not even spot one for some time. If it does, it will probably be at night.
Signs that mice (or rats) live in your home, without seeing one, include: screeching, scratching noises, an unpleasant odor caused by mouse defecation, droppings and pillars of urine, mouse tracks, damaged food products and anxious behavior of pets.
2. Contact a pest control company
Once you suspect a mouse is on your property, don’t waste time contacting a local pest control company that can make your building mouse-free in a matter of days.
You should be able to get a free estimate, a reasonable fee, and fast, efficient service, so do some comparative shopping. Make sure the company has extensive training / experience in rodent eradication, good references from previous clients, and uses only safe and legal methods.
3. The initial inspection
The inspection will cover all rooms in the house where mice may routinely drill or where they may be entering the building. Once entry points, nesting sites, and “mouse paths” have been located, an effective strategy can be formed.
Mice can squeeze through tiny cracks / holes as little as a quarter inch wide, so all potential routes into the building must be sealed. Inspectors will also look for grease marks where mouse hair rubbed against walls, fresh tracks, and mouse nests, often hidden in wall cavities.
4. Treatment methods
Your pest control company will use several techniques, including poison baits, snap traps, glue traps, live traps, physical repellants, and electronic repellants.
Traps should be placed along mouse paths, but also in hidden / hard-to-reach areas, as outdoor traps will trap fewer mice and be a danger to children / pets.
Captured / dead mice must be removed promptly to prevent spoilage and spread of bacteria. All traps should be checked at least twice a day.
5. Results and future prevention
Your pest control company should do a follow-up inspection, but if there are no new droppings, footprints, scratching sounds, or sightings within a few days, all the mice will likely be removed.
To keep it that way, maintain a high level of hygiene, seal food in containers with tight lids, and also seal garbage cans. With entry points blocked and no food available, mice are unlikely to enter.
