Dealing with Mice Infestation

As the weather gets warmer, mice populations can start to get a little out of control. With no shortage of warm places to breed, you may just find that your house turns into a haven for a family or two. Here are some tips to both avoid an infestation and deal with one that you perhaps already have.

Lock It Down

Every few months, though it’s a hassle to do, go around your house on the outside and look for any holes or cracks. Though they seem impossibly small to you, mice can squeeze through holes smaller than the size of a quarter. If you have a crawl space, check for holes made by plumbing, etc. Sometimes, the space around the pipe, if not filled, is all a mouse needs to sneak his way in. Fill any holes you might find with steel wool, then use an expandable spray insulation to cover the wool and to fill in any spaces. Do the same all over your house, paying particular attention to uninhabited spaces like the attic, etc.

Bait Them

If you don’t have pets, or have spaces where pets can’t access, consider putting out mouse baits before you even see signs of an infestation. Crawl spaces, basements, attics, and under eaves storage places are prime locations for mice to find and move in, so consider spreading a few trays of poison or some other traps around the area. If you already have mice, poison traps can be a great way of monitoring the infestation- if you notice that the trays start staying full for a little longer, you are probably on your way to dealing with the situation. While the prospect of mice eating poison and then dying in your walls is perhaps not appealing, it certainly beats live mice running around, and the poisons on the market today generally contain a dehydrating agent to drastically reduce smell.

Clean Up Your Act

After addressing a mice problem in your home, even a small one, you’ll probably have some clean up work to do. Keep in mind during this process that, while small, mice carry a whole host of diseases including Hanta virus. Cleaning with a bleach solution (10% bleach, 90% water) or strong disinfectant advertised to kill germs is absolutely essential. Wet the area thoroughly and then clean up any waste while wearing masks and gloves. Do NOT vacuum the area, as this can broadcast particles and germs into the air. Then, clean thoroughly with cleaner or bleach.

Following a few simple steps can generally keep your house pest free. Remember, however, that even the cleanest property is susceptible to pest damage, so it’s crucial to be on the lookout for problems and address them immediately if you suspect even a small infestation.