How Do I Get Rid of Mice in My Home?

If you’re hearing scratching and gnawing noises at night, or see mouse droppings in your home, it’s time to take action. Mice are common pests in Toronto and can quickly become a serious problem if left unchecked.

How Do I Get Rid of Mice in My Home?

House mice in particular are a very prolific breeders. Females give birth to up to 12 times a year, producing litters of up to 6 babies each time.

1. Exterminate the Infestation

Rats and mice can be a severe pest problem for Toronto residents. These rodents often cause damage to homes and businesses, contaminate food, and spread disease.

Mice in the wild prefer to live in forested areas and fields with tall grasses, but they can also be found in urban areas like Pest Control Toronto. They often invade homes and commercial buildings and set up nests in wall voids, attics, cupboards, and garages.

If you are dealing with a mouse infestation, there are several steps that you can take to exterminate them. One of the most important steps is to exterminate them before they have a chance to breed and multiply.

Professionals have the experience, knowledge and tools to ensure that this is done quickly and effectively. They will perform a comprehensive inspection of the infested area, seal up entry points and remove any foods that may be contributing to the problem. They will also use traps to catch the mice and remove them from the home.

2. Seal Up the Entry Points

Mice can enter your home through the tiniest of holes. These include gaps in the foundation, construction holes, cracks in exterior walls and around window frames.

Smaller holes can be stuffed with steel wool or a similar material as mice can’t chew through it. Bigger holes or entrance points will need a more specialized approach, like installing galvanized steel mesh.

Sealing up these entry points can prevent mice from ever making it into your home again, while limiting their ability to create new access points.

Taking the time to clean up and eliminate any baits that could be lured into your house in the first place will also help. Things such as piles of leaves, unkempt bushes and food stored in the garage can all attract mice into your home.

Once you’ve sealed up the entry points to the area where they’re living, you can start removing the food sources that are providing them with sustenance. Keep your kitchen well-stocked with airtight containers for all of your food and store any garbage properly.

3. Removing the Food Sources

Mice are a common nuisance in homes and garages, and they thrive on a constant supply of food. They can easily get into your home or garage through small cracks and crevices, so it’s essential to identify where they are entering and seal them up before they can infest your space.

It’s also important to remove the food sources they find in your property. Open trays of birdseed, bins full of pet food and compost piles that aren’t properly sealed can all be attractive to mice.

They can even chew through garbage and recycling bins, so it’s essential to store refuse in secure containers that won’t be chewed by hungry rodents. This includes storing trash bags in a sealed bin indoors and outdoors.

4. Keeping the Area Clean

Keeping the area clean and tidy is essential to keep mice from entering your Toronto home. Mice can squeeze through tiny cracks as small as a dime, which makes it important to find and seal up any easy entry points for them.

To start with, it’s important to make sure any doors and windows are properly sealed up. If you can, use metal weather stripping to prevent mice from getting inside.

Also, be sure to look for and repair water leaks that could keep the rodents hydrated and warm. These may be hidden under your floors or behind your walls, so make sure to patch them up before you paint or renovate the space.

Finally, mice will eat whatever they can find in your Toronto home, so it’s vital to make sure all food is kept in sealed containers. Even crumbs left on counters and tables will attract these pests, so be sure to remove any traces of a meal before storing it away.