The patter of tiny feet is not always what you want to hear, especially if it means that you have mice in your house. However, before you call the professionals there are steps that you can take yourself to try and control the problem.
As a rule, if you have any gaps in the fabric of your house through which you can poke a biro, then a mouse can get through too. They can also run up vertical brick walls. Therefore, the usual entry points will range from a damaged, ground level airbrick to a rotten soffit under the roof.
Once they are in, their agility means that they can as easily build nests in lofts and suspended ceilings as they can behind skirting boards or under floorboards. However, because they like to be within easy reach of food, the most likely place to find them is in the kitchen.
Other than direct sightings, the most obvious sign of mice in your home is the scattering of droppings. These are small, about 5mm in length, and black. Mice also leave behind them a trail of urine, the smell of which is particularly noticeable in confined areas. They gnaw almost constantly to keep their teeth down, so chewed packaging, paper or upholstery is another sign of infestation.
Mice have an excellent sense of smell, so if you don't want the aroma of food to tempt them into your house you must not leave food out for any length of time. Any food spillages or crumbs should be cleared away immediately, floors cleaned regularly and frequent checks made under cookers and fridges for stray food. Glass jars are ideal mouse-proof containers for loose food, as cardboard and plastic can be gnawed through. Rubbish should be bagged and put into a bin with a secure lid. Anything that can be used for nesting, such as tissue, cotton wool or newspaper, should also be put where mice cannot get to it.
It is essential that all holes in the structure of your house are blocked off; wire wool and caulking are ideal fillers. Pay particular attention to where your pipes come in. Check for broken airbricks and vents, and repair where necessary with fine mesh. Gaps below doors can be minimised with draught excluders. Check your fascia boards and replace if rotten.
Once you have proofed your house against mice, you need to deal with those already inside. The traditional options are to put down poison or use a trap that will, hopefully, kill the mouse instantly. If uncomfortable with the idea of killing, you may prefer to use live capture mouse traps. If so, you need to release the captured mice several miles away from your property or they will just come straight back. If you are not able to completely clear the infestation, or if the mice come back, then professional help should be sought.
As well as causing damage to houses, mice can spread a number of diseases: Salmonella and Lyme disease being just two. And although they may not eat vast quantities of food, anything that they touch becomes unfit for human consumption.
As a rule, if you have any gaps in the fabric of your house through which you can poke a biro, then a mouse can get through too. They can also run up vertical brick walls. Therefore, the usual entry points will range from a damaged, ground level airbrick to a rotten soffit under the roof.
Once they are in, their agility means that they can as easily build nests in lofts and suspended ceilings as they can behind skirting boards or under floorboards. However, because they like to be within easy reach of food, the most likely place to find them is in the kitchen.
Other than direct sightings, the most obvious sign of mice in your home is the scattering of droppings. These are small, about 5mm in length, and black. Mice also leave behind them a trail of urine, the smell of which is particularly noticeable in confined areas. They gnaw almost constantly to keep their teeth down, so chewed packaging, paper or upholstery is another sign of infestation.
Mice have an excellent sense of smell, so if you don't want the aroma of food to tempt them into your house you must not leave food out for any length of time. Any food spillages or crumbs should be cleared away immediately, floors cleaned regularly and frequent checks made under cookers and fridges for stray food. Glass jars are ideal mouse-proof containers for loose food, as cardboard and plastic can be gnawed through. Rubbish should be bagged and put into a bin with a secure lid. Anything that can be used for nesting, such as tissue, cotton wool or newspaper, should also be put where mice cannot get to it.
It is essential that all holes in the structure of your house are blocked off; wire wool and caulking are ideal fillers. Pay particular attention to where your pipes come in. Check for broken airbricks and vents, and repair where necessary with fine mesh. Gaps below doors can be minimised with draught excluders. Check your fascia boards and replace if rotten.
Once you have proofed your house against mice, you need to deal with those already inside. The traditional options are to put down poison or use a trap that will, hopefully, kill the mouse instantly. If uncomfortable with the idea of killing, you may prefer to use live capture mouse traps. If so, you need to release the captured mice several miles away from your property or they will just come straight back. If you are not able to completely clear the infestation, or if the mice come back, then professional help should be sought.
As well as causing damage to houses, mice can spread a number of diseases: Salmonella and Lyme disease being just two. And although they may not eat vast quantities of food, anything that they touch becomes unfit for human consumption.
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