What Will Pest Control Do for Mice? A Step-by-Step Look

Mice contribute to the existence of Wildlife. However, mouse infestation in UK houses can snatch away your peace and sleep. DIY mouse control often fails as mice reproduce rapidly.

So, pest control can be the way to exterminate mice. You can be relieved of what will pest control do for mice and how it will prevent pests.

Mice are often mistaken for other look-alike pests. However, mouse pest control is different from that of other pests. With proper extermination and prevention, mouse attacks can be practically lessened.

Get a detailed guide on mouse pest control and exterminate mice accordingly.

Why is it important to get rid of mice?

Mice infestation can happen in a residential or commercial area. However, the necessity of mouse control is high for any location. Some people may find mice cute, but the activities of mice are frustrating and damaging. Let’s delve into why mouse control is important.

Necessity of mice control in houses

Mice often build nests near food sources in a house. House mice live in houses mostly, but field mice also start living in houses during winter. Mice create irritating sounds and make the house dirty and unhygienic.

According to BPCA, a mouse releases 80 droppings per day. Mice contaminate a house with droppings, urine, and bad smells. Moreover, mice are carriers of nasty to dangerous diseases.

So, mouse control in houses is mandatory. You can book residential pest control services to eliminate mice.

Necessity of mice control in workplaces

Commercial spaces, especially food-based workplaces or warehouses, often suffer from mouse infestation. Landowners have legal obligations to keep their premises free from rodents under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949.

Even food businesses must follow the Food Safety Act 1990. Commercial spaces must be free of mice and other pests. So, commercial pest control can’t be taken lightly.

How to identify mice?

Mice are smaller than rats. You can find the difference in characteristics between a house mouse and a field mouse.

House Mouse: They have small feet, big eyes, thin-haired ears, and light brown to ash fur.

Field Mouse: They have large ears, bigger eyes, and sandy brown fur.

Both types of mouse can be found in UK houses. But some pests look like mice and are mistaken for mice. You must recognise a mouse before pest control; otherwise, you may take the wrong step. Let’s know about the mouse look-alikes.

What can be mistaken for mice?

Some pests look like a mouse but are not. That’s why some people mistake them for mice and approach them with the wrong pest control. Rats, Voles, and Shrews are mistaken for mice in the UK.

Let’s take a closer look at their differences:

Name of the Pests	Characteristics of Appearance
Mice	Big eyes, small feet, thin-haired, big or short ears, long hairless tail, sandy brown or light brown to ash fur
Rat	Small hair-covered tail and ear, Big size, High weight than a mouse, short tail.
Vole	Small eyes, ears, and tail with a rounded snout, Ash grey fur.
Shrew	Small ears and eyes, short tail with a pointed snout, Ash-black fur.

How to exterminate mice?

If you can detect the mice-infested location, you can attempt to exterminate them physically or chemically. A mild mouse infestation can be eliminated easily by a physical method. However, severe infestations need chemical mouse control.

First of all, you must inspect the mouse and then exterminate them. There are some signs of mice to detect them. Let’s know about the mouse signs in detail.

What are the signs of mice in your house?

Mice love to build nests near food sources and often leave clues for fellow mice. However, if you have a mouse nest in your house or office area, the following signs of mice will hint at that.

i. Urine smell

Mice urinate frequently, leaving a strong ammonia smell in their urine. The strong smell of mice’s urine. You can follow the urine spot to locate the nest.

ii. Droppings

A mouse releases approximately 80 droppings per day. The droppings are rice-grain-sized and black-coloured. Usually, mice release droppings near the surrounding area of their nests.

iii. Unusual sounds

Mice make noises in their nest. Also, they make sounds when chewing or gnawing on something. The sound can lead you to the nest of the mouse.

iv. Bite marks or damages

If you see damaged food packs or bite marks in packaged goods, those can be signs of mice. Look for mice surrounding the packages and check nearby openings or holes, especially.

v. Gnaw marks

Gnawing at cables, wood, furniture, food packages, carpets, etc, can be signs of severe mouse infestation. Look for the mice near the gnaw-marked area.

vi. Smear marks

Mice may leave ash or grey smear marks when running or roaming over oily particles. Follow the smear marks to detect mice nests.

vii. Nests

Search all the openings and probable areas, especially near food areas, for mice nests. Follow the signs of mice to find nests quickly.

What will pest control do for mice?

Once you detect the mouse nests following their signs, it’s time to exterminate them. Explore what pest control will do for mice and take your next step.

Here are the physical and chemical methods of mouse extermination.

1. Physical method of mice extermination

The most popular method of mouse extermination is trapping mice in box traps. It is the most commonly used way of trapping live mice. You can try a DIY mouse-trapping method. However, in complex cases or large-sized mice, you may need help from professionals.

Physical mouse trapping is suitable for a mild to moderate mouse infestation only. Severe mouse infestation needs chemical pest control.

2. Chemical method of mice extermination

You must hire an eco-friendly professional pest control company like Bio Active Pest Control for chemical pest control on mice. They will exterminate, keeping the environment safe.

Mice are members of Rodentia, the largest order of mammals. To exterminate mice, professionals use rodenticides. However, as mice reproduce rapidly, a single extermination or visit is not enough to eliminate them.

For mice control, experts recommend quarterly pest control (four times a year in every three-month interval). Severe cases may need more frequent mouse control.

Where do mice come from?

Pest control should be continued once mice infest a house or commercial area. However, you must know where they come from and invade.

Neighbouring Area: You never know how hygienic your neighbours are. It is nearly impossible to avoid mice invading your house or commercial area from neighbouring spaces. It happens with most houses. A mouse can get through even if there is a 5mm gap. They can also climb pipes.

Garden: Mice live near food sources. You may have fruit trees in your garden. The mice can climb through vines and make a nest in your house near the garden to ensure a dry place to live, and an adequate food source nearby.

Field: Field mice usually live in wild areas and fields until winter arrives. Once winter starts, they invade houses and build nests near food sources.

Where do mice build nests?

Maybe you are finding clues to locate mouse nests in your house. Let’s talk about probable mouse nest areas where you can find them and control them.

i. Attic

A loft or attic is cosy for mice to build nests and be protected from winter. It is suitable for hiding and is comfortable for mice.

ii. Wall gaps

As we’ve mentioned before, a mouse can get through a 5mm gap. So, wall cavities can be hidden spots for their nests.

iii. Underfloors

Underfloors are warm and a suitable hiding place from predators for mice. Mice love wooden underfloors as they prevent cold and keep the inside cosy.

iv. Behind the fridge or oven

The outer body of a fridge remains warm, and the oven also creates warmth. Moreover, both the refrigerator and the oven are potential food sources. Mice often build nests behind a fridge or an oven, sometimes behind a washing machine.

v. Cupboards

Clothes are warm and comfortable. Mice often take shelter and build their nest in cupboards. Sometimes gnaw marks are found in wooden storage boxes or cupboards.

vi. Garden sheds

Garden sheds are the finest places for mice to hide in the darkness. They are free from extreme cold and may contain seeds or grains for the mice.

vii. Under decks

From kitchen decks to basins under decks, mice can hide and build their nests in dark underdecks, often near food sources.

viii. Garage

Garages may have stacked boxes. However, mice can find dark spaces and warmth in garages due to car engines. Some garages may have pet food, which makes them more suitable for mice to live in.

How to prevent mice in the UK?

Mice roam around a wide area surrounding their nests. They reproduce rapidly once they build a nest and infest. So, you must prevent them after the extermination is done. Prevention is always the better way.

Let’s discuss how to prevent mice sustainably.

1. Keep your house well-lit and hygienic

Mice have a strong sense of smell, and they can detect even a small food particle left outside. Whenever a mouse searches for spaces to build a nest, it searches for a dark hiding place. To prevent them, keep your house well-lit and let the sunlight enter.

2. Clean out spills or crumbs right away

You should immediately clean out your kitchen and any spills or crumbs you notice. Store the dry foods in an airtight container. Mainly, no food should be here and there. You can’t eliminate the food sources, but you can clean out food smells.

3. Empty the kitchen bins regularly

Garbage and food packages can also create a food-like smell. You should empty kitchen bins daily. Otherwise, mice may invade. Make sure you throw garbage outside in a bin and spray rodenticides around the garbage bin.

4. Don’t leave pet food overnight

Often, our pets leave their food and eat it later. However, leaving pet food overnight can attract mice because of that food source.

5. Block all the openings

You should seal or block all entry points and openings, repair all the cracks in the walls, wood, pipes, and air bricks, seal the gaps of window frames and under doors, and block any holes and openings that would allow a mouse to invade the house.

6. Get a cat as your pet

Cats are the strongest rivals of mice. You can have a pet cat in your house to prevent mouse infestation. Cat kills mice and other rodents.

Things to avoid when exterminating mice

Precautions are a must-have to avoid any unpleasant incident. Mice extermination and prevention are mandatory. However, you should follow some precautions. Here are the 3 things that you must avoid as precautions when eliminating mice:

1. Don’t approach an illegal method

You can’t exterminate mice in illegal ways restricted by the UK government. The UK animal welfare law restricts some inhumane acts of killing mice. You can’t use certain glue boards, throw an arrow, or drown a mouse to exterminate it.

2. Keep your pets and kids away from poisons

Certain rodenticides can be dangerous to kids and pets. If you have kids, pets, or vulnerable, sick people in the house, shift them for several hours when exterminating mice using the chemical method.

3. Don’t choose the wrong place or the wrong bait to trap mice

Never choose unappealing baits. Choose a perfect bait that attracts mice. For example, peanut butter, seeds, cake, etc, work much better than cheese to attract a mouse. Moreover, you must place the trap where it can fall. Keeping too many traps in the same location is also the wrong way.

Final Words

Trapping or exterminating mice is simple yet tricky. Now, if someone asks you what will pest control do for mice, you have all the details to answer. Pest control can exterminate and prevent mice if you choose the perfect method. Know all the details that no training or study can teach you.

To enjoy a healthy and hygienic life, pest control for mice is essential. Mice can reproduce rapidly. So, don’t ignore the fact and take quick action once you sense the existence of mice in your house or workplace.

Frequently Asked Question: What Will Pest Control Do for Mice?