How to Get Rid of Mice in Walls: Top Tips & Tricks for 2023

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Dealing with a mouse infestation is never fun, and once these pests have made their way into your walls, getting rid of them only becomes even more challenging. If you’ve found you’ve got a rodent problem on your hands, it’s important to tackle the issue as soon as possible. Mice can spread harmful diseases and quickly destroy drywall, wiring, and other parts of your home.

In this article, you’ll learn how to:

Identify mice in your walls through physical characteristics, sounds, and potential damage.
Address an infestation through various methods.
Monitor mouse activity regularly and call in professionals when needed.

Identifying Mice in Your Walls

Identifying the presence of mice in your walls is the first step toward addressing the problem. Let’s delve into the physical characteristics of mice, the sounds they make within walls, and the potential damage they can inflict on your home.

Familiarity with these indicators will enable you to act quickly to eliminate these unwanted guests and prevent further problems.

Physical Characteristics and Visual Signs of Mice

Mice are small rodents with pointed snouts, large ears, and long, thin tails, ranging in color from light brown to black, with a length from snout to tail of up to 8 inches. Note that mice are smart and nimble, known for hiding in small spaces, such as behind furniture, inside storage boxes, or even within wall cavities. While yes, it’s important to know what mice look like, you may be more likely to spot other signs of rodents before you see them in the flesh. Here are some common signs of mice:

Mouse droppings are small brown pellets that are shaped like grains of rice.
Grease marks along baseboards or on the walls.
Chew marks on food containers and other materials.

Sounds Mice Make in Walls

If you’ve noticed potential evidence of an infestation, but you haven’t laid eyes on an actual mouse, they may be hiding out of sight in your walls. Mice are known to produce a variety of noises, such as:

Squeaking
Scratching
Gnawing
Running and jumping within walls

These sounds serve as a means of communication, as well as to locate food sources and mark their territory. Careful attention to scurrying, squeaking, gnawing, and scratching noises can assist in locating the source of the infestation in order to take the necessary steps to eliminate them from your walls.

Damage Caused by Mice

Mice can cause considerable damage to your home. While you likely won’t be happy to see evidence of a mouse infestation, once you know what to look for, the types of damage caused by mice are relatively easy to pinpoint. Mice are known to:

Gnaw on wires
Chew through drywall
Contaminate food and surfaces with urine, droppings, and saliva

All of these issues can lead to additional problems and should be addressed promptly. Understanding the nesting and feeding habits of mice can help you better control and prevent infestations.

Effective Methods for Removing Mice from Walls

Now that we’ve identified the signs of a mouse infestation, it’s time to take action and remove them from your walls.

We will delve into various strategies to get rid of mice, including sealing entry points, using traps to kill mice, eliminating food sources, and utilizing mouse-repelling scents. These methods will help you control mice effectively in your home.

By employing these methods, you can effectively combat the issue and restore peace to your home.

Sealing Entry Points

Sealing entry points is essential to prevent mice from entering and re-entering your home. Use materials such as steel wool or wire mesh to block gaps and cracks larger than 1/4-inch. Pay attention to areas around pipes, vents, and other openings that may provide access to the indoors.

Inspect your home thoroughly, both inside and outside, to locate potential entry points. Don’t forget to check eaves, air ducts, and other less obvious locations. Sealing these entry points will prevent mice from gaining access to your home and causing further issues.

Using Traps Strategically

Traps are among the most effective ways to catch mice lurking in your walls. However, proper trap placement is key to success. Place traps against areas along the base of the wall that may serve as pathways for mice, including slivers and minute openings. Deploy multiple traps at intervals of approximately 6 feet to increase the likelihood of encounters.

Bait the traps with items such as peanut butter or seeds, which are attractive to mice. Regularly inspect the traps, clean or replace them when needed, and relocate them if necessary to maintain the mice’s curiosity and avoid evasion.

Strategic use of mouse traps can effectively trap mice and kill captured rodents, eliminating mice from your walls.

Eliminating Food Sources

Mice tend to be attracted to food sources, so maintaining cleanliness and securely storing food is key to controlling their population. Promptly clean up all crumbs and spills, clean all dishes and pans, store food in airtight containers, and regularly dispose of garbage to limit the availability of sustenance for mice.

Additionally, be mindful of pet food. Store pet food in airtight containers and keep feeding areas clean to prevent attracting mice. Eliminating food sources will discourage mice from inhabiting your walls and home as they will have to seek food sources elsewhere.

Utilizing Mouse-Repelling Scents

Another effective method for deterring mice is to use scents that they find repulsive, such as peppermint oil or crushed pepper flakes. Place these scents near potential entry points to discourage mice from entering your home.

Keep in mind that while these scents may be initially effective in repelling mice, they may become accustomed to the smell over time. To maintain the repellent effect, reapply the scents every few weeks and consider using additional deterrents, such as ultrasonic repellents. Utilizing mouse-repelling scents will help create an unwelcoming environment for mice in your walls.

Monitoring and Assessing Your Mouse Control Efforts

Once you’ve implemented the strategies discussed above, it’s important to monitor and assess your mouse control efforts to ensure their effectiveness. Here, we will focus on monitoring mouse activity and modifying your approach as needed.

By staying vigilant and adapting your strategies, you can successfully eliminate mice from your walls and prevent future infestations.

Tracking Mouse Activity

Monitoring signs of mouse activity is crucial for assessing the effectiveness of your control efforts. Keep an eye on the following indicators of their presence:

Droppings
Chew marks
Gnawed holes
Grease marks
Tracks

If you notice a decrease in these signs, your efforts are likely working. However, if the signs persist or increase, you may need to adjust your approach.

Listen for any sounds of mice within your walls, such as scurrying, squeaking, or gnawing. Monitoring mouse activity will allow you to gauge the success of your control efforts and make necessary adjustments to ensure a mouse-free home.

Adjusting Your Approach

If you notice an increase in mouse activity or find that your current methods are not effective, it’s essential to adjust your approach. Examine your strategies and determine which areas need improvement. Perhaps you need to seal more entry points, reposition traps, or eliminate additional food sources.

Don’t be afraid to try new methods or combine multiple strategies to tackle the infestation. Keep monitoring and adjusting your approach until you achieve the desired results.

When to Call a Pest Control Professional

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a mouse infestation may prove too severe or persistent to handle on your own. A rodent control professional can provide the expertise and resources needed to effectively solve your mouse problem. Dodson Pest Control takes a mixed-method approach when it comes to addressing rodent concerns — and if you think it’s time to get a professional opinion, we’d love to provide you with a free consultation.

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Signs of a Severe Infestation

A severe mice infestation may require professional intervention. Signs of a serious mouse infestation include:

Persistent noises
Fresh droppings
Damage to your home
Live or deceased rodents during daylight hours
Gnawed plastic, furniture, or cords
Musky odors
Tracks and rodent sightings

If you notice any of these signs, it’s time to call in the experts.

Don’t wait until the infestation is out of control. If you’ve tried multiple methods without success or if the problem continues to worsen, contact a professional pest control company to help you eliminate the mice from your walls and home.

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Preventing Future Mice Infestations in Your Walls

Once you’ve successfully eliminated mice from your walls, it’s essential to take steps to prevent future infestations.

Regular Home Maintenance

To prevent future mice infestations, perform regular home maintenance tasks, such as sealing cracks and holes, trimming vegetation, and removing debris from your yard. Keep an eye on potential nesting sites outdoors, such as woodpiles and thick vegetation, and ensure that they are kept away from your home.

Maintaining your home not only helps prevent mice infestations but also contributes to the overall health and safety of your living space. Staying vigilant and promptly addressing potential issues will keep mice at bay and safeguard your home from future invasions.

Creating an Unwelcoming Environment

In addition to regular home maintenance, creating an unwelcoming environment for mice is essential for preventing future infestations. Use repellents, such as peppermint oil, ammonia, and cayenne pepper, to deter mice from entering your home. Apply these scents around potential entry points and reapply them periodically to maintain their effectiveness.

Ensure that your home is clean and that food is stored securely in airtight containers. Dispose of food waste in sealed containers and remove it from your home regularly. Following these steps will create an unwelcoming environment for mice and fend off their infestation in your walls and home.

The Dodson Pest Control Team is Here to Help

Dodson Pest Control has been in business for over 70 years, and we’re highly familiar with the best ways to address mouse infestations. Your home belongs to you — not rodent invaders. If you suspect you have a mouse or rat problem, or you’re tired of DIY methods that just aren’t working, contact us today. We’ll gladly provide you with a free inspection and treatment plan to get rid of mice for good.