Mice in walls

It’s very common for Mercury Pest Control to receive calls from customers complaining of mice in the walls at home. An early sign of mice in your home could be the sound of scratching or gnawing in the walls, which can be a nightmare when trying to sleep at night. There are a number of preventative measures you can look out for and take to stop mice entering your home. If you think you have a mice infestation in your home, contact us today or call us on 0208 166 5110 to discuss how we can help you.

How to tell if you have mice in your home

There are some tell tail signs to look out for if you think you have mice in your walls:

• gnawing sounds coming from wall cavities: mice need to constantly gnaw and sharpen their teeth down to prevent them growing too long.
• mice droppings: which are brown/ black and typically the size of a grain of rice. It is worthwhile checking under kitchen units, under utility room cupboards (i.e. boiler and gas) and close to internal pipework for mice droppings.
• smells: an off-putting smell can from the walls can be an indication that you have a mice infestation. For example, this smell could be a decaying rodent in the walls.
• smear marks: these are black oily marks left behind by mice. Smear marks can typically be found around entry points. For example, under the dishwasher kick-board, see here for further information .
• electrics not working: spotlight not working? Mice can often gnaw through electrical cables in your home which will lead to lights not working. This alongside one of the above can usually confirm you need to take action.

Speak to your neighbours

Once you have established that you have mice in your home, it is advisable speak to your neighbours. Speaking to your neighbours can help identify the source of the problem. Mice can enter your home via different routes dependent on the type of property you live in:

• blocks of flats: if you live in a top floor apartment or flat, mice could be entering your home from a ground floor flat. Alternatively, if you hear mice in your ceiling, it could be that your upstairs neighbour has mice in their kitchen.
• flat above a restaurant or food establishment: mice are attracted to where they can find sources of food. Therefore, if you live in a flat above a restaurant or pub and you think you have a problem with mice, it is advisable to speak with the owners to see if they are having issues too and what action is being taken.
• terraced houses: mice can move between terraced homes. If you have mice in your home it would be worthwhile speaking with neighbours on both sides to establish if they also have an issue.

Tips for preventing mice in your home

As they say prevention is always better than cure. There are a number of steps you can take to prevent mice entering your home:

1. maintaining exceptional hygiene standards is imperative: especially in food preparation areas. You should avoid leaving dishes out over night and regularly empty and disinfect your bins.
2. use sealed containers for food storage: mice can live off as little as 3mg of food per day. You won’t be surprised to hear that mice can chew through cardboard boxes and thin plastic containers. Therefore, it is vital that you store all foodstuffs in your home in airtight containers which mice cannot chew through.
3. store your toaster in a cupboard on an evening: this is because mice are small enough to climb into your toaster. Therefore if you are experiencing problems with mice it is important to put your toaster away on an evening to stop mice climbing into it in search of breadcrumbs and seeds.
4. don’t leave pet food out at night: dog and cat food left out can be another source of food mice in your home. If you have pets, put their food bowls away on an evening, and store their food in sealed containers.
5. avoid the use of bird feeders in the garden: while we know the sound of birds singing in the garden on a morning is a serene sound, don’t forget that bird feeders can be attractive for mice and rats, especially in cities such as London.

Pest proof your home

 

Mice are small versatile creatures and will seek to enter your home via the smallest spaces. Internal and external pest proofing can reduce the opportunities for mice to enter your home. Pest proofing is especially important during the winter months as mice seek out a warm place to nest.

1. install draft excluders on external doors: mice can squeeze through gaps as small as a pencil. Installing a draft excluder on all external doors can reduce the opportunity for mice to enter your home via the front door.
2. cover air bricks with mesh grills: mice are attracted to hot air from external walls. Pest proofing air bricks can stop mice entering your home via these small external holes in the walls.
3. seal gaps around pipe work: mice will use pipes and wiring to network around your home. Therefore, sealing small gaps around pipes can reduce the opportunity for mice to move around within your home.
4. ensure external bins have sealed lids: as we mentioned above mice will go to any lengths in search of food. It is therefore important to ensure that all external bins have a sealed lid.

Mercury Pest Control has significant experience dealing with mice in walls

At Mercury Pest Control we have over 15 years experience providing pest control services in London. For domestic and commercial customers we provide detailed inspection and treatment reports to identify the source of the mice infestations. We use specialist products to eradicate the problem and will provide recommendations for internal and external pest proofing when necessary. If you have mice in your home, why not call us today on 0208 166 5110.