How To Get Rid Of Mice In The Walls

South Florida winters might not be as blistering cold as they are in northern states, but mice are still looking for a warm, cozy place in the winter. Whether they are in search of food, shelter, or a place to nest, mice often make their way into the hidden crevices of your home or business. Once mice infestations occur, they can be very challenging to get rid of. 

How can you handle mice infestations and remove these pests from your property?

In this article, we’ll dive into what you need to know about mouse infestations in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and how to get rid of them.

How to Know if You Have Mice in Your Building

First thing’s first, do you have a mouse problem?

Even though mice are far larger than other pests, like termites, they are not always easy to spot. These small rodents do their best to stay hidden out of sight. 

Here are some signs that you're dealing with a house mouse:

• Runs on your drywall, furniture, or countertops from mice repeatedly running the same trails.
• Scratching, scurrying sounds in the walls and under the floorboards. 
  Mysterious small holes appear in your food bags (especially when left out unattended).
• Droppings that look like small, dark seeds.
• Nests that are made from clothing or cardboard. They often build nests in closets, cabinets, under furniture, etc.
• Strange pet behavior like barking at “nothing” or pawing under furniture/appliances. Your pet may try to tell you they’ve spotted (or smelled) something! 

What Do Mice Eat?

Typical foods for mice include nuts, grains, cereal, etc. However, they eat a variety of different foods. Ultimately, they eat what they can find. They will often eat pet food, and may even it produce. 

These rodents have small, sharp teeth that they can use to shred through food packaging. They can often get into sealed containers and food items because of this. 

So, while they may go for your grains most often, they will eat whatever they can get their tiny paws on. 

How Do Mice Get In?

There’s a lot of misinformation that mice are found in dirty, rundown, or poorly maintained buildings. This is simply not the case! Even clean buildings can fall victim to a mouse infestation. 

When it gets chilly outside, mice look for a warm place. They search homes and businesses for any entry points. Keep in mind that they are quite small and can squeeze into narrow holes or cracks you may have missed. 

Some of the most common ways mice get in include:

• Through the garage
• Siding holes
• Foundation cracks
• Gaps around the doors and windows 

Getting Rid of Mice in Walls 

Once mice get into your home, they can make their way into places that are very difficult to navigate. They often scurry into basements, attics, and crawl spaces. Worse yet, they can get inside of your walls. 

Dealing with mice in a more open space like a basement may seem easier. You can set mouse traps to handle mouse problems. But what about when they are inside your walls?

Eliminate Food Sources 

Mice do not need much food to survive. As long as they continue to have access to the food they want, they will stay. 

Start by removing the food sources. Seal any pet food, grain, and other dry goods in metal, glass, or thick plastic containers that these pests can’t get into. 

For the future, help keep mice away by:

• Sealing all food sources in sturdy pins
• Putting away uneaten pet food
• Cleaning up any spills quickly 

Removing the food sources is an affordable, humane way to attack a mice problem. However, it does take a lot of time and effort.

It’s something you should continuously do. Furthermore, it’s not 100% effective. Pair this strategy with the others below. 

Limit Access to Nesting Materials 

Remember, mice like to scavenge through soft materials to make their nests. Don’t store blankets, fabrics, etc unsealed or in a flimsy plastic bag. Use heavy-duty storage bins to seal any soft items.

Mice can chew past cardboard or flimsy plastic, so use a thick material. Furthermore, you should get cardboard out for recycling as soon as possible. 

Consider outdoor nesting materials as well. Mice in Fort Lauderdale, FL may also look outside for foliage near your home. Remove any tree branches or bushes within 3 feet of your foundation. 

This method helps to protect your fabric goods and textiles. It’s fairly easy and can help keep other pests out of your textiles as well. However, it does take some time. Storing extra bedding may not be very convenient.

Ultimately, this strategy can help prevent future mice infestations, but it won’t get rid of a current one. 

Seal Entry Points 

Before you start setting any live traps or snap traps, seal the points of entry. Carefully examine any holes in your foundation, doorways, or siding and seal them. You can use steel wool to black vent openings without disrupting the airflow. 

Sealine entry points are safe for your pets and kids. It’s a very effective way to keep mice out (but not to get rid of the ones who are already in). Furthermore, you must maintain the seals and check regularly. 

Natural Mice Repellents

There are many safe, natural mice repellents that can help deter these pests. Some of the top natural options for handling mice problems include:

Soak cotton balls in essential oils and place them in problem areas. The options that work best for this are:

• Peppermint oil
• Cayenne pepper
• Cloves
• Toothpaste
• Bleach
• Vinegar

You can also mix apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray it around your home’s perimeter and any access points. Re-apply this mixture once a month. 

Stuffing fabric softener sheets into entry points is another way to keep mice from entering, and it can be a great solution for points that are difficult to seal. 

These methods are effective and safe. However, you will need to re-apply them, and they may not work to get existing mice out. 

Mouse Traps

You can also use traps for mouse pest management. There are live traps, which allow you to catch the mice and release them away from your home. There are also snap traps, which will lead to dead mice. 

In desperation, some also turn to bait traps. The bait stations contain sealed food that will kill the mice. While this option is effective and fast-acting, a rodent bait station is dangerous and can harm kids or pets. 

There are several variations on traps to capture mice or kill them and most are easy to set. Still, they can cause dead rodents. You will then either have to deal with live mice or a dead mouse, both of which can be unpleasant.

Hire a Pest Management Professional 

Ultimately, the safest, most effective way to get rid of mice in Fort Lauderdale, FL is to work with a professional pest control company. 

Native Pest Management is here to help you deal with any pests, including mouse infestations. We bring over 100 years of combined pest management experience to help get rid of mice and mouse-proof your home. 

We offer pet-safe rodent control that will handle your mouse problem while keeping your family safe. Whether you need home or commercial pest control, our dedicated team is here to help you achieve a pest-free space. 

Learn more about Native Pest Management and how we can help today.

Request your free quote below today!