How to Get Rid of Mice In Your Home
Mice can cause immense damage to your home if left unattended for too long.
While the size of a mouse may be unassuming, mice’s ability to reproduce at a rapid rate can become a problem quickly, in addition to the hazards that mice cause when droppings, urine and chew marks begin to take a toll on the overall health of your home. In this article, learn how to get rid of mice properly and how to prevent them from coming back again.
Common Types of Mice Found In Canada
Despite the different types of mice in existence across the country, the most common type of mouse found in homes are House Mice. Named for their interest in homes and also for some species being domesticated as pets, House Mice frequent populated areas in Canada and have been known to find their way into human and pet food when they get the chance.
For more information on the various species of mice, read our article to learn how to identify a mouse in your home.
| Species of Mice | What Region They Live In | Colour of Fur | How Large Do They Grow | What They Like to Consume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
House Mice |
Across Canada in populated areas |
Grey with cream coloured bellies |
17cm (7 inches) in total length, 30 grams in weight |
Grains, fruits, seeds, pet food and human food |
|
Deer Mice |
Forests and grasslands across Canada |
Greyish-brown with white bellies |
20cm (8 inches) in total length, 21 grams in weight |
Food grown outdoors, but also pet food and human food |
|
White-Footed Mice |
Forests and bushland across Ontario, Quebec, Maritimes |
Reddish or orange-like brown |
20cm (8 inches) in total length, 25 grams in weight |
Seeds, grains, fruit and small insects |
|
Western Harvest Mice |
Agricultural land across Alberta and British Columbia |
Brown with a somewhat darker stripe along its back |
12cm (5 inches) in total length, 10 grams in weight |
Seeds, outdoor plants and insects |
|
Woodland Jumping Mice |
Open fields, woods and meadows across Ontario, Quebec, Maritimes |
Orange-light brown fur with a dark stripe along its back |
25cm (10 inches) in total length, 32 grams in weight |
Seeds, fruit, insects, fungi and other items found outdoors |
Signs of Damage Caused By Mice In Your Home
Mice will nibble and chew their way through your home in order to find a reliable source of food and water, as well as a warm and quiet place to begin nesting. When left unattended for too long, mice can do some serious damage to the overall structure of your home. Learn of the different signs you should be looking for when you suspect mice are in your home:
For more information on signs of mice in your home, read our article to learn all that you need to know about how to identify mouse problems in your home.
| Common Signs of Mice | Where to Look for These Signs |
|---|---|
|
Chew Marks & Holes |
Anywhere that is eye level to mice, especially in drywall and cracks in baseboards |
|
Damaged Food Packaging |
Chew marks to bags and cardboard |
|
Chewed Furniture and Boxes |
The base of furniture and boxes |
|
Sounds & Activity |
Inside of walls and behind cabinets |
|
Changes in Pet Behaviour |
Pets paying more attention to areas out of reach, especially inside walls and inside of cabinets |
|
Mouse Droppings |
In cabinets, inside walls and on floors nearby to sources of food and water |
How to Get Rid of Mice
If you let them, mice will continue to occupy your home, feast on your food and begin to develop a colony of mice that will lead to further infestations. To avoid that from happening, get rid of mice with these 6 steps:
Choose the Right Product
There are a multitude of different products to choose from that will help you get rid of mice in different ways. Discover what product you will need to combat mice in your home:
| Rodent Removal Product | Product Is Ideal For: | Will You See Dead Rodents In the Trap? | Does it Require Poisonous Ingredients? | Is it Child & Pet Resistant? | Can It Be Reused? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bait Stations |
Mouse Infestations |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Spin Traps (Mechanical) |
One Mouse |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
|
Snap Traps (Mechanical) |
One Mouse |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
|
Wooden Traps (Mechanical) |
One Mouse |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
|
Glue Traps |
Up to 4 Mice |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
|
Catch & Release Traps |
One Mouse (Single Style Trap) & Up to 10 Mice (Multi-Catch Style Trap) |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
- Bait stations for mice offer a poisonous bait lure to rodents that take up to 48 hours to kill them as they freely enter the bait station to bring bits of the bait block back to their nest.
- Spin traps catch mice and involve an enclosure mechanism that spins closed when a mouse gets close enough to the bait found inside of the trap.
- Wooden traps for mice involve a U-shaped metal coil that snaps onto rodents when they get close enough to the bait placed on the wooden trap.
- Glue traps for mice are ready-to-use, mess-free and involve a sticky adhesive that comes formulated with a scented lure that entices rodents to get stuck on the glue trap tray.
- For a socially responsible option, humane mouse traps come in a single mouse catch and release version, as well as a multi-catch and release version that catches up to 10 mice.
For more information about the different products, read our article to learn how to choose the right product to get rid of mice.
Place Products Properly
Placing mouse traps and bait stations in proper areas throughout your home are essential for the products to catch mice effectively. Understanding the high traffic areas and spaces that you’ve suspected mice to be entering from are the best places to set mouse traps and stations. Here are some tips on proper product placement:
- Place glue traps in suspected areas to see if those destinations are in fact frequented by mice.
- Look for areas with rodent droppings, gnaw marks and nesting material which are all clear indications of mouse activity.
- Be mindful of elevated areas such as storage cabinets, pipes, beams and false ceilings that mice can climb to.
- Always place traps and bait stations in areas that are out of reach from children and pet animals.
Use a Mix of Products
Setting enough mouse bait stations and traps in your home will ensure that you get rid of all mice in your home. Mice reproduce at a rapid rate and only require a few weeks to begin seeing offspring in your living space.
Read Label Instructions Carefully
Product packaging for all mouse traps and bait stations involve safety information and informative step-by-step instructions on how to properly use the product. It is important to follow the instructions carefully to effectively get rid of mice using the product.
Safely Secure Bait Blocks
When deciding to choose a bait station to get rid of mice, it is important to always secure bait blocks inside of bait stations for safety reasons. Bait blocks are highly poisonous and are harmful to pets and children who should not be in close contact with bait blocks at all. Bait stations securely keep bait blocks in place and are designed to be tamper-free.
For more information on bait blocks, read our article to get a complete guide to bait stations for mice.
DIY Tips for Maintaining a Mouse-Free Home
Keeping a clean and clutter-free home is a step in the right direction towards a mouse-free home. Follow these tips to make your home uninviting to mice and to keep them away from coming back:
- Get Rid of Food and Water Sources.
- Keep garbage, recycling and food garbage in tightly sealed bins.
- Maintain a tidy outdoor yard, free of fallen fruit and other potential food sources.
- Constantly clean up after pets and keep an eye on their food and water.
- Be mindful of bird feeders and equip feeders with a tray to catch spilled seeds from falling to the ground.
- Repair any plumbing leaks to avoid dripping water.
- Eliminate Hiding Areas.
- Keep the walls of your home clear of furniture and other household items.
- Maintain plants and shrubs and trim them often to avoid overgrowth.
- Remove unused piles of wood and lumber outdoors and in sheds and garages.
- Do not store old furniture outdoors for long periods of time.
- Seal the Perimeter of Your Home.
- Cover crawl spaces and vents with metal screens and steel mesh sheets.
- Caulk and seal all cracks and potential entry point holes from the exterior of your home.
- Cover all door jams, gaps and holes in the roof of your home.
For more information regarding rodent prevention, read our article on how to prevent mice in your home.
Cleaning Your Home Post-Mice
Once you have gotten rid of all the mice in your home, it is important to properly clean and disinfect every area of your living space that mice may have occupied. Droppings and urine that mice leave behind can carry toxic pathogens that can greatly harm you, your family and your pets’ health. Here are a few items required in order to clean up after a mouse problem:
For more information on the disposal of droppings, read our article to learn how to handle mouse droppings.
| Cleaning Supplies | Purpose |
|---|---|
|
Rubber Gloves and a Face Mask |
Avoid the possibility of skin irritation and the inhalation of pathogens that mice have brought into your home. |
|
Dustpan and Broom |
Sweep up all mouse droppings and other remnants that mice have brought into your home. |
|
Disinfectant Spray |
Disinfect all areas that mice were frequenting during their time in your home. This includes table surfaces, cabinets and floors. |
|
Paper Towel |
Use paper towels for wiping down surfaces and disposing of soiled paper towels easily. |
Disposal of Droppings
- Apply gloves and facemask.
- Sweep up any physical droppings that you find in your home and immediately dispose of the droppings in a garbage bag designated for the rat cleanup.
- Once the droppings are removed and disposed of in the garbage, spray all surfaces that rats have interacted with.
- Let the disinfectant spray settle into the surfaces for over 30 seconds before wiping down each surface. All paper towels used for wiping should also be disposed of in the garbage immediately.
Disposal of Dead Mice
Due to their nature of finding food sources in many places including unsanitary ones, mice can carry hazardous pathogens in their body. The pungent smell of a dead mouse in your home can toxicate the air in your living space and lead to health complications over time.
Using protective equipment and the other safety supplies to clean up after mice is important in removing dead mice from your home and safely disposing of them in the garbage without any chance of further spreading toxins in your home.
Preventing Mice From Coming Back Again
- Remove any sources of water and food to make it less enticing for mice to enter your home.
- Declutter your home and remove any potential areas that mice may consider nesting in. Boxes in basements and other storage areas are common places for rodents to burrow nests.
- Seal any potential areas that you suspect mice can be entering your home from. Doing so will significantly decrease the chances of mice in your home.
For more information on the prevention of mice, read our article to learn more about how to prevent mice from coming back into your home.