Discovering that you have mice in your apartment is a dreadful experience that many tenants have had to deal with at one point or another. Not only do these little critters cause a fright when they scurry across your floor, but they also have the potential to spread disease. Once you’re aware of a mice infestation in your apartment, it’s imperative that you take steps to get rid of them as soon as possible, and we’re going to give you a play-by-play on how to do just that in today’s blog.
1. Confirm Your Suspicions
You don’t necessarily have to see mice to know that they’re in your apartment, and there are a number of telltale signs that indicate you may have a rodent in your residence. Keep your eyes peeled for the following if you think you might have a mouse:
- Droppings: The most apparent sign of a mouse in your apartment is droppings. Mouse droppings are typically an eighth to a quarter-inch long and resemble pellets.
- Strange Noises: Mice are noisy nocturnal creatures that make squeaking and scratching sounds while they’re running inside walls and across floors.
- Urine Odours: If you suddenly notice a musky, pungent smell in your home and can’t pinpoint the source of it, it very well might be mouse urine.
- Holes in Food Containers: In order to access the food in your home, mice need to first chew through the containers they’re in, and they usually leave little holes behind in the process.
- Unusual Pet Behaviour: Pets are very aware of what’s going on in the household, and they’ll pick up on any unwanted guests. If you notice your dog or cat is more active than usual and pawing at spaces beneath your furniture, there’s a good chance you have a mouse.
2. Speak to Your Landlord
Once you’ve confirmed the presence of mice in your apartment, it’s time to pay your landlord a visit. It’s your landlord’s job to ensure your residence is safe and sanitary, and you may not be the only tenant that’s dealing with these persistent pests. Your landlord will probably want to get rid of the mice in your apartment just as much, if not more than you do. If your landlord is particularly keen on nipping the problem in the bud, they might even call pest control and get rid of the infestation for you.
3. Locate Their Entry Point and Close It Off
Mice need a pathway to make their way into your apartment, and you’d be surprised how creative these critters can get. They can enter your home through dime-sized holes that come about via gaps in siding, plumbing, heating or AC systems, and windows and doors that haven’t been sealed correctly. Locating these entry points and sealing them off is an absolute must if you want to prevent your infestation problem from getting out of hand.
4. Give Your Apartment A Thorough Clean
A messy apartment that has food lying around is the perfect environment for mice to live and thrive. Not only do they have easy access to the nourishment they need, but they also have plenty of places to hide. After you eat, make sure you don’t leave food out and be diligent about cleaning up stray crumbs. Keep all your food in tightly sealed containers or stored away in your refrigerator. You should also regularly wipe down surfaces, wash your dishes, take the trash out, and put away items that don’t need to be out.
5. Set Baits or Traps
Last but certainly not least, you need to bait or trap the mice that are currently in your home. Baits are a way to lure mice with treats that are poisoned. This method doesn’t involve a trap, and you may have to take care of the corpse after the poison kicks in. If you’d rather not use the baiting method, you can also set a tried and true trap. There are a number of traps to choose from, some of which include a humane trap, a snap trap, and a glue trap. All you need to do is entice them with a treat and make sure the trap is set up correctly in areas that have high activity. By following this 5-step guide on what to do when your apartment is infested with mice, you’ll be prepared to properly deal with them as soon as they arrive at your doorstep. And if your mice infestation still persists, Pestend Pest Control Mississauga can take care of that for you. Pestend Pest Control Mississauga has been offering professional residential and commercial mouse control services in Mississauga for over a decade. Our experienced pest control technicians get rid of mice, rats, and other rodents at the lowest possible price, guaranteed. Contact us today to end your mouse