Mice in Walls? Here's what you should do about it.

By Jared McKinney

When you fall asleep at night, do you hear sounds of scratching against the walls? Sometimes you may think you’re too tired to hear correctly, other times you might suspect mouse activity. 

Suspecting a mice infestation.

Several signs point to mice infestation. Sounds at night in the walls chewed-up electrical wires, or mouse droppings are just a few signs. 



Sometimes you won’t be able to even see signs unless you can get into the crawl space or wall. Crawl spaces like the attic, dryer vents, or floor are famous for mice to use to sneak in. 


If you see droppings or a nest, it is safe to assume you have a problem of some sort. If you suspect it to be a mouse problem, know other rodents like squirrels, fleas, and rats are likely to join the party.

How Do I Solve a Rodent Problem?

Depending on the number of rodents and the severity of the infestation, you could solve a rodent problem in several ways. However, below are three common ways people get rid of mice and other wildlife.

1. Hire Pest Control to Help

 

Pest control companies can often solve the route of your problem. Many pest control companies will lay bait, trap the rodents, and take the dead animal away.

 

Depending on how much you want to pay, and which company you hire, rodent control can also search your house for small entry points to seal and prevent insects and rodents from entering your home again.

2. Set Up Bait and Traps Yourself

 

Using a company to get rid of mice can become expensive. If you don’t have that luxury, you could always purchase bait and traps online and set them yourself.


Image courtesy: Jaunathan Gagnon


Now, we’re not talking about the classic snap traps you’ve seen on TV. While those do work to solve a mice problem, mouse traps now come in different forms. Electric mouse traps are popular to bait and seal rodents quickly.

3. Contact the Proper Person


Homeowners are often limited to the options above. But, if you rent a house or apartment, then you should take action by contacting the proper person. This could be the leasing office or the monthly pest control service that is often included in rent.

Renting and Dealing with a Mouse Problem


As mentioned, renters often pay for a monthly pest control fee, so it can be frustrating to find out mouse activity is happening. Especially in an apartment, where you have little control over entry and exit to crawl spaces.

 

Sometimes, it’s just a natural occurrence. Mice are small rodents that can find their way into walls and small holes easily. The best thing to do is contact the proper person that can deal with the pests or fix the holes.

 

If you’ve done that, but still suspect an infestation, take action to get rid of pests yourself. It can be hard to get rid of mice. Mice in your walls is also a stressful situation.

How to Check for Mice in Walls

Say you’re renting an apartment and you suspect there are mice in your walls. If you’ve taken action to contact the proper person but have had no luck, check for mice yourself.

 

To get rid of mice, you’ll have to spend some daylight hours inspecting your house for entry points such as holes. These also include door sweeps, dryer vents, wall voids, floorboards, crawl space, and more. If you don’t find any, they may be coming from other areas.

Common Places for a Mouse to Hide


Mice are small and can fit into small holes. Do you have old storage boxes sitting around? Check inside those as mice like to live in areas they can hide in, like dark corners.


If you have cardboard boxes that make corners dark, check there too, that’s where most pests tend to hide. A mouse has no reason to leave if it’s comfortable. They will usually only leave their nests if they are in search of food.


This is why sometimes you can use food to trap a mouse.

How to Trap Mice

The best way to bait is to use an electronic trap. But, there are a variety of traps online or that you can find at the store to fit your situation. Sometimes you won’t even need to set a trap.


You can also purchase bait that has poison within to kill mice. Instead of having to wait around, you can place out the bait and eventually will come across dead mice if you have any.


Peanut butter is also a classic way to trap mice. Whatever option you choose, just make sure it can fit by a wall or be laid by any holes found.

How to Get Rid of a Dead Mouse

Be careful when picking up a dead mouse. Mice and other rodents, like rats, easily spread disease, dead or alive. Don’t touch the mice or insects with your bare hand.

The best way to take out the mice would be to use a glove and plastic bag. Then just throw the dead rodent out. Don’t forget to clean the area where you found the mice, their droppings, or where you placed the bait. 

Future Infestations

If you are worried about the mice coming back into your house, take steps to prevent another infestation. Seal bottom edges of the doors and windows, any holes in the walls, clean out air ducts often and keep poison or traps in crawl spaces.

More Tips to Prevent Mouse Infestation

Don’t be afraid to leave a mousetrap, or several, around near the walls, holes you can’t fix, or window frames. If a seal won’t work for the area at hand, try to use a wire mesh to enclose areas.


Do a routine search for any nests as soon as something doesn’t seem normal. By taking these precautions, you’re likely to prevent mice and other pests from entering your house.

Why Do Mice Live in Walls?

Mice tend to live in walls for protection. Mice in walls is a common infestation problem, a mouse can squeeze into almost any small space. This includes entry from cracked window frames or air ducts.


Mice will leave their nest to search for food then go back to their nest. This makes it tricky to catch mice in walls. Sometimes they only come into the walls of your home to find food sources. If you want to stop mice from coming, try to not leave any food out.

No More Mice

Your life will be nice once there are no more mice. The sounds of scratching and the long hunt for any mice left behind can be tiring. But once you trap mice, you’ll have the skills you need in case you ever hear mice in walls again.

Platforms that Combat Pests

You may be in the market to relocate. Especially if you are tired of scratching against the walls. There are a few platforms with features that can help you combat pests before you even encounter them. One of the platforms is Rentlingo.

Rentlingo Features

On Rentlingo, you can take advantage of the professional reviews of apartments you find to see how they handle pests. You can also use the precise apartment locator options to see if the apartments are located near a park or natural area where rodents most often like to live.


However, there is no guarantee that you’ll ever be pest-free, no matter where you live. But now you know how to say goodbye to any mice in your life to make sure you get your shut-eye.


Must-Read Rentlingo Content