Pests are something most of us have to deal with on a daily basis. Ants hauling grains of sugar in the kitchen, a spider building webs in the basement, the occasional fly you have to swat away when you’re out on the porch.But sometimes, pests can be more destructive and can seriously disrupt your daily activities – in more serious cases, they can damage your property, and spread dangerous diseases. Thankfully, there are many mouse removal services in Phoenix that are well-equipped to help you with this problem.
Mice are known for being able to damage property and spread dangerous diseases. Mice, like rats, have a tendency to gnaw holes so they can get in and around your home easier, and are known to chew through wires.
Diseases They Spread
The common deer mice and house mice are known to spread rat-bite fever, hantavirus, Lyme disease, salmonellosis, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis or LCM. You can get these from exposure to their droppings and urine, by inhaling contaminated dust particles, contact with contaminated surfaces, as well as direct contact with contaminated rodents. If you ingest food and water that’s been contaminated, you could also get dysentery, or worse.
Signs You Have Rodents
Even if you just have one or two mice hiding away in your house, you should be able to immediately notice changes in your immediate environment. Scampering sounds behind the walls, gnawed wires, and small gnawed holes in your walls that are used as entry and exit points. You should also see grease marks from their feet around these areas. More tellingly, are their droppings and urine.
Mice and rats reproduce very, very rapidly – so if you have them, try to get rid of them right away, or reach out to a professional for help.
What You Can Do
Mice, like many other pests, invade your home for food, shelter, and protection from the outdoor elements. Making your home less appealing for mice means taking away sources of readily available food and water, clearing off clutter and possible hiding places, and closing off possible entry points into your home. When you regularly disrupt their environment, your home becomes a more hostile place for them.
Food and Water
• Make sure you regularly dispose of trash, in lidded, durable containers.
• Clean away spillage, and make sure to clean behind large appliances such as refrigerators and ovens
• Store food properly in air-tight containers
Clear Away Clutter
• Store items in hard plastic or metal containers instead of cardboard boxes
• Get rid of items you no longer need to help clear away space that would otherwise be used to store them and act as possible hiding spots for mice and other pests
• Don’t leave piles of laundry or other debris lying around – mice, scorpions, and other pests can easily take temporary
refuge in these piles
• Clear away organic detritus out in the yard. That includes piles of leaves, wood, or decorative rocks. These act as hiding spots for mice and many other pests. If this is not possible, place these items away from the house.
Sealing Entry Points
Mice, rats, and many other pests can come from many entry points around your house. Check the perimeter of your property to inspect these possible entry points.
• Seal and caulk cracks and crevices on your walls
• Seal and caulk gaps on floorboards or flooring
• Install window screens, or repair any that appear damaged
• Consider installing weather stripping to close gaps on windows and doors
• Cut tree branches that touch the house, as these serve as pest highways
Getting Rid of Mice
You can purchase bait, or cage traps and set these around your property to catch mice that have already invaded your home. Make sure you get many of them, as mice can be very wary of anything “new” in their environment, and may avoid these traps.
Once you leave these traps for them, make sure the area remains undisturbed, and you don’t want to spray any pesticide there either because that will further deter them from falling for your trap.
If you still find mice after a week or so, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a professional for help!
