Mice in walls are a common problem that many homeowners face.
These pesky rodents can cause damage to your home, contaminate food, and spread disease.
The sound of scurrying in the walls can also be a source of annoyance and stress.
The good news is that there are several ways to get rid of mice in walls, and you don’t have to rely on harsh chemicals or traps.
In this blog post, we’ll guide you through some of the most effective and humane ways to get rid of mice in walls fast
Whether you’re looking for natural remedies, electronic deterrents, or physical barriers, we’ve got you covered.
Read on to learn how to get rid of mice in walls fast for good.
How Do Mice Get Into Walls?
The miniature size of mice makes it easy for them to squeeze through tiny spaces and gain entry into your home.
While it is easy for them to enter your house through holes and cracks in the ground, they can also use openings above the ground since they are adept climbers.
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Below are some of the access points mice use to get into your house and walls:
- Wire entries
- Crawl spaces
- Utility pipe entries
- Foundation cracks
- Chimney pipes
- Deteriorating sliding
- Roof vents
- Poorly sealed window and door frames
- Building material gaps
- Air ducts
- Aftermarket AC condenser
- Corners
- Gutter downspouts
Also Read: Are bucket mouse traps effective?
Signs You Have Mice in Your Walls
Mice infestation can go on for months unnoticed since these rodents tend to stick to unoccupied, dark areas in your home like air ducts, wall cavities, attics, and crawl spaces.
Furthermore, they are nocturnal, thus active in the daytime.
The tell-tale signs of mice infestation in your house walls include:
1. Mice Droppings
You likely have a mouse infestation if you see droppings that resemble tiny dark seeds in places these rodents may have traveled, including under appliances, attics, and cabinets.
Also read: I Accidentally Vacuumed Up Mouse Droppings
Older droppings are faded and dried, while new ones are black and shiny. Aside from feces, you may also find mouse urine.
Related: Kill mice with salt
2. Runs
Mice will repeatedly use the same route from one place to another, and runs will be left in these areas after a while.
While they are not easily noticeable, pay attention to faint runs along chewed fruit buckets, pierced bread bags, and other regions.
3. Nests
Mice will use different materials within your home, including cardboard boxes and clothing fabrics, to create their nests.
Mice nests are usually found in dark areas such as storage boxes, under furniture, closets, and cabinets.
Mice droppings and nests are typically found in close proximity.
Other signs of mice infestation include:
- Scratching or rustling sounds coming from under your floorboards and walls
- Tail or feet tracks on your dusty floors
- Tiny holes in your old fabrics, cardboard boxes, or food containers
- Unique ammonia-like smells.
- Gnawed or chewed drywall or wood.
- Destroyed insulation.
- Fur in a home without pets.
Related: Killing mice with toothpaste
Best Ways To Get Rid Of Mice In Walls
Mice are hard to eliminate, especially since they multiply pretty fast. However, you can use some methods to create a mouse-free environment at home. Below are the ways of removing mice from your walls and home.
1. Remove Things That Attract Mice
There are plenty of food sources for mice around your home. These tiny rodents consume nearly everything because they are opportunistic feeders.
When outdoors, mice consume compost, birds and dead animal carcasses, insects, trash, vegetables, seeds, and fruits.
Once they enter your house, they will eat various kinds of food they can access, including cereals, meat, cheese, bread, crumbs, and pet food.
To avoid attracting mice to your house and walls, make your home unattractive by removing food debris.
Water can also attract mice, so pay attention to sources of water like water dishes, leaking or damaged pipes, a leaky irrigation or garden hose, and water fixtures in your yard.
2. Use Mice repellents
Peppermint oil is a popular mice repellent that can be sprayed or dabbed onto cotton balls and placed near the mice’s entry points or where they are nesting.
Other natural mouse repellents include cedarwood oil, cloves, and cayenne pepper.
Also read: Does irish spring soap keep mice away
3. Seal Entryways
Keep mice out of your walls by sealing holes and cracks around your home’s exterior to block them from getting inside.
Before closing the entryways, inspect the attic vents and crawlspaces for any destructions caused by mice.
Spray foam is usually used to seal gaps and cracks, but the downside is mice will chew through it. So, consider using wire mesh or steel wool.
4. Get Rid of Nesting Points
Mice can use vegetation in your home or yard debris to develop their nests. These areas include wood piles, hollowed stumps, leaf piles, rocks, and dense bushes.
Mice can also use vegetation to enter the house.
For instance, they can use the branches of overgrown plants to gain access inside your home and make way to the walls.
5. Set Traps
Before placing traps on different areas of your house, you must be absolutely sure mice have created a home in your walls.
This is particularly essential, especially for a household with pets and small kids at home, since the traps can hurt them.
The common mice trap types are:
a) Snap Traps
These are the conventional and most common trap types. Snap Traps are highly effective, affordable, and easy to set up. All you need to do is to bait the cup or plate and pull back the lever, which will then be released and snap closed when the mouse takes the bait.
The mice die with this method, and you can hurt yourself while using it.
b) Glue Traps
Glue traps are also cost-effective and work by trapping the mice on their sticky surface. While they are safer for kids, pets, and adults, glue traps are inhumane, and the mouse can get away.
c) Catch and Release Traps
If you do not want to kill the mice, catch and release trap is the best option since it involves trapping and releasing the rodents. They are also reusable, but you must monitor them regularly and transport the captured mice. Also, they are pricier.
d) Electric Mouse Traps
Electric mice traps kill mice quickly, are highly effective, and prevent too much suffering. They are ideal for indoor use and cost more.
Summary
Being proactive is the best way of keeping your home mice-free. So, start by maintaining a tidy home and yard. However, if mice have already made their way to your house, invest in a mouse trap of your choosing.
Alternatively, hire a pest control company if the mice population in your walls is too large or you do not want to deal with the mice yourself.
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I’m Mike Hyle, an exterminator with 7+ years of experience handling all sorts of pests, including mice, cockroaches, bed bugs, and termites. I also write for Pest Solutions DIY blog to share my knowledge and help homeowners keep their homes pest-free. Outside work, I enjoy hunting, snowshoeing, and exploring nature. Check out my blog for helpful pest control tips!