Having mice in your home is more than an a mere inconvenience – these rodents can be a serious health risk due to the diseases they can spread, especially in food preparation areas or places where children play. Mice can also do significant damage to your home and furniture by their constant gnawing (indeed, they have been known to chew through electrical cables).

So, how do you know if you’ve got mice in your home?

Read on!

Scratching
Noises in the walls or ceilings – particularly after dark – is a tell-tale sign that there are rodents in your home.

Droppings
Small, dark droppings, normally along walls or in areas of persistent activity – such as in cupboards or under sinks – are another indicator of mice.

Distinctive Smell
Mice leave a very distinct ammonia-like smell behind them. This smell is likely to be especially strong in more enclosed areas such as under cupboards and in loft spaces

Damage
Because mice have teeth that grow continuously, they continually gnaw on wood, plastic and wires, as well as any other hard materials they can find. Damage to door frames or appliance cables is clear evidence of mice activity.

Nests
Mice like to build nests with shredded material such as newspaper and fabrics. These will tend to be in quiet, discreet places and will often contain young mice.

So now you know what to look for, what should you do to keep mice away?

How to Keep Mice Away
The first line of defence against mice is to try and make your home rodent-proof. Mice have soft skeletons and can get through holes the width of a pencil, so it is important to seal any holes to the exterior of your property (for example unfinished pipe work) and fit protective strips around your doors.

Mice are also attracted to homes which provide them with plentiful feeding opportunities. Therefore, you should make sure your food is stored in strong containers and ensure you clean debris out from under your cooker, kitchen units and cupboards on a regular basis.

We also provide mouse repellent products that are designed to deter mice from coming near your property, especially useful if you have a large infestation as this may solve a large part of the problem.

But what should you do if you cannot keep mice away?

How to Deal with an Infestation
Mouse poison is the most common method of controlling an infestation of mice. However, when the availability of another food source is hindering control, or in sensitive areas where mice poison cannot be used, sticky mouse traps are generally a better choice than rodenticide-based pest control products. Traditional and humane traps and mouse repellers (which emit a sound which is uncomfortable for mice but cannot be heard by people) are also available.

Mouse Poison Kits
Here at Pest Control Supermarket, we offer two types of maximum strength rodenticide (grain and block bait) which enable you to carry out a ‘double-pronged attack’ as well as mouse bait boxes and trays for both open and secure baiting. Naturally, a rodent advice sheet providing step-by-step instructions on how to carry out a successful rodent treatment is included with each kit.