Mice are small rodents in Elizabeth City that make for terrible houseguests. They are messy, smelly, and take over our homes in just about the blink of an eye. Adding insult to injury is that they never even attempt to pay rent!
Mice move into our houses uninvited, make themselves at home, and honestly believe we should be okay sharing our homes with them. If you spot a mouse or many mice in your home, don’t delay taking action; reach out to an Elizabeth City pest control expert.
Signs You May Be Dealing With A Mouse Infestation
When mice are in your home, it's more common to see signs of a mouse infestation before spotting the mice.
Mice produce up to 100 droppings a day; as they move around your home, they will leave piles or trails of their dark, rice-shaped droppings on the floor, in drawers, cabinets, boxes, and other storage areas.
If mice are in your Elizabeth City home, you will likely find small gnaw marks on cabinets, walls, clothing, food containers, and more. They also commonly chew on wires, leading to unexplained short circuits or damaged electrical equipment.
Homeowners dealing with mice regularly discover holes in floors, the bottom of walls, or other areas of your home that mice have created and use as entry and exit points to their nesting sites.
Finally, people often hear mice before seeing them in their homes. If mice are in your home, it is common to hear scratching or running sounds behind walls or above ceilings during the quiet evening hours.
Mice Can Cause Problems In Your Home
Mice are one of the most problematic pests in our Elizabeth City homes. Not only do they move inside uninvited, but they are anything but helpful. Mice create many problems, some annoying and others that are pretty serious.
These are some of the most significant issues that mice cause when living inside our homes:
- As mice travel through your home, they contaminate surfaces and food with excrement.
- Their nesting sites produce an unpleasant musty odor.
- Mice introduce the parasites like fleas and ticks living in their fur into your home.
- Mice are constantly gnawing to wear their sharp front incisors down. When in our homes, their gnawing behaviors damage furniture, walls, flooring, boxes, clothing, wires, pipes, and more.
- Their shed fur and excrement put many allergens into the air that can trigger allergic reactions in people, like skin rashes and breathing difficulties.
A mouse infestation causes illness, costly repairs, and food waste. Implementing a home pest control plan is ideal to avoid issues with these dangerous and destructive critters.
The Easiest Way To Get Rid Of Mice In Elizabeth City
Mice in Elizabeth City are among the most common unwanted household pests because they are good at exploiting the tiniest of openings in our homes and live in the dark, hard-to-reach areas that hide their presence.
If you discover mice or signs of mice in your home, the easiest way to eliminate them is to partner with an experienced pest professional. Here at Albemarle Termite & Pest Control, we will provide you with the services to ensure total mouse control. We will get rid of mice currently living with you and, through regular visits, stop their return.
Natural Ways To Keep Mice Away From Your Home
In addition to regular home pest control services, there are some natural mouse repellents that you can take advantage of to help deter mouse activity.
Here are some of the most used natural mouse control repellents:
- Place fabric softer sheets in common entry points or storage areas. Their smell is unpleasant to rodents like mice.
- Mix apple cider vinegar and water together. Place in a spray bottle and spray the perimeter of your home; the smell of apple cider vinegar is a mouse deterrent.
- Mix hot pepper flakes and water in a spray bottle and spray in areas where you have noticed mouse activity. Be aware that this can irritate eyes; this may not be the best option if you have children or pets.
- Peppermint, elderberry, lavender, and catnip are plants thought to repel mice. Plant them near the perimeter of your home.
Though the above methods aren’t sure-fire ways to keep mice away, they can give you peace of mind to know that you are doing everything possible to keep these unwanted pests at bay.
To learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Elizabeth City, including our rodent control services please call Albemarle Termite & Pest Control today!