The last time when I saw a mouse in my house but no droppings, I was shocked and panicked. I was shocked because I did everything right to keep my house mice and pest-free.
I bet some of you have the same experience.
However, I did get rid of the mouse problem and took preventive measures since then. I will talk about it and explain how you can solve your problem too.
Other Signs of Mice Infestation
As they don’t come from thin air, you need to switch to your battle mode whenever you notice any signs of mice but no droppings.
I will explain how to do that but before you do so, immediately contact your neighbor about the problem and look for other signs of mice in your house like the following:
- Scratching Noise
Other than finding any droppings, another sign of having mice in the house is hearing your things going bump at night.
If you hear the squeaking noises, that’s just a surefire sign of mice. Other than squeaking noise, you may also hear them burrowing behind the walls and joists or scurrying around your cabinets.
You don’t need to have droppings if you hear such noises. You have a mouse problem!
- Gnaw Marks
You can find such gnaw marks on the house structure and if lucky (!) – on food packaging. Gnaw marks are light color when new and darker when they age.
Finding newer gnaw marks indicates the continuing mouse infestation. If you find larger gnaw marks, you have a rat problem.
So, finding gnaw marks is a clear indication of mice infestation and you should take it seriously.
- Finding Tracks & Runways
When there is an active infestation of mice, there will be distinctive tracks and runways. If you suspect any particular area of your house, get a flashlight to detect such tracks.
Another way of finding mouse tracks and runway is by placing a thin layer of flour on the suspected area. You should notice their trails on the floor if there is really any presence of a mouse.
Other than that, you may also notice smudge marks, urine stains, footprints, and so on.
- Presence of Mouse Nest
So, if you find any nest made of shredded paper, dried plant matter, or fabric, that’s another sign of mouse infestation.
Now, if you smell any urine smell or notice any gnawing there, you don’t need any other signs of the understanding you have a mice problem.
- Having Foul Odor
Usually, mice live in hidden areas of the house and a stale ammonia smell comes out of such hidden areas.
Did you how excited and active your cat become around the mouse? Your cat or dog even doesn’t have to see the mouse, just sensing the odor of the mouse will make your pet go nuts!
So, if you see your pet is pawing at a particular area, get a flashlight to examine the spot further. If you notice the smell of stale ammonia coming out of that spot, you have an active infestation of the mouse!
How To Get Rid of Mouse From House?
Assuming you are certain about the mouse presence in your house or your neighbor has the mouse infestation, you need to get rid of them FAST and make your house mouse-proof.
Here are some effective ways on how you can do that:
- Inform Your Neighbor/Landlord
I have seen most people tend to skip this vital step. If your neighbor has a mouse issue, pretty soon they will invade your house too!
You need a good neighborhood to stay out of these problems. So, inform your neighbor that you have seen a mouse so that they can examine their houses and take preventive measures too.
- Set Up A Mouse Trap
You need to get rid of the mouse from your house FAST and there is no better alternative than setting trap for that.
Go to your local store and you can find different types of mouse traps from various brands. You can go for either liquid bait or block traps. My personal favorite bait is Tomcat® with peanut butter.
You can even use bleach to keep rats away!
Pick any from snap or glue trap and set the traps in areas with high mouse activities with obvious signs of mice as mentioned above. Do not use poison to kill rats and mice.
If you have kids or pets, contain the baits keeping a small entry point for the mouse only. Here is a nice video to learn to set a mice trap.
- Check The Traps Multiple Times a Day!
Don’t just set up traps and forget! A mouse can carry fatal diseases and you should get it out of your house ASAP.
Even if the mouse is not dead, they can still spread diseases by urinating out of fear. So, check the traps several times a day for the first couple of days.
- Find The Cause
It’s the most difficult part but a very vital one to prevent the mouse to sneak into your house in the first place. If your house has a crack or hole where even a pencil can go through, a mouse can enter your home!
Normally, they use any cracks in your window sills and door frames to enter your house.
- Store Food Securely
You have a mouse in your house because they have found easy food sources. That’s just a fact! If there is no food for them, they won’t bother you at all.
Storing food in flimsy plastic bags is always a bad idea. Mice have strong and sharp teeth and they can chew through plenty of materials.
So, to keep mice out of your house, you need to store food properly and securely. Never keep any open bags of chips or a bowl of fruits.
Always store your foods in your freezer tightly sealed. When not possible, keep your food in airtight glass containers.
You need to be careful with the pet food too. Never leave food outside of your house for your pet to avoid mice attraction. Put the leftover pet food away even if you serve pet food inside.
- Keep No Hiding Spots
If there are no safe undisturbed hiding spots, there won’t be any mice. It’s as simple as that! So, there should not be any hiding objects and items in your house.
To help you out, the mouse uses baskets, boxes, old clothes, shoes, bags, etc. as their hiding objects. They also hide behind the furniture.
To get rid of mice, there is no alternative to remove those hiding spots.
- Call A Professional
If you don’t see any other signs of mice and don’t think you can get rid of them yourself, you can always call a professional.
They have the necessary experiences and expertise for local mouse nests. They also have the right tools to get rid of them.
Read reviews (if possible) about their service and ask them directly about their success rate before you hire them.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
They have found an easy source of food and water in your house. It happens mainly due to poor sanitation. That’s why they are there!
But that one will multiply soon and your house will have rat infestation pretty quick. Seeing just one mouse is enough to take action to make your house mouse-proof.
They have found all they need to survive: food, water, and a safe shelter. If you see a mouse in your living room, it means you don’t tidy up your room properly.
They make their nests in hidden areas out of shredded paper, cotton, cardboard boxes, and so on. Usually, they hide in their nests during the day.
Sleeping in a room with a mouse in there is NOT safe at all. You should get rid of it ASAP.
Closing Remarks
So, you just learned what I did when I saw a mouse in my house but no droppings. Making your house mouse-proof is vital but you need to inform your neighbor to avoid re-infestation in near future.
Taking preventive measures is far more effective than just getting rid of them. So, keep your house tidy up always and ensure better sanitation.
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You said absolutely nothing in regards to how to clean where the mouse has ran. That’s my concerns! So I’ve sprayed Lysol every on the floor but haven’t gotten under the couches where he has been . ( hard places to get) No mouse droppings unto he was caught in the glue trap. He was in the bedroom I believe but didn’t go in the bathroom or laundry room so I’ve done that as well. Actually I did the bathroom too as a precaution. As well as the laundry room. And I don’t know if I can vacuum yet?
You should say how long it takes for the horrible bacteria and virus they carry to die so I can vacuum.