No one wants pests in their home, especially dirty mice. Mice are covered in viruses, chew through wiring and furniture, and not to mention they’ll eat all your food! You need to be able to recognize when mice are infesting your apartment and how to fight it.
How to Identify an Infestation
Most people with an infestation won’t ever see a mouse, but the bread-crumb-trail will be obvious. The most notable sign of an infestation will be finding mice droppings, which appear as tiny black rice grains. Droppings can be found on walls or spaces where a rodent would hide. Finding food or furniture that looks like it’s been chewed on by tiny teeth is a dead-giveaway there’s a mouse around! If you’re lucky, you will be able to locate their nest, which is likely to be concealed in your apartment.
Plug Holes and Points of Entry
Small holes in the wall or around windows are great points of entry for mice. Even the space underneath your front door and the floor need to be sealed off with a weather strip to keep mice away, which they may try to chew through, too! If you’re touring apartments, be mindful to analyze each unit for places where mice could get in. You may be able to get the landlord to pay for the repairs to prevent mice. If you’re already moved in, you can send photos of the repairs you had to pay for to your landlord. When you mail out the rent check, include the receipt so your landlord isn’t asking you why the check was short. The best time to mouse-proof your apartment is at the end of summer, as mice start looking for shelter in the fall to be able to survive the winter.
Protect Pet Food and Dry Foods
Mice aren’t picky, they just want to survive. Chewing through the packaging of your pet’s food is light work to be able to feed their entire family. Never keep pet food in the packaging from the store, you need an airtight lid on a container that can hold the entirety of the bag of food. Dry foods are not safe either. Each dry good, such as cereal, sugar, flour, and rice, must also be kept in an airtight container to keep mice from stealing and spoiling your groceries.
Quality Garbage Cans
Don’t skimp on your garbage cans. An open garbage can is an invitation to a mouse. It is necessary to have garbage cans that have a cover that closes well to keep odors from drifting off and letting mice know you have food for them to take.
Ship-Shape Kitchen
Mice hide inside for food, warm shelter, or both. Filth is like a cozy fireplace for rodents, so keep your kitchen clean and they won’t be interested in settling in your apartment. Never allow crumbs and scraps of food to linger, as these small pieces will draw mice into your apartment.
Keep Doors Closed
It’s nice to have the front door open to let the sun and warmth in, but this gives mice the opportunity to sneak in! Mice are nocturnal as they can hide from birds of prey under the cover of night. If you’re outside enjoying the evening and going in-and-out to refresh your beverage, always keep the screen door shut to keep mice from making their way in while your back is turned. screen to prevent rodents from sneaking in when you’re not looking.
Mouse Traps
If you haven’t found droppings or chewed up food or furniture, but you think you have a mouse about your apartment, there’s only one way to be sure—catch one. Aside from assisting your identification of an infestation, traps will eradicate mice at the same time. If you’re a softie and use live traps, that’s fine, but you need to release the mice for away from where you live so they don’t end up back in your apartment right away.
Natural Deterrents
Despite being nocturnal, mice don’t have good eyesight. They depend on their sense of smell to guide them. Peppermint oil is annoying to mice and can be placed in problematic areas to keep mice away. If your apartment allows cats, adopt one, and it will be sure to catch a mouse for you. Cats catch prey for their owners when they think they aren’t eating enough, so not only will your cat let you know you have a mouse problem, but they will also let you know they are concerned about you! A small hunting dog’s trained nose can be used to locate where mice are staying secretly.
Exterminator
Contact your landlord immediately should you find an infestation in your apartment. Your landlord will be more than happy to curb the infestation before other apartment units are affected. Your landlord may simply contact and pay for an exterminator to come and handle the situation for you.
