How Do I Get Rid Of Mice In My House Permanently?

If you see holes in your baseboards, gnaw marks on your furniture, or ⅛ to ¼ inch long, rod-shaped droppings on your counters, you may have an infestation of house mice. Fortunately, they're likely the only type of mouse you'll find in your Tampa home. Unfortunately, they're hard to eradicate. It's important to call a Tampa pest control company as soon as you see any signs of mice.

Does One Mouse Mean I Have An Infestation?

You may never know you have a mouse infestation until you either spot a live mouse or notice mice droppings accumulating on your kitchen counter, in your cabinets, or in your pantry. Seeing one mouse could be nothing. However, it's more likely that it's part of a large nest of mice that's become overcrowded, leading to mice being active during the day, and trying to find a new place in your house to take up residence.

Can Mice In My Home Really Make Me Sick?

You may wonder, "What kind of diseases do mice carry?" Here are four of the most common diseases house mice can carry and spread:

• Leptospirosis
• Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCM)
• Tularemia
• Salmonellosis

Mice can also contaminate your food and cooking surfaces if you aren't sufficiently careful in cleaning before you prepare meals.

Why Do Mice Keep Coming Inside My House?

Mice keep coming into your Tampa home because they're commensal rodents, meaning they rely on humans to survive. They'll eat your cereal, fruit, nuts, or anything else that strikes their fancy.

In addition to food, mice may be seeking an available water source or shelter from the cold winter months. All three resources make mice highly motivated to come inside your house.

However, if you know what deters mice, you can start taking action to prevent them from coming in. 

• Seal up cracks, crevices, and holes outside to make sure mice can't get inside. Keep in mind that mice can climb, so make sure your windows, vents, and chimney are covered tightly with screens. Mice can sneak through a hole smaller than a dime and a crack as wide as a pencil due to their collapsible rib cages, so almost any gap you see is worth filling in. 
• Clean up fruit and nuts that may drop from trees in your yard. That's a mouse smorgasbord waiting to happen. Mice will feast on the fruit and nuts, then come closer to your house to see what else they can find.
• Eliminate any sources of water in your yard. This includes leaky watering systems, poor drainage, and bird baths. Mice need water to live, just like we do. Removing those sources can discourage mice from getting nearer to your home. If they don't find what they need outside, they may be less inclined to stick around long enough to find a way inside.
• Store food in airtight glass and heavy plastic containers. If the mice can't smell the food, they are less likely to go after it. Clean up crumbs or spills immediately, and wash your dishes promptly to eliminate other food sources for mice.
• Take out the trash on a regular basis. Keep outside trash in containers with tight-fitting lids so mice can't get into any of your garbage. 

Eliminating entry points and factors that attract mice is a great start to preventing them, but once mice move inside, these steps are not likely to be enough to get them out.

How Do I Get Rid Of Mice In My Home For Good?

The best way to get rid of mice is to call in a professional Tampa rodent control exterminator with plenty of experience handling mouse situations. Because of all the diseases mice carry, technicians must take great care in ferreting out their nests to avoid making themselves, or you, sick.

At Wise Owl Plus, our technicians are experienced, dedicated, and thorough when performing free inspections to determine the extent of your mouse problem. Contact us today to schedule your inspection and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Tampa so we can make your home a mouse-free zone for good.