How to get rid of mice in your walls

Key points

• Mouse infestations can be identified by the presence of droppings, noises, holes and odors.
• You can use DIY options or professional methods to get rid of mice, depending on severity.
• You can prevent infestations by sealing off entry points and cutting off food sources.

Whether you live in a big city or a small rural area, you’ve likely heard or possibly even smelled mice at some point. You may have seen one or two scurrying across your home. And unless you’re a pest control expert, getting rid of mice in your walls can be tricky.

“Since mice can carry diseases, it’s important to remove them from your home quickly,” said Ian Williams, Board Certified Entomologist and technical services manager for Orkin. “Some DIY options including traps can get rid of a few rodents, but an infestation requires professional treatment measures.”

Regardless of which method you choose, you can take steps to locate and identify mice inside your home, and then figure out the best course of action to start moving toward a mouse-free house.

How do you identify a mouse infestation?

If you’re worried that you have an infestation, keep an eye out for the following telltale signs.

Droppings

A mouse infestation can sometimes be detected by the presence of mouse droppings inside the home. “Look for droppings inside cabinets, behind appliances and under furniture,” said Emory Matts, technical services manager and Board Certified Entomologist for Terminix.

Mouse droppings are usually either soft and moist or dried and solid, according to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). Droppings are usually dark brown or black, about one-eight to one-quarter inches long and are typically rod-shaped with pointed ends.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends safely cleaning the area where the droppings are present and looking for additional ones in the following days. This is a more definitive sign of an active mouse infestation.

Small holes

You can also identify a mouse infestation by looking for small holes in your living space. “You may notice small holes in the walls of your home; typically in dark, hard-to-reach places such as behind the stove, or in the AC closet,” said Neal Killian, manager of Truly Nolen Pest Control in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Mice will generally start gnawing holes, about the size of a dime, to gain access to new areas, according to Matts. “I commonly find these holes near the same areas where droppings are found, as mice forage within about 10 feet from their nest,” Matts added.

Smell

A foul odor may be a precursor of a mouse problem. According to the NPMA, a mouse infestation is often accompanied by an ammonia-like smell resulting from their urine. Dead mice can also accumulate in crawl spaces around the home, leaving a malodorous scent.

Sounds

One of the most common signs of mice is hearing unusual sounds such as scratches or squeaks. “Rodents tend to gnaw and chew on hard surfaces, and the sound of that chewing can echo in your walls,” Williams said. “You might also hear clawing sounds as they scurry around inside a wall or cabinet.”

What steps should you take to remove the mice?

Once you’ve identified signs of mice, you’ll want to come up with a game plan for how to get rid of mice in the walls. Whether you choose a DIY approach or go with a pest control company should depend on the situation’s severity. 

Choose a DIY approach

DIY approaches can help fix a rodent problem in the short term — think live traps, glue traps and baited traps. Killian recommends using glue boards or snap traps, which can usually be purchased at big-box stores. 

Be careful when setting up and using mouse traps at home because they can cause injury if done incorrectly. According to Williams, all traps — even those from your local hardware store — require knowledge of mouse habits and behavior to be most effective.

Contact a full-service pest control company

The safer bet is to contact pest control services. Whether it’s a local company you’ve heard about through word of mouth or a more commercial brand, leave it to the professionals to get the job done efficiently and effectively.

“Pest control experts can conduct an inspection of the structure and design a treatment plan to keep your home rodent-free,” Killian said.

How can you prevent mouse infestation?

Mice tend to seek refuge from the outdoors by entering a home and seeking shelter in the walls. But how do mice get into the walls in the first place? The answer is pretty simple: holes and cracks.

With that in mind, you can prevent a mouse infestation, according to exterminators.

Seal entry points

Sealing entry points is one of the most important actions you can take to prevent mouse infestations. All cracks, openings and holes, such as those in baseboards, should be sealed with metal or cement, according to Williams.

You’ll want to contact a rodent control professional to assist in this process, as they’ll know the most common places to seal that can easily be overlooked.

Cut off food and water sources

Aside from sealing entry points, cutting off both food and water sources can help mouse-proof your home. “Store foods in glass, metal or airtight containers with tight lids and be certain to dispose of all food waste as soon as possible,” Williams added.

This may also involve taking food sources off countertops, using storage boxes and leaving trash cans outside to prevent mouse activity.

Remove potential nesting sites

Mice will find hiding places to seek shelter around the home that can be difficult to spot. Although they may be heard in the walls and air ducts, their nesting sites are usually elsewhere.

Some common nesting sites include the following: 

• Underneath stoves, refrigerators and dishwashers
• Near shredded paper, cardboard and fabric scraps

Set up mouse traps

You can also use mouse traps to prevent infestations. Matts recommends having at least six traps per mouse. “These traps should include snap traps, glue trays and/or live traps such as ‘Tin Cat’ style traps,” Matts said. “If live traps are used, they should be filled with some cotton balls or tissues to help keep the mice warm until they can be released back outside.”

Additionally, you’ll want to bait the traps with the foods the mice were eating, or appropriate food materials such as chocolate or peanut butter.

“Place traps near the holes, inside cabinets and behind appliances,” Matts said. “Check the traps daily; replenish bait stations and move traps around as activity patterns change over time.”

Use natural repellents

Natural materials can also be used as a repellent and to help get rid of mice, although they’re not usually powerful enough on their own to drive mice out of your home.

Cayenne peppers and essential oils, such as garlic and peppermint oils, make effective natural repellent products, according to Killian. “Essential oils can be applied to exterior entryways and other ‘hot spot’ areas where the mice may enter the structure to act as a deterrent or repellent,” he added.

What’s next?

Consider the gravity of your mouse problem before deciding how to proceed. If you don’t think there’s an infestation, try using DIY methods to remove the mice and prevent them from returning.

For more extensive mouse problems that aren’t resolved by these methods, you’ll want to contact a pest control expert for a professional opinion and personalized plan.

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