There is nothing more fulfilling and satisfying than getting rid of your home’s mice infestation safely and humanely. But, how will you know that all the mice are gone and there won’t be any others that might scamper through the attic and wall cavities?
Here are some of the things you should watch out for to give you much-needed peace of mind knowing that you can now say goodbye to your mouse problems once and for all:
You No Longer Hear Noises
Probably the biggest sign that all the mice are already gone is when you haven’t heard any weird noises for one week or so.
Among the most common signs of mice infestation is hearing scurrying or scratching noises in the attic. Although these noises are often heard during nighttime, you might also hear such noises even during the day.
This is why it is a really good sign if you no longer hear any mouse activity for the past week as it means that the mice are now all gone.
It means that if you can still hear some noises, especially at night since mice are nocturnal animals, you still have a problem at hand. You shouldn’t stop your mice control yet if this is the case.
There are No Mice Nests Anymore
The presence of mice nests is a surefire indication of mouse infestation. Make sure that you check all common areas in your house where mice can hide and inspect the local area for signs of nests. You need to look for a spot with plenty of chewed items often buried deep in the attic’s insulation material. If you cannot find any nest, you can be almost sure that there are no longer mice scurrying around in your home.
No More Chewed Stuff
Not all those gnawed stuff you see when there is still a mice infestation. You will surely find lots of them, particularly in your basement or attic. Once you notice that there are no freshly chewed items, this is an indication that your house is now free from mice. If there are still mice in your house, the tendency for them is to chew stuff day in and day out. When you take note of the chewed items as you discover them, it will be easier for you to identify newly chewed ones.
Mouse Droppings are All Gone
Looking for mouse droppings is one of the best things you can do to check if the mice are all gone now. If you have confirmed the presence of mice in your home, make sure that you pick up their droppings once you discover them for two reasons. First, it lowers your risk of contracting nasty diseases. Second, the presence of fresh droppings may indicate that there are still mice on the premises.
You also have to make sure that the area is cleaned thoroughly. Vinegar and bleach are good products that you can use for cleaning up the area once you discover mouse droppings.
If you haven’t seen new mice droppings for more than a week, this is another good sign that mice are no longer lingering in your home. But, if there are still plenty of mouse droppings, a mouse infestation is still likely present in your house.
You Don’t Smell the Nasty Odor
You surely know that mice give off a rather distinctive odor. This even gets worse once you find a dead mouse. Without a doubt, mice stink. Mice have this urine-type and musty smell that can be quite nasty.
To check for the odor, you need to inspect your home and clean any evidence of mouse droppings and urine. After you do so, you will be able to get used to this smell and be able to search for fresh mouse urine easily. If it is already a week or so and you don’t smell fresh urine anymore, this means that the mice in your house are now gone.
Place Traps to Check If You Can Still Catch a Mouse
You can leave mouse traps in the ideal spots for you to deal with the problem effectively or confirm if all mice are gone already. It is recommended to buy two or more of the highest-quality mouse traps to ensure a successful capture.
Use tasty mouse baits to load these traps and wait. If you weren’t able to catch any mouse for several weeks, this is a good indication that your home is now mouse-free.
Set Traps to Identify Mouse Footprints
Another trick that you can try is to scatter talc or flour around those places that mice often visit. Just be sure not to use scented talc. These rodents have a rather sensitive sense of smell and would stay away from anything new in places that they usually go to. After you scatter talc or flour, check every day for any evidence of small footprints. If you don’t find any footprints in the talc or flour after a week, you should hunt your house for the rest of the signs above to confirm that the mice are gone.
It is Not Yet Over Even If All the Mice are Now Gone
Just eliminating all the mice in your home doesn’t necessarily mean that the battle is already over. This time around, you need to do things to ensure that they stay out for good as well. Once you follow and watch out for the above signs and you are sure that the mice are gone, you deserve a pat on your back because you can now move to the next step.
What you should do this time is to make sure that these annoying rodents will never come back ever again. Seal all possible entry points, keep your home clean and free from the odor of mouse urine, get a cat if you still don’t have one, set up mouse traps in the basement and attic, store food properly, and check for stuff that mice can and might chew through.
