Rodents, like rats and mice, can squeeze through tiny spaces, wreak havoc in your home, and carry diseases! If you suspect that rodents have breached the safety of your home, you’re going to want to deal with the issue fast.

Not only are rodents icky, but their presence can really mess with your peace of mind and sense of comfort — not an ideal feeling for your happy place. Here’s our expert advice on:

  • How rodents get into your home
  • How to prevent rodents from breaching your walls
  • How to get rid of them if they get inside

How can I tell if rodents are in my home?

Often, it’s very obvious that rodents have managed to make their way into your home. You may even see them skulking around with your bare eyes, but sometimes it’s less obvious.

Here are some telltale signs rodents have made their way inside your home:

  • Droppings
  • Gnaw marks on food packaging, furniture, and walls
  • Nesting materials like paper, fabric, and insulation found in your attic, basement, or behind appliances
  • Scratching and scurrying sounds, typically at night, in walls, ceiling, and/or under your floorboards
  • Grease marks — if there’s mystery smudges along the bottom of your walls and baseboards, it could be from rodents sneaking around
  • Strange pet behaviour — your dog or cat (or snake?) may sense the presence of rodents and show heightened interest in certain areas of the home, and appear agitated or excited

How do mice get into my home?

If you know how rodents typically access a home, then you’ll have a better chance of spotting weaknesses and preventing entry! Here are some different ways mice can get inside your home:

  • Through small cracks in the walls or small holes in your floorboards
  • Through damaged sewer lines
  • Through gaps in your ceiling
  • Through open doors or windows — be careful what you leave open and for how long!
  • By entering external pipes or gas lines that have been damaged or have small gaps

It’s more likely that rodents will enter your home during the autumn months when the weather gets colder. However, they can enter at any time of the year so it’s important to make sure your home is sealed and safe.

How do mice get into my walls?

Maybe you don’t see any signs of rodents in your home, but you are sure you can hear them scratching and scurrying around inside your walls. So how do they get in there?

In Australia, builders often leave small gaps in the walls when they build your home so that the heat can escape — these gaps are usually large enough for mice or rats to squeeze through!

Some other ways mice enter the walls are through cracks or small openings in your walls, floors, or ceiling. We recommend checking spacing around your vents, electrical outlets, and water pipes to make sure they are appropriately closed and sealed.

Are natural methods effective at getting rid of rodents?

If you are cruising the internet, you’ll find a lot of different natural methods for getting rid of mice. These natural methods of rodent removal have a varying degree of success, and it depends heavily on the severity of the infestation and other specific circumstances.

Here are some natural methods to try if you’re looking to DIY:

  • Natural predators: If you’re a cat person rather than a rodent person, a good mouser can help keep the mice away.
  • Scent deterrents: Some people swear that peppermint oil keeps the mice away, other people have not had success — in any case, your house will smell delightful!
  • Ultrasonic devices: These emit a high-pitched frequency that is supposed to be unpleasant for rodents. The effectiveness of these devices is debatable.

It’s important to note that these methods will not permanently remove rodents from your life and are best used in conjunction with other forms of rodent control.

Steps to take to get rid of mice in your home

So the rodents are in your home. Now what? Here are some steps you can take to get those unwanted housemates to ship out and keep them from coming back. 

    1. Identify entry points: Inspect your home to see if you can spot where the rodents managed to squeeze in, such as gaps around doors and windows, utility entry points, and vents.

    2. Seal entry points: Any gaps that you find, seal or stuff them with steel wool or caulking. Keep in mind that mice can squeeze through gaps as small as 6 mm in diameter; so be vigilant with your steel wool!

    3. Remove food sources:Store food in airtight containers that tough little rodent teeth can’t chew through. Make sure to clean up after you cook, and don’t leave food out and about.
    4. Eliminate shelter: Keep storage areas tidy and remove any potential nesting materials, like paper, cardboard, and fabric scraps. If you’ve always imagined living a minimalist lifestyle, now is the perfect time to declutter!

    5. Set traps: Place rodent traps (snap, live, and bait traps) in areas where mice and rats are likely to skulk around; namely around walls, entry points, and especially in garages as there is no way to seal the gap between the garage door and the wall. You can utilize weather stripping and bait boxes around the interior of your garage door. Whether you use humane or snap traps is up to you, but remember; the majority of rats and mice in Australia are invasive and spread like wildfire.

    6. Monitor and dispose: Check traps regularly – at least every three months — and dispose of any trapped rodents immediately. Wear gloves, use caution when handling traps and cleaning droppings, and wash your hands promptly. When you check your traps and all the bait has been eaten, you should increase the frequency of setting new traps until the problem is under control.

    7. Consider professional help: If you have a large and persistent rodent infestation, or if trapping methods are not effective, and if you want complete peace of mind, consider contacting a professional pest control company. We are experienced in identifying entry points and getting infestations under control quickly and effectively.

    8. Prevent re-infestation: If you follow all of the steps above, you have a good chance of preventing rodents from getting in your house again. Continue to inspect your house to seal entry points, keep it clean and clutter-free, and monitor for any signs of rodent activity.

Professional Pest Control For Rodent Removal

A professional pest control company can quickly and efficiently take care of your rodent problems and give you back peace of mind. Our rodent and vermin control page has more information about our process for getting infestations under control.