The Trick To Getting Rid Of Mice In Your Dayton Home

It’s that time of year again in Dayton, where we shake off the cold and begin planning summer getaways and staycations. As the snow melts and the trees put on their loveliest buds, other creatures are also stirring. Suddenly, one must shore up their home against one of the most common, dreaded pests: mice!

Sure Signs Of A Mouse Infestation In Your Dayton Home

By the time you have spotted a mouse in your home, the infestation has likely already set in. They can be sneaky little vermin until their numbers are impossible to ignore. There are a few signs every homeowner worried about mice should look out for. 

Droppings are one of the most common calling cards left behind by mice. Their feces resemble dark grains of rice and are often found near where mice frequent, such as their food sources. Mice will gnaw through paper, cardboard, and plastic to get to your food, so expect to see their droppings in the kitchen, along with tiny gnaw marks. Mice will also chew on furniture, baseboards, and walls in order to keep their teeth filed down and to build their nests. 

That brings us to another sign: mouse nests. Mice will usually build their nest out of shredded material from your home; finding piles of torn paper and fabric are common when dealing with a mouse problem. House mice are notorious for leaving behind a musty odor, likely from their urine-covered paws. Lastly, if you check undisturbed areas in your home, like the attic or garage storage, you may be able to catch a glimpse of an actual mouse.

The Dangers Mice Bring With Them Into Dayton Homes

Not only does a mouse sighting leave homeowners and their guests feeling icky, but they’re also omens of property damage to come. Mice will chew through almost anything, even your house. More alarming is the threat they pose to your health. Mice can spread diseases, like hantavirus, salmonellosis, and listeria. They carry and spread these diseases through their urine, droppings, and saliva. This means that every countertop, every floorboard, every table that an infected mouse travels across is now covered in harmful bacteria.

Why It Is So Hard To Get Rid Of Mice In Your Dayton Home?

Mice hold their power in their numbers. They are prolific breeders, and this can create quite the headache for a homeowner battling a mouse invasion. Mice have a gestation period of 19 to 21 days and reach sexual maturity after just a few weeks. A female mouse will become pregnant anywhere from five to 10 times per year, with a litter of about 10 babies each time. That's 50 to 100 mice just from one female alone! With numbers like that, it is no wonder why it can often feel like the mouse infestation will never end.

The Safe And Effective Way To Get Rid Of Mice In Your Dayton Home.

There are quite a few ways homeowners have tried to battle mice, such as:

• Investing in a cat to hunt for the mice.
• Using essential oils with strong odors, like peppermint to drive mice away.
• Setting mouse traps out.
• Filling in any gaps, cracks, and holes with metal, caulking, or thick wood to block mice from coming into the home.
• Removing any clutter that can act as hiding spots for mice.

Of course, the only solution that is safe and guaranteed to work is to call in a pest control expert like Best Choice Pest Control. We at Best Choice Pest Control are equipped to deal with any pest control problem that may plague your Dayton home. Not only do we specialize in extermination, but we are also experts in prevention and maintenance. Give Best Choice Pest Control a call today and get started on effective pest control services in Dayton.