Summer has passed and fall weather is on its way out as well. With winter closing in, many of us spend more time in our South Portland homes to avoid the cold. As the last leaves of fall reach the barren ground, mice are looking for a warm, sheltered place to avoid the chill of winter. Your home might just be the perfect hiding spot for mice to seek refuge this season. Not only does your South Portland home offer shelter from the cold, but it also could provide easy access to food sources.
How to Identify a Mouse Infestation
The good news is that mice tend to leave signs behind when they invade. To identify a mouse infestation on your property, keep an eye out for the following indicators.
- Small black droppings with rounded ends
- Streaks of grease or dirt across baseboards and walls
- Gnaw marks on furniture and personal items
- Scurrying sounds in your walls, especially at night
- Holes in cardboard and bagged food items
Why Mouse Infestations are Dangerous
Although mice are small and typically try to stay away from areas with high human activity, mice are still a danger to you, your family, and your South Portland home. Mice can carry many pathogens, bacteria, and parasites that cause diseases. Even mouse urine and feces can introduce diseases into your home. A few of the diseases mice spread include hantavirus, tularemia, bubonic plague, and salmonella. When mice infest your South Portland home, they can contaminate your counter surfaces, appliances, and food sources with these harmful bacteria and pathogens.
Mice are also a danger to your property. Like all rodents, mice must find things to chew on to wear down their constantly growing front incisors. Mouse infestations often lead to damaged furniture, piping systems, and electrical wiring. In some cases, mice can cause electrical short circuits with their gnawing.
Mouse Prevention Tips
Mice bring many problems to South Portland properties, which is why it’s important to ensure you keep them out of your home. A few of the best ways you can deter mice from getting into your residential property include:
- Sealing gaps and cracks with caulk or steel wool
- Keeping food items stored in the refrigerator or airtight containers
- Cleaning crumbs, spills, and sticky food from your counters and floors
- Removing clutter from the interior and exterior of your home
- Storing pet food in plastic containers when not in use
- Sealing your garbage bins
When you find a mouse infestation in your South Portland home, it can be easy to think mouse traps will solve all your rodent problems. Unfortunately, that isn’t true. While mouse traps can help lower mouse populations on your property, they won’t do anything to get rid of your infestation entirely. The only way to ensure your rodent problems go away for good is to reach out to the pest control professionals here at Big Blue Bug Solutions. Our rodent control specialists will inspect your home to determine common points of entry and work with you to find a solution. For effective rodent treatment options you can trust, reach out to the professionals at Big Blue Bug Solutions.