How to Get Rid of Mice in Your Phoenix-Area House
Short answer: trap the mice that are inside and seal the gaps they used to get in, at the same time. Doing only one of the two is why mice keep coming back.
Mice in Your House in Arizona: Do You Really Have Mice?
Most Phoenix-area homeowners find signs before they see a mouse. UC IPM lists droppings, fresh gnaw marks and tracks where mice travel, nests of finely shredded paper or fabric behind boxes, in drawers and in the garage, and a musky smell once a group has settled in.
- Small droppings in kitchen drawers, under the sink, in the pantry or along the garage wall.
- Chewed food packages, pet food bags or bird seed on garage shelves.
- Scratching low in the walls or under cabinets at night.
- Shredded nesting material in stored boxes, the furnace closet or behind the dryer.
How to Tell a House Mouse From a Rat
- House mouse: about 5 to 7 inches long including a 3 to 4 inch tail, light brown to gray, large ears and small black eyes (UC IPM).
- Roof rat: roughly 12 inches with the tail, and it climbs, so it gets in at the roofline. See roof rats in Arizona.
- Pack rat: a native desert rat with a furry tail that builds stick nests in cactus and under sheds. See rodent control and pack rats.
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Why Mice Get Into Phoenix-Area Homes
UC IPM says house mice can get through openings as small as 1/4 inch and squeeze under a gap 1/4 inch tall. In Valley stucco and block homes, the gaps that matter are low to the ground:
- Garage door seals that are worn, torn at the corners or no longer touch the slab.
- A/C line sets, hose bibs and plumbing where they pass through the stucco.
- Gaps at the weep screed along the bottom of the stucco and around utility boxes.
- Doors to the yard without a sweep, especially side garage doors.
Once inside, UC IPM notes, mice seldom travel more than about 30 feet from their nest and food, which is why the droppings you find usually point to a nest close by.
How to Get Rid of Mice in Your House: 6 Steps
- Find where they're active. Mark every spot with droppings or chewing. That is where the traps go.
- Set snap traps tonight. Place them against the walls, behind objects and in dark corners where droppings are, no more than about 10 feet apart (UC IPM). Use a tiny bit of bait and set the trigger lightly.
- Check traps every morning and keep trapping until a few nights pass with no catches and no new droppings.
- Seal the gaps. Close openings larger than 1/4 inch with metal, hardware cloth or concrete. UC IPM says foam, rubber, vinyl, plastic screening and wood are chewed through; steel wool is only a temporary plug.
- Take away food and cover. Move pet food, bird seed and grass seed into sealed bins, and get stored boxes off the garage floor.
- Clean up safely. Air the area out for 30 minutes, wear gloves, soak droppings with 1 part bleach to 9 parts water for 5 minutes, and wipe them up. Never sweep or vacuum them (CDC).
Skip the indoor poison. UC IPM says rodenticides are toxic to people, pets and wildlife, take several days to work, and can leave a dead mouse inside a wall. If you use bait outdoors, it belongs in a locked, tamper-resistant station.
Mouse Control in Phoenix: What the Service Does and Costs
Book help if you still find fresh droppings after a week of trapping, if you hear them in more than one room, or if you can't find how they're getting in. A mouse visit inspects the garage, kitchen, utility closets and the outside of the house at ground level, maps the entry points, traps inside, sets locked bait stations outside where it's appropriate, and shows you which gaps to seal. Then we check back until the activity stops.
A one-time diagnostic visit with treatment is $149. The plan is $50/month with treatment every 60 days and free callbacks. Start a plan the same day and your visit fee covers your first 3 months of the plan. See rodent control in Phoenix and pest control cost.
Mouse control in Phoenix · Chandler · Gilbert · Mesa · Tempe · Queen Creek · Glendale · all service areas
Mice in Arizona Homes: Questions
How do I get rid of mice in my house fast?
Set several snap traps tonight along the walls where you found droppings, no more than about 10 feet apart, and check them every morning. At the same time, find and seal the gaps they use, because UC IPM says house mice can get through openings as small as 1/4 inch. Trapping without sealing just makes room for the next mouse.
What is the best bait for mouse traps?
A small amount of whatever the mice are already eating works. UC IPM notes peanut butter is popular (but can be a problem for anyone with a peanut allergy), and that cotton balls or dental floss can work as nesting bait. Use a tiny amount and set the trigger lightly.
Why do I have mice in my house in Arizona?
Mice come in for food, water and shelter. In Phoenix-area homes they usually get in low: under a garage door with a worn seal, around the A/C line set or plumbing where it enters the wall, or through gaps at the weep screed. Pet food, bird seed and boxes stored on the garage floor give them a reason to stay.
Are glue traps or poison a good idea indoors?
UC IPM says adult mice often avoid glue boards, so they mostly catch young mice, and they must be kept away from kids and pets. Poison bait takes several days to work, every rodenticide is toxic to people, pets and wildlife, and because mice stay near their nests, a poisoned mouse often dies inside a wall and smells. Snap traps are the simpler choice inside the house.
Is it a mouse or a roof rat?
UC IPM describes an adult house mouse as 5 to 7 inches long including the tail, with large ears and small black eyes. A roof rat is about twice that, and it gets in high at the roofline instead of low under doors. Scratching in the attic at night and hollowed-out citrus point to roof rats.
How do I clean up mouse droppings safely?
The CDC says to open doors and windows for 30 minutes first, wear rubber or plastic gloves, spray droppings and nesting material with 1 part bleach to 9 parts water, let it soak 5 minutes, then wipe it up with paper towels. Don't sweep or vacuum droppings, which puts dust in the air.