How to Keep Mice out of Modular Home
When you discover mice in your modular home, it can be horrifying.
Even if you keep your home immaculately clean, you will still occasionally deal with these little rodents.
How to Keep Mice out of Modular Home
Once you discover mice in your modular home, you will want to get rid of them as soon as possible.
Not only can they cause major damage to your home, they can also carry viruses and bacteria.
There are many different things that you can do, including putting out poison, covering holes, and much more.
As soon as you see one mouse, you can rest assured that there are more around.
A female mouse can have babies at least five times a year, and when they have babies, they can have around five babies at a time.
This can quickly overrun your home.
Signs Of Mouse Entry
Fortunately, you will never have a silent mouse infestation.
Seeing the signs below will allow you to know that you need to address the problem quickly.
Look for holes
Inspect your modular home frequently for any signs of holes in the wall.
Look down towards the baseboards as this is where they will come in. You will also want to look at your plumbing pipes and where your dryer vent comes in.
Make sure that there is not a space where a mouse can get through. Remember, mice can get through holes that are tinier than they are.
Mouse droppings
Mouse droppings look like small back pebbles, and you will find them all around your house, wherever the mice are going.
Once you see the droppings, it is important to get them up as soon as possible. The droppings can carry bacteria and make your home smell awful.
Sounds
At night, you may hear the mice scurrying around your house getting into things.
You may also hear them squeak. As soon as you hear this sound, you will want to learn quickly how to keep mice out of your modular home.
Food
If you notice there are empty food boxes or boxes that have been chewed into in your pantry or cabinets, this is an indicator that you have a mouse problem.
How To Treat The Mouse Problem
There are several different ways that you can treat a mouse problem. Doing all of them is a great way to ensure that the mice stay out of your modular home.
Here are some ideas:
Mouse Traps
One of the best ways to get the mice out of your home is to get a mousetrap.
Mousetraps are cheap, and most of the time you can reuse them. Mousetraps were first invented in the late 1800s and have been very effective.
You can purchase them at just about any store, and they typically come in packs of four or more.
The best way to set the trap is to use peanut butter.
If you use bread or cheese, the mouse may be able to get it off without setting off the trap.
Remember that there is always more than one mouse, so make sure that you set several traps.
There are mouse traps out there that you can get that hide the dead mouse so that you do not have to see it.
If you have a large mouse infestation problem, you may want to look at ways to build your own mousetrap that can catch several at a time.
Mouse Glue Traps
Glue traps work well to catch mice that enter your modular home.
It is important, though, that you place these glue traps away from your other pets as they can easily become stuck on them.
You should put these glue traps in locations like kitchen cabinets or even underneath your home. It is important to note that the mice you catch will still be alive with these kinds of traps.
Dealing With Your Trash
Mice can smell food for miles, and if they smell your trash, they could be tempted to come into your modular home.
To ensure that they do not smell your trash, make sure that you take it to your outside trashcans daily.
Even just leaving a small amount of trash in your cans can create a smell that mice cannot resist.
Pet Food
If you have pets, you will have pet food sitting around in your home.
These paper bags do not block the smell of the food. This smell can attract mice very quickly.
Instead of leaving the food in a paper bag, purchase a sturdy plastic container. This container will help block the smell of the food, and a mouse will have a hard time chewing into it.
Adopt A Cat
If you have a mouse problem in your modular home and want to deal with the problem in a more natural way besides using a trap, consider adopting a cat.
Your local animal shelter or rescue group will have plenty for you to choose from. Your cat not only will help to catch any mice in your home.
The smell of the cat will help to deter mice from coming into your home.
Trimming Tree Limbs
This might sound weird, but if you notice a mouse in your home and you have tree limbs next to your home, you need to trim them back. This is because mice can climb.
They have small claws on their feet that can help them to climb straight up.
Encapsulating Your Crawl Space
A crawl space is a perfect spot for mice to hide and sleep in. They can easily access your modular home very quickly and can enter places such as your ductwork or plumbing drains.
Getting your crawlspace encapsulated where no rodents can get in is imperative and is also good for helping keep moisture away from your home.
You will need a professional to encapsulate your crawlspace for you.
Dealing With Ductwork Issues
If you hear mice scurrying around in your ductwork, this is something you need to address immediately. There is a hole somewhere in your ductwork.
Not only will this cause your heating and cooling system to not work well, but you will also be breathing rodent droppings which can lead to many different issues.
Periodically inspect your ductwork, and if you find any holes, you will want to call an HVAC professional out as soon as possible.
Mouse Poison
You can, of course, put mouse poison out in your home, but it comes with several different problems.
The mouse will eat the poison and then die somewhere in your home. This can lead to a very stinky mess, especially if you cannot find the mouse.
Poison also puts your pets and children at risk as well as they could find it and ingest it. Your pets may also ingest a mouse that has eaten the poison.
If you do use mouse poison, put it in a secure location and monitor it carefully. Once you find that all the poison is gone, you will want to inspect your home for the dead mice.
Use Peppermint Oil For Natural Mouse Repellent
If you want to go a more all-natural route when dealing with mice, a good idea is to use peppermint essential oil.
Mice hate the smell of peppermint essential oil and will avoid it at all costs.
Take cotton balls and soak them in the essential oil. You will then want to place them wherever you have seen mice, including under your home.
Calling An Exterminator
If all else fails and you are unable to get rid of the mice, you will want to call an exterminator.
You can find an exterminator to treat your mobile home by looking online at sites like HomeAdvisor and Angie’s List.
An exterminator can come out and treat the mice problem and work with you to ensure that they do not come into your home again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are mice really harmful?
Yes, mice are very harmful both to your health and your home.
Mice can carry diseases like the bubonic plague, and their feces can carry a bacterium that causes issues with breathing.
Mice can also chew into walls, wires, and even plumbing piping.
If I only see one mouse, my house is not infested, right?
False. If you see one mouse, you have got more somewhere else.
Mice are heavy breeders and like to make colonies. One mouse could soon turn into an entire infestation.
Is using mouse poison safe?
No. This is especially true if you have pets or small children in your home.
The use of mouse poison is also bad for the environment.
For example, if a mouse eats the poison and then goes outside where a hawk or owl gets it, they later die from being poisoned.
Do natural measures work with a rodent infestation?
Using natural methods like peppermint oil or traps can help you to rid yourself of a rodent infestation easily.
Is there a humane way to rid your modular home of mice?
If you prefer to remove the mice from your home while they are still alive, there are live traps that will allow you to do so.
Just keep in mind if you release the mice on your property, they will more than likely head right back to your home.
Final Thoughts
Mice in your modular home can be problematic, and you will want to learn how to keep mice out of modular home and follow it.
Just because you got rid of the mouse infestation you have now does not mean they will not come back.
Always stay vigilant when it comes to mice, and you will not have to deal with any home damage or risk.
