Having mice at any time of year can be disruptive, but the most common time to find them in your home is winter. They go into homes in search of food, shelter and a place to nest. When you hear them scurrying around at night, you may feel sorry for them. After all, they’re innocent little scavengers seeking shelter. However, ignoring the problem can lead to serious issues for your home, your health and your property. Here’s why you shouldn’t ignore a mice infestation: 

Destructive Habits

Even if they don’t mean to be, mice can be destructive. They like to gnaw on furniture, wiring and insulation, mostly in search of nesting materials. Mice also have a habit of getting into food, often destroying the container and spoiling the food in the process. 

Indirect Damage Caused

The droppings and urine mice leave behind have the potential to cause diseases like Salmonellosis and Hantavirus. They can also damage surfaces in your home. Mouse dander is typically harmless, but if someone in your house has a rodent allergy or asthma, it can cause a reaction. 

Psychological Impact

Having mice in your house may just be annoying for you, but for younger members of the family, it can be scary. They might be afraid of being bitten by mice, potentially losing sleep over it. The mice may keep everyone awake with the noises they make. Loss of sleep isn’t good for anyone’s mental health. 

A Growing Problem

When you find a mouse in your house, it’s never just one mouse. You often have multiple mice who are building a nest to create even more mice. Therefore, the mice problem you have can quickly become a full-blown infestation. This means it will become more difficult — and more expensive — to manage. 

How to Know if You Have Mice

A mice infestation is typically easy to detect. You’ll hear scratching noises and may find droppings and chewed up materials around your home. You may find grease stains on the wall and start to smell a foul odor. If you have a serious problem, you may even see mice scurrying around the house. 

What to Do About an Infestation

When you find that your home has an infestation, start by cleaning up the mess you’ve found. Then, fully seal any food that mice could get into. Seal cracks and gaps in your home that they could enter through. To eliminate the mice from your home, set an appointment with a pest control company to ensure an effective and safe extermination. 

If you’re dealing with a winter mice infestation, the Des Moines mice control experts at Pro-Staff can help. We’ll inspect for mice, remove them from your home and take steps to prevent a future infestation. Call us at 515-279-7378 or contact us online for a free inspection.