Tag Archives: mouse control

How to safely clean up mouse poop

Residential Pest Control / December 01, 2022

Summary: 

Mice are often hard to spot as they are nocturnal and like to stay hidden. However, a single mouse produces between 50 and 75 pellet-shaped droppings (aka poop) every day! Although disgusting this means that droppings are a good indicator of an infestation. It’s very important to follow proper safety precautions whenever you may be in close contact with mice, their nests, their droppings or urine as mice are known to carry and transmit disease – read on to learn how. 

Canadian Mice 

There are many species of mice but the most common mice that cause problems for homeowners in Canada are the house mouse and the deer mouse. The house mouse is found throughout southern Canada including in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. Unlike deer mice which mainly invade homes in the fall when temperatures start to drop, house mice enter homes year-round. Deer mice are found throughout every province and territory in Canada except for Newfoundland and Nunavut, however they are more common rurally as they thrive in grasslands and forests. 

How to Identify Mouse Droppings?

It can be difficult to tell mouse droppings from rat droppings or those of other pests but the size is really the key indicator. Mouse droppings or pellets resemble dark grains of rice about 3 to 6 mm in length whereas rat droppings are larger, around 12 mm in length. The colour will change depending on how old they are, over time the pellets dry and transition from a shiny black colour to a chalky brown. 

Mouse droppings

Are Mouse Droppings Toxic?

The droppings of deer mice have been known to cause a serious lung disease called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) when inhaled. Although cases are rare it still warrants precaution as it has a 40% mortality rate. Hantavirus can also be spread through their urine and through any food contaminated by mice. This is why it’s so important to take proper safety precautions when cleaning mouse droppings. 

How to Clean up Mouse Droppings

What you’ll need: 

  • Rubber or disposable gloves
  • N95 mask
  • Garbage bags 
  • Paper towels 
  • Diluted bleach or disinfectant in a spray bottle 
  • Long pants & long sleeve shirt

Step 1 – Protect yourself 

Never touch mouse droppings with your bare hands and avoid breathing in the same area. 

As discussed above mouse pellets can carry diseases that can be transferred in a variety of ways including becoming air born. To protect yourself, rubber or disposable gloves and an N95 respirator should be worn when cleaning up mouse droppings, as well as long pants and a long sleeve shirt. 

Step 2 – Air Out 

If possible, open surrounding doors and windows at least 30 minutes before cleaning so that the area is well-ventilated. However, if the wind could blow in and move the droppings around do not proceed with this step. Additionally, make sure that pets and children have no access to the area for the entirety of the cleaning. 

Step 3 – Soak

Do not sweep or vacuum up droppings! These will both promote pathogens becoming air born. Instead, dampen the dropping and surrounding area with a diluted bleach solution (one part bleach and 9 parts water) or an appropriate household disinfectant making sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Let the bleach or disinfectant sit for at least 5 minutes before continuing. 

Step 4 – Wipe & Remove 

Wipe up the dropping with a bleach-dampened paper towel and immediately place them in a garbage bag. After all the droppings have been removed tie the garbage bag up securely and dispose of it in an outdoor bin that is emptied regularly.

Step 5 – Disinfect the Area

Clean the area thoroughly with diluted bleach or disinfectant. Make sure to disinfect your gloves as well before removing them and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after.

Step 6 – Monitor

You will want to reinspect the area where you cleaned up the droppings regularly. If droppings reappear it’s a strong sign of an infestation. 

Mouse chewing wire

If you are dealing with a heavy accumulation of mouse droppings the situation becomes more hazardous and it is best to contact a pest control specialist like Terminix to keep you and your family safe. The same goes for if you feel unsure about any of the steps outlined above – don’t risk it, call in a trusted professional. 

Terminix Canada offers expert pest control services for both residential and commercial properties. We have local pest control experts at locations across Canada including BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Call us today to learn how we can help.

How to Keep Rodents Out of Your Home this Winter

Fall Pest Control / November 17, 2022

Summary: 

Fall is a beautiful season in Canada, but as the temperature drops your home becomes very attractive to rodents who are seeking a warmer environment in which to spend the winter. Mice and rats will be particularly persistent in trying to enter your home. Check out the video below in which Shawn from Terminix Canada takes us through the telltale signs of rodents in and around the home and identifies common ways they may enter the home.

How to Identify a Rodent Problem 

Just because you haven’t seen a rodent in or around your home doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Many rodents such as rats and mice are nocturnal and will only come out when you’re not home or are sleeping. This is why it’s so important to know the other common warning signs of a rodent problem such as signs of rummaging in the garbage or compost bin, burrowing in the yard, or holes that have been chewed in the walls or floor. Additionally, chewed food packaging, small rice-shaped droppings or unexplained musty smells are all strong signs rodents have already set up shop in your home. You will also want to pay special attention to any scurrying sound you may hear in the wall or ceiling at night as they can help you locate these pesky critters. 

Are Rodents Dangerous? 

Rodent infestations are quite hazardous not only because they can be territorial, but because they often carry a variety of diseases. Rats and mice are notorious for leaving toxic droppings around the home and spoiling food. Rodent teeth also continuously grow and they must frequently chew to grind them down to an appropriate length. This is why they often chew through wires and cause structural damage to the home. It is because of these risks that rodent prevention and exclusion methods are so important to keep you and your family safe. 

rat in bathroom

How to Prevent a Rodent Problem

The number one thing that attracts rodents to the area is a food source and they are not picky about what they consume! Open garbage cans, bird feeders, food scraps on counters and pet food all look like tasty meals to these animals. It’s very important to clean up and seal food properly to prevent attracting these pests. 

Rodents also need shelter, particularly during winter to avoid the worst of the cold. To prevent them from finding their way into the warmth of your home you’ll want to close any holes in the side of your house. Even small holes should be treated – mice have been known to fit through holes as small as a quarter inch round or about the size of a pencil! Large holes or cracks should be stuffed with steel wool or wire mesh before sealing with caulk or foam, otherwise, rodents could chew through and enter. Thick weather stripping should also be installed on the bottom of all doors to create a proper seal. 

rat eating seeds

How to Treat a Rodent Infestation 

There are a couple of options when it comes to traps we recommend – there are live traps that can be used to humanely remove these rodents from the home or standard traps that provide homeowners with a permanent solution that minimizes suffering. 

However, as mentioned earlier, dealing with these rodents is quite hazardous and not something we recommend inexperienced homeowners attempt. Don’t risk the health of you or your family- call on a licensed professional to get the job done quickly and safely. 

Terminix Canada offers expert pest control services for both residential and commercial properties. We have local pest control experts at locations across Canada including BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Call us today to learn how we can help.

Quit Making The Same DIY Pest Control Mistakes & Learn Proper Pest Control

Ants / February 14, 2022

If you’ve encountered a pest control problem in your home, it’s likely you’ll try and control the problem yourself using DIY pest control. Well, after you shake your fist and ask, “how could this happen to me?!” like you’re the main character in your own Shakespearean Tragedy.

We hate the be the bearer of bad news, but sometimes DIY pest control can cause more harm than good. Especially if you’re treating pest control as a one-size-fits-all solution.

To help you avoid falling at the first hurdle, we’ve gathered the most common mistakes. This way, you can learn from other’s errors and become a master of proper pest control.

READ MORE: DIY PEST CONTROL IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN YOU’D THINK

Mistake #1: Squish And Move On

The litre of orange juice you drank earlier is wreaking havoc on your bladder. So, in a hurry you dash off to the basement bathroom. There, you encounter a handful of cockroaches casually strolling along the bathroom floor. Nature is urgently calling, so you quickly squish them and continue to take care of your own business. Once done, you wipe the roaches’ remains off the floor with a paper towel.

“Goodbye cockroaches!” you say smugly as you toss them in the garbage. However, if you thought that was going to be the last time you encountered roaches, you’re sadly mistaken.

Without finding the original source of cockroaches, spiders, ants, or any other household pest problem, you’re likely to have a new problem pop up in a couple days. Until you discover how those buggers got into your home in the first place, you’ll be dealing with a whole new group of creepy-crawlies on the bathroom floor tomorrow or the next day.

Once you’ve discovered how they entered your home, it’s important to seal any cracks, gaps or holes surrounding your windows, doors, seams, and foundation.

From there, it’s a good idea to spend some time researching the proper pest control methods for your pest. This could mean setting pest-specific traps, utilizing insecticide, or hiring a pest control company like Terminix Canada.

Mistake #2: One Trap Doesn’t Fit All

Just like bigger critters, each pest is unique. As much as you may hate them all equally, wants, needs and desires differ from pest to pest. You wouldn’t use honey to attract horses or a mouse trap to catch a dog, so why are you using the same traps for all pests?

Buying a generic trap for all pests is one of the most common mistakes made by homeowners. In order for your traps to be successful, and not just a waste of money, you’ll have to investigate exactly what kind of penny-sized monster you’re dealing with. This will allow you to successfully buy the necessary traps, insecticides, or other insect deterrents.

If you are unable to decipher what kind of pest is wreaking havoc in your home, now is a good time to put the traps down and pick up the phone. Consult with a local pest control company that can identify the pests that are plaguing you, and help you sort the problem out effectively and efficiently.

READ MORE: DO CATS KEEP MICE AWAY? PROS & CONS OF THIS DIY PEST CONTROL METHOD

Mistake #3: Know Your Enemy

Even once you’ve determined exactly what pest has invaded your home, do you really know the best way to wage war? It’s important to truly understand who and what you’re up against.

Many homeowners place traps where their pest adversaries aren’t hanging out. For instance, you won’t find rodents in the middle of a room. Instead, you should be placing rodent traps along walls, behind the refrigerator, and in other dark corners.

Additionally, you may catch a few adult mice in a couple of days with your traps. However, odds are that there are still young mice lingering around. Therefore, it’s best to leave rodent traps out for a few weeks, so you can catch the remaining runts of the litter.

If you don’t get rid of the entire infestation, then they will simply multiply back to the levels they were at when you first discovered you had a problem. Two mice is all it takes to soon create a mischief of mice. 

Mistake #4: Don’t Neglect Your Pet

We know you would never purposely neglect your pet. However, it can be easy to do when trying to remove an unknown infestation from your home. If you think you may have a flea, tick, or parasite infestation, you must also treat your pets for the potential problem.

If you leave your pet untreated, you risk causing them prolonged health problems. Additionally, you’ll never fully be rid of the infestation until your pet is pest-free. Your loveable fur-ball is the perfect vessel to smuggle pests into your home or provide them a safe shelter to continue to procreate in.

Mistake #5: Not Calling The Experts

Sometimes you’ll be tasked with a pest infestation too great to handle on your own. In these circumstances, it’s best to swallow your pride and call in the pros!

If you are looking for tried-and-tested pest control services in your home, contact Terminix Canada today for a free consultation. We can help you get to the root of your pest control problem and implement effective, efficient, and affordable pest control solutions.

Find your local Terminix Canada branch today, so you can stop waging a losing war against pests.

How To Keep Mice Away The Professional Way

Residential Pest Control / September 27, 2021

The answer to “how to keep mice away” is simply letting the household pet cat loose, right?

It’s engrained in our sub-conscious that our favourite felines are calculated killers ready to wipe out every single mouse that enters our properties. Unfortunately, it’s not so easy to get rid of mice the old-fashioned way.

Take it from Canada’s top pest control company. Proper and effective rodent control takes a lot, lot more effort than a couple of hastily laid mousetraps, bits of cheese, and your pet cat.

How To Keep Mice Away: Does DIY Rodent Control Work?

Firstly, there is a big issue with Canadian homeowners taking on rodent control themselves. In short, they might be able to win the battle, but they’ll likely lose the war.

Ultimately, if rodent removal isn’t undertaken as part of a larger rodent control strategy, you’re just treating symptoms rather than cutting out the infection at large.

Take mousetraps for instance. Sure, a traditional mousetrap can work early on to get rid of mice before they breed. However, they’re ineffective at combatting a large of community of mice.

Poison baits can work on a larger scale. Nevertheless, if you have mice in the walls and they die, you won’t be able to remove the corpses before they decompose. This will only cause unwelcome odours and attract other pests and scavengers.

Additionally, there’s family health concerns too. Leaving industrial strength poisons willy-nilly around your home can be extremely dangerous. This is true especially if you have young and inquisitive children around. Moreover, handling mice poison or mice killers on your own without proper care, attention and supervision can also pose a serious health risk.

How To Keep Mice Away: Why You Should Hire A Mouse Exterminator Instead

So after reading all of those limitations, it’s pretty clear that DIY rodent control isn’t worth your while.

After all, you wouldn’t perform eye surgery by yourself. So why would you get rid of mice without consulting a professional mouse exterminator? When you enlist the help of an expert Terminix Canada mouse control technician, you get results and peace of mind. Using tried-and-tested methods, we get rid of mice in a humane and environmentally friendly manner.

For instance, our mice extermination methods may include placing special mice bait stations at strategic locations outside your home. In short, you can bypass a rodent infestation entirely because mice will be attracted to exterior food sources before bothering to venture inside your residence.

Ultimately, our team will devise a mice removal plan that is unique to your property and your mice infestation. On your initial service, we’ll hunt high and low for mice, documenting our findings in a comprehensive mice inspection. Then, after investigating your mice problem, we’ll deploy our long-term rodent solutions to prevent mice returning.

The bottom line is, if mice come back to your home, so will our professional rodent control team. Our custom rodent removal techniques adapt with the seasons to address seasonal rodent activity in your local area.

Leave Rodent Control To The Professionals At Terminix Canada

Remember, there’s no shame in getting help with mice control from a professional mice exterminator.

Beyond helping you get rid of mice, our integrated rodent control takes steps to prevent subsequent mice infestations by identifying vulnerabilities in your foundation, among other preventative measures.

Backed by over 90 years of pest control experience, Terminix Canada is your go-to mouse exterminator for handling mice infestations big or small. To get residential rodent control services near you, visit our Branch Locator, find your nearest Terminix Canada branch, and give them a call for your free consultation.

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