Mouse control in Hoofddorp: entry points first
A trap in the kitchen will catch a mouse, but as long as the gap in the wall stays open, the next one simply moves in. That is why our approach begins with detective work. We trace droppings and gnaw marks back to the runs and look for the spot where the mice get into the house: a pipe opening in the crawl space, a broken air vent, a gap under the front door or an open joint in the brickwork.
We seal those openings with materials a mouse cannot chew through, such as wire wool, stainless steel mesh and sealant; an open joint gets a vent grille instead, so the cavity can still breathe. Only then do we set traps along the runs. Locked bait stations are used only where they are genuinely needed, because professional rodenticides may only be placed by a certified pest controller. Good mouse control tackles the cause as well, so the mice cannot simply return through the same gap a few weeks later.
Recognising signs of mice
Mice are mostly active at night, so you usually find their traces long before you see one:
- small, dark droppings no bigger than a grain of rice in drawers, cupboards and along skirting boards
- gnaw marks on packaging, soap, cables or insulation
- scurrying in the ceiling, the cavity wall or behind the fitted kitchen
- a sharp, stale smell of urine in a closed cupboard
- shredded paper or insulation in a warm corner: a nest
A greyish-brown mouse that stays indoors is usually a house mouse. A browner one with large ears and eyes, turning up mainly in autumn, is often a wood mouse from outside.
Why mice should not be ignored
A single mouse is rarely alone for long. Mice breed quickly, and a handful in the crawl space can grow into a sizeable population within a few months. They gnaw constantly to keep their teeth in check, including on electrical cables, water pipes and insulation, which can lead to short circuits or leaks.
Mice also leave urine and droppings wherever they go, worktops and food cupboards included, so anything they have nibbled is best thrown away. The sooner the entry points are closed, the smaller the problem stays.
What you can do yourself – and what to avoid
There is plenty you can do to make life hard for mice:
- Keep cereal, rice, biscuits and pet food in sealed glass or hard plastic containers.
- Do not leave birdseed on the ground or the patio.
- Set a snap trap with a dab of peanut butter at right angles to the wall, on the run.
- Avoid expanding foam for filling holes: mice chew straight through it.
Do not scatter loose poison. A poisoned mouse may die inside the cavity wall or under the floor, leaving a nasty smell, and pets can get to the bait too. If the droppings are noticeably larger and there are burrows in the garden, you may be dealing with rats; see our page on rat control.
Mice in offices, shops and apartment buildings
In commercial buildings, mice travel from floor to floor through cable trays, suspended ceilings and service shafts. Crumbs under desks, a pantry with open snacks and a canteen that empties in the evening make things easy for them. In premises like these we work with a fixed set of traps or bait stations, which we check on every visit.
In a building run by a VvE, treating one flat is often not enough, because the mice simply reach the neighbours through the shared crawl space and pipe ducts. We then advise an approach for the whole building. If small brown insects appear in the same kitchens, have a look at cockroach control. More about how we work is on our pest control in Hoofddorp page.
