Do you think there may be a family of mice living in your house? It is a scary thought, right? How do you find them, and where do mice hide in a house?
Your house is like a city to mice
The first thing you need to understand, and I am sure you already know this, is that your house will seem absolutely massive to a family of mice!
This makes finding them a huge challenge. When you get to know the signs of having mice in your house, the next step is to narrow down the options. To do that, you will need to know where mice hide in a house, then you can hunt them down and get rid of mice for good!
Contents
10 places that mice will hide in a house
The Attic
When asked ‘where do mice hide in a house?’, my first answer is always the attic!
This is the most common place you will find mice, and it is where I have found both mice and rats, again and again!
The biggest reason mice will choose your attic is that it is one of the only places in your house that is not frequently visited.
Mice have an extremely sensitive sense of smell, and they are likely to detect less of you in the attic than anywhere else in the home.
The problem is that most attics are full of junk! That is not a problem for mice (more stuff to chew on), but it is a problem when you need to find them.
Pile of Clothes
Mice like to be comfortable, and what is more comfortable than a box of old clothes! Again, as mice have an awesome sense of smell, they can detect if these clothes have been worn recently and will make a decision on whether or not they are safe to nest in them.
I am sure (like everyone else) that there are boxes of old clothes in your loft. If a mouse finds this box, it is like a penthouse apartment for them!
If you have space in your attic, it is worth setting up a zone where you can hang your clothes. It will help to stop mice from setting up home in them. This alone will not stop mice from using clothes as a home. Clothes have pockets, and pockets are a comfortable, warm place for a mice nest!
Boxes
As above, there are likely to be a large number of boxes in your attic, basement, or even around your house.
A box is not only a great hiding place but it also offers mice some material they can use to plump up their nest.
If you have mice in your house, there is nothing you can do to protect again mice damaging any boxes you may have. You can limit the number of boxes to reduce their hiding places.
Attic Insulation
Of all the mice I have found living in houses, attic insulation is the most common place for mice to hide.
Attic insulation offers comfort, warmth, and protection from prey and humans.
The big problem with mice in your insulation is the damage they make. Not only do they chew it and use it for bedding, but they also use it as a toilet. When you rid your house of mice, the cleanup operation is much worse when they have been nesting in insulation.
Finding a family of mice in attic insulation is going to be the most difficult. Not only is there lots of it, but most of it is likely to be covered by other items. As soon as you begin to move items and check for mice, they will know you are there and will rush off to find another safe place.
Sofa
Your sofa can be used as a home to a family of, particularly brave mice!
A safe offers comfort and a small amount of protection, especially if it is used often. mice are more likely to pick a sofa that is not used very often. If you have a spare room with a sofa in, this is a great opportunity for mice to settle.
The good news is that you will be acutely aware that your sofa is being used as a house, especially if you sit on it every night. The bad news is you may damage the sofa removing them. Mice will chew through the fabric and will use the section between the floor and the seats. That means you will need a bigger gap to get in there to see!
Walls
Most houses will have a gap between the drywalls and the brickwork. These are the routes that Mice will use to navigate your house, safely avoiding you and any pets that you have.
Mice will also use these runs to set up home because they will know that you will find it difficult to get to them.
The good news is, although that has been known to set up home here, they are most likely to keep them clear so they can use them as a route through your house.
Basement
Your basement is another place that you rarely visit, and that makes it a safe place for mice to be.
Not only is it safe from you, and safe from predators, basements are usually full of junk that Mice can use as bedding.
Your basement is just as attractive to mice as your attic is. With so many items in there, mice will be overwhelmed by the choice of bedding. Mice will use these places as a base while they navigate your house looking for food.
Venting Systems
Venting systems are small, cozy, and offer protection from predators. Although there are some predators that may be able to get in, so it will not be their first choice.
It goes without saying that if you have mice in your venting system so you will need to get them removed ASAP, as mice could be hazardous to your health, especially as a venting system offers an escape for certain gases.
Crawl Spaces
Crawl spaces in your house can also be a great place for mice to set up home. The bigger the area, the less likely it is that they will want to use it.
The chances increase as you begin to store items in crawl spaces. Many people use these to store old clothes, old documents, Christmas decorations, and many other things.
Storing items in crawl spaces will make the area feel more enclosed and more secure to mice. It is well worth keeping these spaces clear of clutter!
Cupboards
Your cupboards are a great choice for mice to set up home in your house. Mice will be acutely aware that cupboards are commonly accessed by humans. They will choose a cupboard in an area that is less likely to be visited by you.
If you have cupboards in your attic or basement, then these are perfect for mice.
Think twice about storing any clothing and especially any food in cupboards that you are not going to be accessing. This is also extremely important for cupboards in your attic or basement.
Conclusion
When you know where mice hide in your house, it makes the job much easier to hunt them down.
As the two most common places for mice to hide (attic and basement), I have a small number of mouse traps set up just waiting for them to appear, looking for a warm place to set up a home. Needless to say, I am very careful when going to the basement or attic!
It is difficult to cover other parts of your house because you do not want many traps that you can accidentally set off yourself.
If you think you have mice in your house, I wish you luck finding them.
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