There Is A Mouse In My Room, Is It Safe To Sleep? (Find Out Now!)
When I lived in a warehouse in Newark, we had a very serious mouse problem. As bad as it is to say, I actually got used to living with them because my “landlord” did nothing to solve the problem. Eventually, I found one dead on my bedroom floor and decided it was time to leave. Looking back, it’s pretty horrific. Was it even safe to sleep there?
It is not safe to sleep or even live in a house that has a mouse or rat problem. Mice are carriers of deadly diseases and can also bite you in your sleep. If you have a mouse problem, address it immediately with an exterminator or a landlord.
Mice might be cute pets, but they are absolutely nightmarish pests. If you recently saw a little brown or grey mouse scurry across your bedroom floor, you need to take care of this immediately.
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Is It Unsafe To Sleep In A Room That Has Mice?
I’ll be honest. Mice and homes do not mix unless the mouse is a pet in a cage. Wild mice (like the one scurrying around your room) are a clear danger to you. While the danger is generally not very high, there are serious risks that come with living around mice:
- Mice are major carriers of a slew of potentially lethal diseases. Mice carry hantavirus, listeria, typhoid, and salmonellosis. If they have fleas, then you could also end up with bubonic plague. (It’s rare, but it’s happened.) Any time you have a mouse near you or your food, you could end up with these diseases.
- If a mouse bites you, it’ll hurt and probably get infected. Here’s hoping you like rabies shots, because you might need them. Even if you don’t get rabies, most mouse bites will get severely infected. While the chances of having a mouse bite you in your sleep is slim, it’s still a chance.
- Mice can bring fleas into your home. You get two pests for the price of one. This is not a good thing. You might end up having to pay for two different extermination routines.
- Oh, and mice also chew through electrical wiring. This, in turn, can cause a house fire. Around 25 percent of all “unknown cause” house fires are suspected to be sparked by rodents. So, the threat to your home is very real.
What Should You Do If You Find A Mouse In Your Room?
The obvious answer is that you should try to address the mouse problem as soon as possible. If you are a renter, this means that you immediately call your landlord and schedule an emergency call to the exterminator. If you are a homeowner, then you have two choices: DIY extermination or calling a pro.
How Much Does Professional Mouse Extermination Cost?
It’s (thankfully) a lot cheaper than bed bug extermination, but it can still be pricey. Mouse extermination done by a professional will cost between $175 to $550 in most homes. If you have a very bad infestation, it could cost more. Hopefully, that is not the case.
If you didn’t see the mouse but have found something that looks like mouse droppings, it’s still worth calling an exterminator. If you want to prevent mice from coming back and get rid of them, you might have to pay anywhere from $200 to $600 in total.
Regardless of what you do, you may need to wait one to three months in order to get rid of mice. That’s how long it takes a professional to do it and ensure they’re all gone. If you have a small infestation, it might be sooner.
What Should You Do If You Got Bit By A Mouse?
Under no circumstances should you ever try to treat a mouse bite on your own, especially if the mouse bit you unprovoked. The best thing to do is call a doctor and explain the situation. They will be able to get you on antibiotics and get a rabies shot for you. Seriously. Don’t risk dying of rabies or hantavirus.
What Can You Do To Prevent Mice From Returning To Your Home?
In most cases, an exterminator will help you clear up your home and prevent them from coming back if you pay them. If you don’t want to pay for that service, then we suggest you do the following:
- Patch up any holes that the mouse made in your walls. If you think your wiring was damaged, get an electrician to fix it. This usually is not the case, but we strongly suggest looking into it at the very least.
- Lay out some mouse traps or rat poison. We at UpgradedHome only suggest doing this if you do not have kids or pets. If you lay out traps or poison, both children and pets can end up being harmed by them.
- Start implementing a major cleaning schedule. Mice only like places that have access to food, water, and warmth. They chew through boxes and bags in a heartbeat, so if you want to prevent them from returning, keep all foods in plastic or metal storage bins. Clean up your room so that no crumbs are left behind.
- Get a cat or a small dog. If you like cats, congrats. Mice will stay away from your home. If you want to have a dog that wards off (or eats) mice, go for a Rat Terrier or a Chihuahua. Those dog breeds are famous for their love of hunting mice.
- Consider buying plants that mice dislike, or using cleaning agents with oils that mice hate. Mice, like all rodents, have a seriously strong sense of smell. Cinnamon, clove, peppermint, and vinegar will repel most mice.
- Consider using an ultrasonic pest repellant. Mice can hear sounds we can’t. Pest control companies make plug-in devices that ward them off by emitting ultrasonic noise. While we are not entirely sure how effective these are, but you can definitely give them a shot.
What Should You Do If You Think Mice Came Back?
If you think mice came back, it’s best to search for evidence. If you hear scratching, see droppings, or have holes in your home, it’s time to call an exterminator. Mice are not something you should ever mess around with. The sooner that you get an exterminator, the better.
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Related Questions
Can a mouse climb up a wall?
Whether or not a mouse can scale your wall depends on the texture of your wall. Very smooth walls will not be able to give mice the grip they need to climb up the wall. However, if you have a very rough and jagged wall, there is a chance that mice will be able to find a way to grip the walls and start climbing.
Do mice hate the smell of onions?
While you might not want to use onions to clean your home, having onions planted near your house is a good move if you have mice around. Onions have a very strong smell that naturally repels mice. A common remedy older folks use is to place onions wherever mouse droppings are found. Replace the onions when they get old. Mice hate the smell and avoid them.
What food kills mice instantly?
If you need to kill mice quick, grab a box of instant dry mashed potatoes and add small piles of it around your home. Mice will smell the potatoes and eat it. The potatoes are very dry, which means that mice will go off to look for water shortly after they’re done eating.Once they drink water, the food quickly turns deadly. The potatoes will expand in the mouse’s stomach and throats. When it expands, it kills the mouse instantly. All you have to do after that is remove the dead mice from your home and toss them in the trash.
Ossiana Tepfenhart is an expert writer, focusing on interior design and general home tips. Writing is her life, and it's what she does best. Her interests include art and real estate investments.
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