:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/questions-and-answers-about-mice-2656489-02-781a27e6ac10434b97c9edf95a020348.jpg?ssl=1 "5 Ways Mice Sneak Into Homes as Weather Cools—and How to Stop Them")
Key Points
- Mice often try to overwinter in the warm indoors of a home; they get in through gaps and doors.
- Mice can also climb high and far, entering through the roof, plumbing, or stowed away in boxes.
- They are generally attracted to warmth, food sources, good hiding spots, and water.
If you’ve noticed signs of mice in your house, try not to panic. Mice move in packs and aren’t the easiest to get rid of, but learning their habits—and how they got into your house in the first place—is key to keeping them from coming back.
The best way to fend off these pesky rodents is to prevent them from getting inside in the first place. Keep reading to discover the surprising tactics mice will use to sneak in and what draws them to a home.
5 Common Ways Mice Get Inside Your Home
Liudmila Chernetska / Getty Images
Mice are sneaky creatures that will always find a way to get what they want. Here are some common ways they enter homes so you can learn how to combat them.
Gaps and Holes
Notice any gaps on your outer walls or holes beneath your deck? Mice have outstanding sensory abilities, meaning they can easily detect any openings where warm indoor air is flowing outside. Given their flexible body structure, mice can squeeze through open crevices the size of a quarter-inch button.
To make matters worse, these rodents can chew through wood, drywall, and insulation with their strong, sharp teeth and create a new hole to reach their target.
Want more cleaning and organizing tips? Sign up for our free daily newsletter for the latest hacks, expert advice, and more!
Doors and Windows
Faulty door sweeps, improperly sealed windows, gaps underneath doors, and easy-to-open pet doors are all welcome signs for mice.
The same goes for open windows, even if high up. Mice are clever climbers and can ascend any textured surface, be it a tree trunk, brick wall, or garden trellis.
Sewer Lines and Plumbing Systems
While it’s less common, mice can crawl through pipes and make their way inside via sinks, showers, and bathtubs. Fortunately, mice will avoid large amounts of water when possible and will only take this route if there’s no other option. Rats wouldn’t mind though, as they thrive in sewers.
Roofs and Vents
Mice will balance along wires, climb gutters, and leap from branches just to get on a roof, where they can enter through attic vents, gable vents, gaps in eaves, chimneys, and roof windows.
Once in the attic, they’ll build nests, chew through ceilings, and nibble on wires. Cover your downspouts, chimneys, and vents with wire mesh to prevent mice from sneaking into your house through the roof.
Storage Boxes and Stored Furniture
Sometimes, you might accidentally invite a mouse to your home without realizing it. Mice love nesting in cardboard boxes, upholstered furniture, and mattresses stored in secluded places like a shed or garage. To avoid this, double-check your boxes and stored furniture before bringing them indoors.
What Attracts Mice to Your House?
Tenra / Getty Images
In order to get rid of mice, you should probably have some idea of why they entered in the first place. Here are some common reasons you can address if they apply.
Food Sources
Did you know that an adult mouse can get by on only 1/10 ounce of food per day? Mice will go anywhere there is available food, and unfortunately aren’t picky eaters at all. Some of their favorites include cereal grains—like wheat, oats, and barley—and anything sweet.
They will always gravitate toward food that is easily accessible, so watch out for leftover snacks, pet food, pantry items, unsecured trash, and bird feeders.
Warning
Mice can contaminate both human and animal foods. Discard easily accessible food stored in plastic or paper containers to avoid contamination. Be sure to store all food items (including pet treats) in airtight containers made of glass, metal, or heavy-duty plastic.
Warmth and Shelter
Just like humans, mice prefer to stay warm when it’s cold outside and typically migrate indoors during the fall or winter. Your home is more likely to be chosen if it has a heating system, good insulation, and plenty of enclosed spaces, such as wall voids and cluttered basements.
Mice are also drawn to appliances that emit heat, particularly refrigerators, water heaters, dryers, and ovens.
Water Availability
Most mice fulfill their water needs from the food they eat, though they rarely pass up the chance to drink from a direct water source when they find one.
When inside, mice often turn to pet water bowls, dripping taps, overwatered houseplants, and condensation on kitchen appliances or windows to quench their thirst. In the absence of water, they look for moisture in damp rooms like basements and attics.
Vegetation
You’ve stored your food in sealed containers, eliminated water sources, and decluttered your entire house, yet mice are still attracted to your property? Your garden may be to blame.
Fruit and vegetable gardens are a godsend for mice: They offer hiding spots, fresh food, and potential nesting materials. Even worse, mice are big fans of seeds and will devour freshly planted seeds.
Try installing a garden fence to keep rodents and other pests away. Choose fences with smooth surfaces they can’t grip, bars they can’t squeeze through, materials they can’t chew, and a height they can’t jump over.