Here's Why You Are Finding Mice in Your House

Mice don’t need an invitation to move in. Once they find food, warmth, and shelter, they’ll build nests behind your walls or in your attic, and they certainly won’t leave on their own. Knowing why mice target homes and what signs to watch for can help you stop an infestation before it gets worse.

Signs You Might Have Mice in Your Home

You don’t have to see a mouse to know they’re around. Look for these common signs of rodent activity:

• Scratching or squeaking noises coming from behind walls, ceilings, or floorboards—especially at night.
• Droppings under sinks, in cabinets, or along baseboards.
• Chewed food packaging or bite marks on boxes, wires, or insulation.
• Nests made from shredded paper, fabric, or insulation tucked away in hidden areas.
• Grease marks or small footprints along walls, pipes, or dusty surfaces.

Even a single sign can indicate a larger infestation, as mice reproduce quickly once inside.

Why Mice Come Into Homes

Mice are opportunistic—they enter homes for basic survival. Here’s why your property may be attracting them:

They’re Looking for Warmth and Shelter

As temperatures drop in the fall and winter, mice seek warm, protected spaces to nest. 

Common hiding spots include:

• Inside wall cavities.
• Beneath floorboards or behind appliances.
• Around hot water tanks or HVAC units.
• In attics, crawl spaces, or basements.

Your Home Offers Easy Access to Food

Mice are small enough to squeeze into cabinets and drawers in search of food. 

Mice like to snack on foods, like:

• Cereal, grains, and pet food.
• Nuts, seeds, and sugary snacks.
• Scraps or leftovers left in open trash bins.

Small Openings Make Entry Easy

Mice can squeeze through openings as small as a dime. If your home has gaps around doors, vents, siding, or utility lines, you may be unknowingly inviting them in. Once they've discovered and settled into your comfy home, they won't want to leave.

Clutter Provides Ideal Hiding Spots

Storage areas filled with boxes, old furniture, or unused appliances offer perfect cover for mice to rest and nest undisturbed. If your home has a cluttered basements, garages, or attic, your property will be especially appealing to rodents.

They’re Avoiding Predators

Indoors, mice are shielded from outdoor predators like hawks, owls, foxes, and coyotes. When natural threats increase or food becomes scarce, homes become even more appealing.

How to Make Your Home Less Attractive to Mice

You can greatly reduce your risk of infestation by making your home harder to access and less appealing to mice:

• Seal all cracks and entry points using caulk, steel wool, or mesh—especially around pipes, vents, and utility lines.
• Store all food in airtight containers and clean up crumbs or spills right away.
• Take out trash regularly and use bins with tight-fitting lids.
• Fix leaks and reduce moisture in basements, under sinks, and around appliances.
• Declutter storage areas like garages, basements, and attics to remove hiding spots.
• Keep firewood, debris, and vegetation away from your foundation to prevent nesting near entry points.

These steps can deter mice and stop future infestations from taking hold.

Get Rid of Mice in Your House Today

At Clancy Brothers Pest Control, we’ve been providing reliable rodent control services to homeowners and business-owners for over 63 years. Our team knows how to find where mice are getting in, remove existing infestations, and stop the problem from coming back. If you’ve taken the right steps and still see signs of mice, it’s time to call a pest control expert before the problem gets worse. 

Reach out for professional help if:

• You continue hearing scratching at night or finding droppings.
• You’ve located more than one nest or damaged insulation.
• There’s visible damage to wires, boxes, or food packaging.
• You suspect the issue might involve rats or a larger rodent problem.

We offer same-day service for fast relief when you need it most, and Saturday appointments for added scheduling flexibility. All of our rodent control services are backed by a satisfaction guarantee, so you can feel confident knowing your home is in good hands from the start. Contact us today so our professionals can help you immediately.