Nobody wants to have a mouse or other rodent infestation on their property. This situation becomes even more upsetting when a resident spots droppings from these rodents on the floors and other belongings in the home. One of the best ways to take care of a pest control issue is to know what to look for and when it is time to call a professional service, such as a company specializing in mice control in Kitchener, to help take care of the issue. Here are three things that all homeowners should know about mouse droppings on their residential property.

1. What They Look Like

Many people describe mouse droppings as looking like small pellets. More specifically, mouse feces:

• Appear dark brown or almost black in colour 

• Contain a pointed shape on each side

• Are around five millimetres in length, or sometimes a couple of millimetres shorter or longer 

• Accumulate under a rodent’s nest, much like with bird droppings

It is also helpful to know whether or not the feces are fresh, as this may indicate that the rodents are nearby and are therefore easier for a residential pest control service to locate. People can distinguish fresh droppings by their darker and somewhat wet appearance. New feces are also more doughy in texture as they have not yet had the opportunity to become dry while sitting out in the air. Homeowners should also note that mouse droppings can look similar to the droppings of cockroaches and rats, so they should keep an eye out for those pests as well if they see signs of what they believe to be mouse poop.

2. How To Clean Them

Because they have the potential to be dangerous, it is important that homeowners know a little bit about how best to clean rodent droppings. Contacting a home pest control to come out to the property is the safest and most effective way to not only get rid of the poop but to ensure that the pests responsible for the droppings are eradicated from the residence. However, if someone wants to clean as much as they can right away, it is prudent to do the following:

• Find some disposable rubber gloves before handling any droppings

• Air out the room where the droppings are located; this is important because many diseases carried by rodents are spread through contaminated air 

• Refrain from vacuuming up the feces; instead, pour a solution of water and bleach on the affected area, let it set and then collect the droppings in a sealed plastic bag 

• Dispose of the bag and scrub the remaining area

People should keep in mind that even if the area appears clean after taking those steps, the rodents can still return and cause even larger problems.

3. What Health Dangers Lurk Underneath

Rodents are notorious for spreading disease, and their feces are one of the main ways that they spread things such as hantavirus, leptospirosis and salmonella to people. All three illnesses can be fatal and may cause particularly severe symptoms in children and people with suppressed immune systems. Harmful substances can lurk in the feces for several days, which is why it is especially important to be able to recognize the droppings and have a professional take care of the matter right away.

If a homeowner sees any type of droppings in or around their house, including what they believe to be mouse droppings, they should contact a pest control service such as Truly Nolen Canada right away. We can identify signs of rodents, ants, spiders and other pests and take care of them in a safe and timely manner.