Mouse or rat in your house: what to do right now
Seeing a mouse or rat run across the floor is upsetting, but it is not dangerous in the moment. Your first job is to keep it in one room, protect your food, and set traps in the right spots.
Do this now
- 1Move kids and pets out of the room and close the door.
- 2Roll a towel against the gap under the door to keep it in that room.
- 3Put open food into sealed containers or the refrigerator.
- 4Set snap traps along the walls, with the trigger end touching the wall.
- 5Bait traps with a small dab of peanut butter and place them where kids and pets cannot reach.
- 6Check traps every morning and wear gloves when you empty them.
Don't
- Don't use poison bait in the living space. Rodents can die inside walls, and bait is a risk to kids and pets.
- Don't sweep or vacuum dry droppings, which can stir up dust.
- Don't handle a mouse or rat, alive or dead, with bare hands.
- Don't leave pet food or crumbs out overnight.
Get help immediately if
- Someone was bitten or scratched: wash with soap and water and call a doctor.
- You see rats indoors, or many mice in the same week: get professional help soon.
- You find chewed wiring or smell burning plastic: call an electrician right away.
Mouse or rat, and why it matters
House mice are small, with large ears and droppings about the size of a grain of rice. Norway rats are much larger, with blunt noses and droppings closer to the size of a raisin. Both are mostly active at night and follow walls rather than crossing open floors. Learn more on our mice and rats pages.
One mouse in the kitchen is rarely alone. Mice can squeeze through gaps about the size of a dime, and they breed quickly once they find food and shelter. Fall is the busiest season in Michigan, when cooler weather drives rodents indoors. Finding where they get in matters as much as catching the ones inside.
Cleaning up droppings safely
CDC guidance is to never sweep or vacuum dry rodent droppings or nesting material, because that can raise dust into the air. Open windows to air out the area first. Wear rubber or plastic gloves, spray the droppings with a disinfectant or a bleach and water mix, and let it soak for about five minutes.
Then wipe it up with paper towels, bag the waste, and clean the area again. Wash gloved hands, then wash bare hands well with soap and water. Hantavirus is rare in Michigan, but this is the standard precaution for any rodent cleanup. For a heavy infestation, a licensed pro can handle trapping, sealing and cleanup.
What it costs
$150 to $450per treatment plan
Price depends on how many rodents there are, whether it is mice or rats, and how much entry sealing the house needs. After-hours or same-day visits often cost more. These are typical ranges, not quotes.
Typical ranges, not quotes. More on mice and the Michigan cost guide.
Common questions
Is it safe to sleep with a mouse in the house?
Yes. Mice avoid people and rarely bite unless handled. Close the bedroom door, put a towel along the gap underneath, and keep food out of bedrooms. Set traps in the kitchen and along walls where you saw it.
Why not use poison inside the house?
Poisoned rodents often die inside walls or ceilings, which causes a strong odor that can last weeks. Bait can also be eaten by children or pets. Snap traps placed out of reach are the safer choice indoors.
How do I know if I have more than one mouse?
Fresh droppings in several rooms, gnaw marks, shredded paper or fabric, and scratching in walls at night all point to more than one. If you keep catching mice after the first week, it is time to find and seal the entry points.
Other emergencies
- Raccoon in the house
- Noises in the attic or walls
- Bat in the house
- Squirrel in the attic
- Bird in the house or a vent
- Animal in the chimney
- Animal in the garage or basement
- Skunk under the deck
- Groundhog under the deck or shed
- Opossum in the garage or basement
- Snake in the house
- Wasp nest near the door
- Bees swarming or in a wall
- Dead animal smell