Where in your home or business should you start to look for the signs of mice and damage they can cause? Mice are agile and are inquisitive creatures, able to use their flexible skeletons to squeeze into the tiniest spaces, so you need to be pragmatic and check a building for mice from the very top to the bottom, inside and out. Here are some common places you might find mice hiding within a property.

• Lofts, attics & eaves – mice will shred soft materials like loft insulation, paper, cardboard and any fabrics you may have stored away (from woollen scarves to lace tablecloths. They will shred these items to line their nests. Also check for scattered mouse droppings and an ammonia like smell. This can be quite strong in a confined space like a loft.
• Kitchens & laundries – check behind ‘all’ appliances, as mice can easily squeeze into gaps behind a fridge freezer or under the base of a cooker. Any areas where pipework or cabling enters through walls from the outside offers mice a chance to sneak in, so check behind the washing machine too.
• Basements & cellars – usually the haunt of spiders, but mice can gain entry to lower floors through air bricks and vents, especially if they are damaged.
• Cavity walls – and other hidden spaces such as suspended ceilings, crawlspaces and even understair and airing cupboards, mice will make use of, as these places are secure and protected harbourages that often go unnoticed.