The thought of mice crawling over your body in the middle of the night while you are in dreamland can be extremely unpleasant. With their slimy frames and annoying whiskers, many of us wouldn’t dream of making physical contact with these rodents, at least while they are still alive.
That’s why it can be so unsettling to discover that you’ve been sharing your bed with mice.
Those who eat in bed often attract mice that feed on the food crumbs that inevitably fall on the bed. The result is mice running through your hair, body, and other areas of the bed at night while you are sound asleep.
Waking up with mouse bites can confirm that you have shared the bed with these disgusting rodents. If this happens, it may be useful to talk to your doctor right away to get a proper checkup and administer vaccines if necessary.
How do you know Whether There Are Mice In The Bedroom?
You may suspect that there are mice in your bedroom or another part of the house. But how can you be sure that these pesky rodents have invaded your home?
1. Live Spotting
This is the best way to confirm the presence of mice in a room. When you see them running around, you can erase any previous doubts you may have had. Unfortunately, mice are sneaky little rodents that are difficult to detect.
They hide in corners, cracks and crevices until late at night when the environment becomes quiet.
One of the easiest tricks to detect wandering mice in the bedroom is to turn out the lights earlier than your regular bedtime. Refrain from using devices like laptops, smartphones, or televisions to avoid any noise that might startle the mice. Then, lie down in bed and pretend to be asleep for about an hour.
Suddenly turn on the bedroom light and take a quick look around. If there are mice around, you can use this trick to catch them running. Speed can be of the essence here, as these pesky pets immediately run for their lives as soon as they sense light.
Any delay can cause them to run to the usual hiding places before being spotted.
2. Chewing and Squeaking Sounds
If you hear frequent chewing or squeaking noises in the middle of the night, chances are your bedroom has become a breeding ground for mice. These small rodents usually make these noises while eating food crumbs and other items in the room.
From fabrics to carpets to furniture and other household items, mice love to nibble on numerous things, even if they are not exactly a food source. This is one of the reasons they are such a nuisance, as they can cause unnecessary damage to a variety of personal items.
The key to noticing these noises is to be alert just before you go to sleep or after you wake up in the middle of the night. If you like to watch TV late at night or go to bed with headphones on, it can be difficult to notice the chewing and squeaking sounds.
3. Mice Droppings
If you wake up to find mouse droppings in your bed, this can be sure proof that a particular bedroom has a mouse infestation problem. These droppings are typically 0.25 inches in size, jet black, and have a sausage-like shape.
Depending on the level of infestation in the bedroom, the mouse droppings may be isolated or spread across the length and width of the bed. This can be a disgusting sight that can deter many consumers from their beds for a long time.
However, thorough cleaning of every inch of the bedroom, and especially the mattress, may be essential before regaining confidence in the bed in question. Until that happens, moving to the spare bedroom (assuming it doesn’t have a problem with mice infestation) or even the sofa may be a good choice.
Can’t Sleep Because Of The Fear of Mice?
Having a hard time falling asleep because of the fear of mice? You’re not alone in that regard. A look at some of the most popular rodent control forums shows that this is a common problem in many households. Bringing a cat into the bedroom can solve this problem.
But if you or another member of the household has a cat allergy, cleaning the bedroom thoroughly, soaking cotton wool in peppermint oil, and placing it on several areas of the bed can also keep these rodents away.
Additionally, using the mind relaxation techniques listed below can serve as a distraction to help you nod off quickly.
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Reading
- Listening to white sounds
- Diffusing essential oils in the bedroom
- Taking warm showers
- Light exercises at night
Do Mice Bite Humans?
The answer is yes, they do. Waking up with mouse bites or scratches is not uncommon among those who like to eat snacks or entire meals in bed. It can be distressing and painful, but the best thing to do is to take first aid measures before seeing a doctor.
Remember that mice can be carriers of a wide range of diseases and infections, including:
- Rat-bite fever
- Hantavirus
- Bubonic plague
- Salmonellosis
- Leptospirosis
How do you Keep Mice Out Of The Bedroom?
Mice do not randomly infest any part of the house. Knowing that their existence is always at risk, these pesky rodents infest homes and areas where they can find enough food and additional resources to thrive.
No wonder kitchens are another popular place that mice love to invade. Here are some clever ways to keep these rodents out of the bedroom.
1. No Eating In Bed
Eating in bed can be very tempting, especially on the weekend or on a day off after a long week of school or work. Aside from full meals, many of us love to enjoy our favorite snacks in bed.
However, this habit can backfire if you’re serious about keeping mice out of the bedroom, as these creatures prefer to feed on food crumbs. No matter how careful you are, food crumbs will always remain on the bed after eating.
These small food scraps can attract oodles of hungry mice into the bedroom, which can cause significant damage to personal items such as clothing, paper documents, and furniture.
A no-food-in-the-bedroom rule can keep mice away for good.
2. No Clutter
Do you have a bedroom that is dirty and filled with clutter? If so, it can be an excellent breeding ground for mice and other rodents. Mice love places where they can safely hide without being discovered, and that’s what makes messy bedrooms so attractive.
Also, these rodents love to nibble on the hoarded clothing and other personal items that are lying around in many bedrooms. Even if only one male and one female end up in such a room, the numbers can increase greatly within a few months.
The good news is that regular cleaning of the bedroom can keep mice away. Make sure all corners and often ignored areas like the space under your bed are not left out. Also, remove as much clutter as possible to make the bedroom spacious.
This should keep mice away, as they naturally avoid areas with a high risk of detection.
3. Mouse Poison
Mouse poisons can be an effective remedy for bedroom infestations of these pesky rodents. They work by killing the rodents when ingested into their bodies. The best way to get mice to consume this poison may be to mix it with food and sprinkle it over various floor areas and corners in the bedroom.
Mice love candy, chocolate, peanut butter and cereal, so these regular food sources can effectively serve as bait to poison the rodents.
The poison can come in various forms and designs, but anticoagulants are the most popular. They work by inhibiting the blood clotting process after consumption, causing internal bleeding that is eventually fatal.
Other popular types of rodenticides include:
- Arsenic
- Vacor
- Strychnine
- Yellow phosphorus
The D-Con Disposable Corner Fit Mouse Poison Bait Station from Amazon is the most effective mouse poison on the market right now. It can successfully eradicate mice and rats from infested environments. It is highly recommended.
4. Mousetraps
Traps can be a smart way to keep mice out of the bedroom or other areas of the house where you suspect an infestation of these rodents.
Traps come in many designs, so it’s up to you to decide which one will provide the best results. Some of the most popular options are:
- Electric Mousetraps
- Catch and Release Mousetraps
- Glue Traps
- Plastic Snap Traps
- Ultrasonic Pest Control Units
No matter which option you choose, be sure to set 3-5 traps in the same room to increase the chances of catching your targets. Also, set the trap near the entry and exit points in the bedroom to increase success.
I set up the Authenzo Mouse Trap SX-5006 from Amazon every time I suspect mice in my house. It kills mice faster and more efficiently than competing traps on the market that are made of wood or metal. It is a must have for anyone who has a rodent problem.
5. Cat or Dogs
Having a cat or a dog as a pet can prove to be very useful in keeping mice away. Cats in particular have a sixth sense for detecting mice and can smell their body odors from a mile away.
Mice usually avoid rooms where a cat is present, so they can’t disturb you while you sleep. Sharing a bed or even a bedroom with a cat can keep these rodents away permanently.
As long as the mice notice the presence of a cat in the bedroom, you can be sure that they will stay away indefinitely.
6. Natural Mice Repellents
Mice typically shy away from strong odors that are slightly bitter or sour. Sure, mousetraps or poisons can work well in many scenarios, but if you prefer an alternative, these scents can come in handy.
- Ammonia
- Strong coffee powder
- Hot pepper oil
- Cedar shavings
- Mothballs
- Cloves
- Peppermint oil
By keeping these strong scents in your bedroom, you can deter mice from approaching and disturbing your sleep. Choosing this option instead of mousetraps and rodenticides can also save you from picking up mouse carcasses.
7. Block Off Access to House
Rodents can’t get into your home in the first place if there are no gaps in the exterior. This is why blocking all potential entrances and exits is so important.
Using sealing tape on doors and windows can be the first step in keeping rodents out. Also, take some time to look for any gaps in exterior openings and plug them. These should keep rats and mice out of the house.
Even if you suspect an already significant rodent population, sealing these openings can be an important first step. After that, you can focus on how to eliminate mice from the bedroom and other parts of the house.
Will Keeping The Lights On Keep Mice Away?
The answer is no. Leaving the lights on doesn’t necessarily keep mice away. Mice love to move around in the dark, and that’s why they are more active in many homes after the lights are turned off. However, leaving the lights on may deter them for a while until they realize that the bedroom or other area of the home is quiet and no people or pets like cats are coming in and out. They then quickly spring into action, trying to get as much food as possible.
Once mice notice footsteps or another source of noise, they quickly crawl into a dark area as a defense mechanism.
Conclusion
Mice will not hesitate to harass you while you sleep if it helps them gain access to food crumbs on the bed and other items that might attract them. The best way to keep this out is to keep these pesky pests out of the house.
Having a pet dog or cat can be an easy way to accomplish this. Not only do cats have a sixth sense for detecting and catching mice, but the rodents usually stay away from homes where these cats live.
Thoroughly cleaning your bedroom, blocking possible entrances and exits from the outside, and using mouse poisons and mousetraps can also work well.