No Mice Here Mouse-proof my house
Renting? · Free

Mice in a rental? Tell your landlord.

You don’t have to fix anything yourself. Walk the 10 spots, then send your landlord a clear note: what you’ve seen, where the gaps are, and what a lasting fix looks like.

Three steps.

  1. Walk the 10 spotsUse Check my house and pick “Apartment or rental”. Look, tap what you see, take photos. You don’t fix anything.Check my house →
  2. Send your landlord a noteWe write it from what you found. You read it, change anything, then copy, email or print it.Build my note ↓
  3. Keep a copySave the note and your photos with the date, so you and your landlord both know what was found and when.

What to send your landlord.

  • Built from your house check on this device
  • Copy it, email it, or print it
  • Nothing is sent to us

Your answers and the note are saved only in this browser on this device. Privacy

What have you noticed?
At home (optional)
Email it

What you can do without repairs.

  • Write down what you see, with the date. Droppings, sounds, gnaw marks, and where. Photos help.
  • Clear the cover. Move cardboard, stacked boxes and clutter away from walls and corners, so there are fewer places to nest. Mice come in for shelter.
  • Ask before you change anything. Check with your landlord or building manager before changing doors, door sweeps, walls or vents.
  • Ask about the black boxes. If there are bait boxes around the building, ask what’s in them, and ask what’s being sealed instead.
  • Not sure what you’re looking at? Send us a photo and our team will take a look.

Clean up droppings safely

  1. Open doors and windows for 30 minutes first, and stay out while it airs.
  2. Put on rubber or plastic gloves.
  3. Don’t sweep or vacuum droppings. It puts dust into the air.
  4. Spray droppings and urine with a disinfectant, or 1 part bleach to 9 parts water, until very wet. Let it soak 5 minutes.
  5. Wipe up with paper towels and throw them out in a covered trash can.
  6. Mop or wipe the area with disinfectant, then wash your gloved hands, take the gloves off, and wash your hands again.

Source: CDC, How to Clean Up After Rodents. Asthma or allergies at home? Mouse allergen settles in household dust, and NIEHS researchers linked higher levels at home to more asthma symptoms in people with allergies (Salo et al., 2009). Sealing the gaps and cleaning up this way both help.

What a lasting fix includes.

  • Every gap about the width of a finger gets sealed, on the outside of the building
  • Durable materials: 1/4-inch hardware cloth or exterior-grade metal, sealed in
  • Custom metal door sweeps with EPDM rubber, and garage door corner seals
  • No poison and no bait stations. Poisoned mice can die inside the walls.
  • Steel wool and foam on their own don’t keep mice out. They’re a common mistake, not a fix.

Most entry points are on the outside of the building, so one sealing job can cover every unit. Give your landlord the one-page brief →

We can’t give legal advice. Who handles pest problems depends on your lease and where you live. Your lease, your landlord or property manager, or your local housing or health department can tell you. For questions about cleaning up after mice, the CDC suggests contacting your local health department.