When it comes to pests, rats hold the top spot as the biggest nuisance. They chew on our food, furniture, and even walls. What’s worse is they multiply so fast that once one gets in, you can almost always expect a family of rats to be living rent-free in your home. One of the clearest signs that they’re present includes urine stains.
Mouse urine stains are yellowish residues that can look either crusty or sticky when dirt and grime get stuck in them over time. They are usually found on walls, corners, and floors in rodent-infested homes or buildings. These urine stains are also accompanied by a pungent ammonia smell.
If you find a yellowish stain on your wall and suspect that it’s a urine stain, you need to make sure whether you’re dealing with a mouse infestation. Mice can quickly take over your home if you don’t act fast.
In the rest of this article, we’re going to talk about mouse stains, signs of a mouse infestation, and how to prevent mice from coming in at all.
Is Mouse Pee Sticky?
Mouse pee can be sticky, especially when left uncleaned for a long time. Dirt, dust, grime, and oil from mice hairs can get stuck in the urine and make it sticky. This stickiness is the reason why mouse urine can stay on the walls.
Like dogs, mice can smell their urine and tend to urinate in the same places. However, rodents are known to have weak bladders, which means that they pee quite a lot and go wherever they need to.
Mice can also pee about 1ml of urine a day. And if you have an infestation going on, you’ll know right away, because that musky mouse urine smell will make itself known–especially when you have lots of mice peeing and pooping all over the place.
Is Mouse Pee Dangerous?
One of the things that makes a rodent infestation such a big nuisance is the fact that these pests carry diseases. Isn’t it enough that they chew on our food and ruin our furniture? Well, not for these creatures.
Mouse pee is dangerous and should not be cleaned using bare hands. Viruses and diseases can be transferred from touching mouse urine, droppings, and even nests. Viruses can also be contracted from breathing in air contaminated with mice waste, such as when you vacuum an area with droppings or urine.
When you clean mouse urine or droppings, always wear gloves and DO NOT vacuum or sweep the area with mice waste. Use bleach or a disinfectant solution to thoroughly clean the area thoroughly.
How Does Mouse Pee Smell?
Mouse pee has a very pungent ammonia smell when new. Over time, mouse urine gives off a musty, stale smell similar to the smell of wet wood. During the early stages of an infestation or when you have only one or two mice, you may not detect this smell right away.
One of the signs that you have a large infestation going on is when you start detecting this stench, since having one mouse peeing around the house may not give off that strong odor as much as when a group of them do.
Other Signs of a Mouse Infestation at Home
If you have found a mouse urine stain but are yet unconvinced that you have a mouse infestation, here are other signs that will tell you for sure that you have a group of them growing under your roof. As soon as you detect any of these signs, call for pest control right away, as rodents carry diseases.
Chew Marks
If you don’t sniff around or look under your furniture, you may not be able to see the urine stains. But the chew marks are quite easy to find. They are commonly found on food packaging, kitchen furniture, and old, untouched stuff.
Mice chew to look for food, which is why you will see these marks on your food containers. But they also chew on stuff that you don’t usually move around to build nests. And when that happens, you’re in trouble. Because it means they are breeding!
Mouse Droppings
Rodents pee and poop everywhere. But they will usually leave these wastes in areas they frequent or en route to their hiding places. Mouse droppings look like black, crusty grains of rice. If you do find mouse droppings, you will also likely find urine stains nearby.
Take note, too, that mouse droppings are clues to where they frequent. So if you’re planning to set up traps, do so in spots where you find urine stains and droppings.
Scratching Noises
If you hear weird, scratching noises at night, don’t be scared. It could be just pesky rats chewing on something. Mice are nocturnal creatures, which means they are most active at night. So it’s at bedtime when you are most likely to hear these scratching noises.
When you do hear these sounds, try to determine where the sounds are coming from. If you have a room, such as an attic, that nobody usually goes to or that has lots of old, unmoved stuff lying around, you might want to check those.
Mice Nests
Mice build nests for breeding and to protect their babies. These nests are made of bits and pieces of materials that can be found in your home–clothes, furniture, paper, and others. Nests are typically hidden under large furniture or unfrequented corners of the home.
Beware, though, that when you have mice that are building nests, that only means that there are more of them now in your home. And unless you do something about it, they will continue to multiply. Yikes!
Mice Tracks
The last sign that indicates your house is infested with mice is that there are greasy, dirty mice tracks all over it. Often, these tracks can often be found where they leave droppings or urinate. It’s important to entail the help of a professional as soon as you notice these signs.
Final Words
Mouse stains are not only disgusting, but they’re also extremely dangerous. Even a whiff of air contaminated with mouse urine can expose you to a possible health issue. So, as soon as you notice signs of mouse pee, clean it thoroughly and call for pest control services to get rid of the infestation right away.
See also: How Do Mice Get in Upstairs Apartments?
