Mouse sighting guide

What to do after seeing a mouse at home

A mouse sighting can be unsettling. Protect food and people first, look only at what is safely visible and get help before opening voids or sealing an uncertain route.

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Technician checking a pipe opening beside a kitchen unit

Right away

Keep people and pets clear of droppings or damaged food

Close off the immediate area where practical and throw away visibly contaminated food using suitable hygiene precautions. Do not chase the mouse behind fixed units or reach into an opening you cannot see. Note the room, time and direction it travelled so you can explain the sighting accurately if you request help.

Keep children and pets away from contamination.
Leave damaged wiring or concealed spaces alone.
One sighting does not show the full extent.

Food and cleaning

Reduce easy food access without cleaning unsafely

Move accessible food and pet food into closed containers, clear crumbs and secure household waste. Avoid dry sweeping or vacuuming rodent droppings, which can disturb contaminated material. Follow current public-health advice for cleaning and seek suitable help where contamination is widespread.

Clean spills and secure open food.
Use official guidance for contaminated areas.
Keep any pest-control product in its original packaging.

Pest-control technician inspecting the perimeter of an Edinburgh kitchen — Home inspection

Visible routes

Look from normal positions rather than opening the building

You may notice a gap around a pipe, damaged vent, door edge or opening behind a movable appliance. A wide photograph can show where it sits, but do not dismantle fitted furniture or seal the first gap immediately. An assessment can consider whether the route is active and whether closing it could move the problem elsewhere.

Stay at floor level and avoid hidden voids.
Use an urgent qualified trade for exposed electrical damage.
Treat sounds, sightings and damage as separate clues.

Request help

Rodent control can deal with activity and entry points together

Request rodent-control help when signs continue, food is being damaged, contamination is present or you are unsure which route is safe to close. The service can inspect likely activity, discuss suitable control and identify proofing or repair needs that may reduce a repeat problem.

Choose Not sure if you cannot distinguish a mouse from a rat.
Ask what treatment, monitoring and proofing are covered.
Use the landlord route for rented or communal areas.

Edinburgh tenement entrances and ground-floor business frontages — Edinburgh properties

Continue

Rodent control Get help with scratching, droppings, gnawing or rat and mouse sightings. Pest control Compare services for rodents, wasps, bed bugs, fleas, moths and workplaces. Guides Clear first steps for common pest concerns before you request help. Landlord pest control Arrange pest-control help for a rented property or shared building. Request help Request pest-control help for your property in a few short steps.

Practical answers

Questions before you request help

Does one mouse mean there are more?

A single sighting does not establish the number or extent. Look only for safely visible additional signs and request help if activity continues.

Should I seal the hole immediately?

Wait until the likely route has been assessed. Closing the wrong opening can move or trap activity elsewhere.

Can I vacuum mouse droppings?

Avoid dry sweeping or vacuuming. Follow current public-health guidance for safe cleaning.

What if wiring has been damaged?

Do not touch exposed or damaged electrical material. Keep clear and contact an appropriately qualified urgent service.

Next step

Ready to ask for help?