You may have a mice infestation in your home without ever seeing a mouse. Often, homeowners see signs of mice activity without actually seeing the creatures themselves. You may notice mouse droppings that look like dark pellets. When you look in your pantry, you might see jagged holes in food packaging where mice have chewed through cardboard and plastic. You may even hear squeaking or movement in your walls and cabinets. When you notice these signs, you should pick up the phone and call someone who handles mice control services. Here are three things they can do to control your mice problem:

1. Advise you on necessary changes.

Mice are attracted to food sources. In order to keep mice out of your home, you'll have to make your food inaccessible. A pest control service can tell you how to manage this. They may suggest throwing away any plastic food containers you own, since mice can use their strong teeth to bite through plastic. Glass containers are more resistant to rodents. Your exterminator will also examine the perimeter of your house to look for places where rodents can enter your home. They'll make note of these areas so you can have a contractor seal up holes and cracks that can let mice in.

2. Set traps.

In order to get rid of the mice you already have, your mice extermination service will use traps. Glue traps are a popular choice, since they effectively trap mice without endangering small children or other animals. Your exterminator will come to your house periodically to check their traps and dispose of any that have been filled. If you have a severe mouse infestation, bait traps are an effective remedy. Bait traps are filled with poison that will kill mice. The bait is usually housed in an enclosed box that will prevent larger animals, like household dogs, from accessing it.

3. Keep mice away from your home.

Keeping mice away from your home can reduce the likelihood of another infestation. Mice control services use a few different methods to repel mice from your yard. They can spray a chemical around the outside of your house which will deter mice from coming closer. Certain scents, like peppermint, upset the sense of smell of mice. If you don't want chemicals sprayed around your house and yard, you can take advantage of electronic mice repellents. Your exterminator can help you set up electronic devices that emit a high frequency that hurts a mouse's ears. The sound is undetectable to humans, so you won't have to worry about finding the noise annoying over time.