If you’ve ever heard strange noises at night and caught a glimpse of something small and quick dashing across your bedroom floor, you may have an unwelcome overnight guest – a mouse. Though mice might seem harmless, you probably don’t want them creeping around at night while you’re sleeping.
So, is it actually safe to sleep with a mouse in the room?
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: It’s generally not recommended to sleep in a room with an active mouse infestation. Mice can contaminate surfaces and food with feces and urine, potentially spreading diseases. They can also bite or nibble on humans while they sleep.
The best solution is to set traps and seal up any entry points to get rid of mice.
Diseases Mice Can Spread
Hantavirus
Hantavirus is a rare but potentially lethal disease spread by rodents, especially deer mice. The virus is found in rodent droppings, urine, and saliva, and can be transmitted to humans when they breathe in contaminated dust particles.
Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headaches, stomach issues, and shortness of breath. Hantavirus causes Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), which has a mortality rate of 38%. There are around 30-40 cases of HPS reported in the U.S. each year, mostly in the western states.
The best way to avoid hantavirus is to control rodents in and around the home.
Salmonella
Salmonella is a common bacterial infection that can be spread through contact with mice feces. Mice can carry Salmonella in their intestinal tracts without showing symptoms. If ingested, Salmonella bacteria can multiply and cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps in humans.
Every year around 1.2 million illnesses, 23,000 hospitalizations, and 450 deaths in the U.S. are caused by Salmonella. To prevent Salmonella, it’s crucial to wash hands thoroughly after any contact with mice or areas they frequent.
Thoroughly disinfecting surfaces mice have been in contact with is also important.
Lyme Disease
Mice do not directly transmit Lyme disease, but they do play a role in spreading it. Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, which are transmitted by blacklegged ticks. Mice are one of the reservoirs that ticks pick up the bacteria from before passing it on to humans through a bite.
Telltale symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue and a characteristic bullseye rash. If left untreated, Lyme disease can spread to the heart, joints and nervous system. The CDC estimates around 476,000 people are treated for Lyme disease each year in the U.S.
Protecting yourself from ticks by using insect repellent, doing full body checks and promptly removing attached ticks can help prevent Lyme disease.
Mice Can Bite Humans
Bites Usually Happen at Night
Mice are nocturnal creatures, so they are most active at night when humans are sleeping. This means mouse bites often occur when a person rolls over on a mouse in their bed or the mouse comes out to search for food while the human is sleeping (CDC).
An estimated 12.4% of mouse bites happen while the victim is sleeping in bed (study). Since the bites occur when the person is unconscious, they may not notice until the next morning when they wake up with a wound or infection.
Bites Can Become Infected
While most mouse bites are harmless, they can potentially cause infection because mice carry diseases. An estimated 10-50% of mouse bites become infected (analysis). The most common infections from mouse bites are the bacterial diseases Lymphocytic choriomeningitis and Rat-bite fever.
Symptoms of an infected bite include redness, swelling, pain, pus, fever, headache, vomiting, muscle pain, and joint pain (CDC). These serious infections require antibiotic treatment, so medical attention is necessary if a bite becomes infected.
To prevent mouse bites while sleeping, it’s essential to rodent-proof your home by sealing openings where mice can enter and setting humane traps. Making sure there is no exposed food for mice to eat will also deter them from coming inside.
With preventative measures, you can rest easy at night without the fear of being bitten.
Mice Contaminate Surfaces and Food
Mice are known carriers of harmful diseases and can spread germs rapidly through contamination. Here are some of the ways mice spread germs in your home:
Droppings
Mice defecate frequently, leaving behind droppings wherever they go. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mouse droppings can contain dangerous pathogens like salmonella, E. coli, and hantavirus. Touching or inhaling particles from mouse droppings can lead to illness.
Urine
Mouse urine also carries germs. Urine stains left on surfaces can spread disease to humans through physical contact. Mouse urine has a high concentration of ammonia that can damage surfaces over time.
Saliva
Mice constantly lick and nibble on objects, leaving traces of saliva everywhere. Their saliva contains bacteria and viruses that can survive for a long time outside of the body. Coming into contact with items mice have contaminated puts you at risk.
Fur
Like other rodents, mice groom themselves frequently. But bits of their fur still fall off around the house. These hairs can accumulate pathogens from mouse droppings and secretions. Inhaling or touching contaminated fur can make you sick.
Nests
Mice nests are teeming with potentially infectious secretions like urine and feces. They build nests in warm, hidden spots so they can breed. But abandoned nests still pose a health hazard. Disturbing old nests can release particles into the air and contaminate surfaces.
Food Contamination
Mice will eat and contaminate any food source they can find. They can chew through bags, boxes and some plastics. According to the CDC, mice spread salmonella by crawling over food surfaces and utensils. Consuming anything a mouse has come into contact with is extremely risky.
Mice are relentless when it comes to finding food and shelter in human homes. But they inevitably leave traces of illness-causing germs through their droppings, urine, saliva, fur and nests. Practicing good sanitation and sealing up possible entry points are crucial to protect yourself and your family from mouse-spread diseases.
Getting Rid of Mice
Seal Up Entry Points
Mice can squeeze through holes as small as a dime, so it’s important to seal up any cracks or openings in your home’s foundation, walls, floors, and ceilings. This will prevent mice from entering in the first place.
Use steel wool, caulk, plaster, or metal kick plates to plug holes inside and outside the home. Pay special attention to areas around utility lines, chimneys, and vents. Installing weather stripping around doors and windows can also help block entry points.
Set Traps
Trapping is an effective and inexpensive way to catch mice. Snap traps, live traps, and glue traps are commonly used. Place traps along walls or in high-traffic areas where there are signs of mice. Using traps allows you to catch and remove mice without using poison.
Just be sure to check traps frequently and dispose of any caught mice right away.
Use Repellents and Deterrents
There are various commercial repellents and deterrents that can help make your home less inviting to mice. Mice dislike the strong smells of peppermint, cloves, bay leaves, and garlic. Try placing these items around possible entry points.
Ultrasonic devices claim to scare mice away with high-frequency sound waves, but there isn’t much evidence that these actually work. Mothballs may temporarily repel mice but can be toxic to pets. Putting down a layer of cat litter where mice are active can also deter entry.
Preventing Future Infestations
Store Food Properly
Mice are attracted to food sources, so properly storing human and pet food is crucial for preventing future mouse problems. Here are some tips for keeping food in mouse-proof containers:
- Transfer dry goods like cereal, pasta, rice, etc. into plastic, glass, or metal containers with tight-fitting lids.
- Keep pet food in chew-proof plastic or metal containers rather than bags.
- Never leave open boxes or bags of food sitting out.
- Clean up spilled food right away.
- Take out garbage frequently.
Proper food storage keeps food enclosed and inaccessible to mice. This removes a major attraction from your home.
Clean Up Clutter
Mice love clutter! It provides excellent hiding spots and nesting areas. Here’s how to declutter areas that attract mice:
- Keep counters and floors free of crumbs and debris.
- Sweep and mop floors regularly.
- Put away clothing items or craft supplies that are on the floor.
- Clear out stacks of newspapers, magazines, or cardboard.
- Eliminate piles of unused items around the home.
- Store seasonal items like decorations in plastic bins with lids.
A clutter-free home removes ideal nesting sites for mice. Maintaining a tidy environment deters future infestations.
Inspect Regularly
Early detection of mice is key. Perform regular inspections around the home to check for signs of mice like:
- Droppings – Look for small black pellet-like feces.
- Rub marks – Listen and watch for greasy rub marks along walls from mice bodies.
- Tracks – Shine a flashlight to spot tracks and tail drag marks in dust.
- Gnaw marks – Check for teeth marks on food boxes or furniture.
- Nests – Look for shredded paper/fabric nests in undisturbed areas.
- Live mice – Keep an eye out especially at night when mice are active.
Conducting regular inspections allows you to detect mice early before extensive damage or larger infestations occur. This gives you a better chance at successful humane removal and prevention.
Conclusion
While an occasional mouse sighting may not be cause for alarm, an active infestation can present health risks and nuisances. By sealing up entry points, setting traps, removing food sources, and keeping areas clean, you can get rid of unwelcome mice and prevent future infestations.
With some diligence, you can keep your home mouse-free and sleep soundly knowing these pesky rodents won’t be disturbing your slumber.
