How Much Does a Mice Exterminator Cost? (2024 Guide)
Typical Cost Range:
$200–$600
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Mice in your home can destroy insulation, infect food, carry dangerous diseases, and even cause house fires. These hazardous pests are also difficult to remove. Rodents create nesting burrows inside sheltered locations of the home, such as walls, crawl spaces, and attics. A pest control company can safely and effectively remove mice from your home and create a comprehensive plan to keep them out. Expect to pay between $200 and $600 for rodent exclusion.
This article will examine the costs of pest control, specifically mice extermination, and recommend top pest control companies. We’ve thoroughly researched each company by combing through pest control plans, reading customer reviews, and secret-shopping their treatment methods. Terminix and Orkin are our recommendations for quick service and reliable customer support.
Key Takeaways
- Mice extermination costs between $200 and $600. Although this is a costly pest control service, the damage of an untreated mouse infestation will far exceed that range.
- You can use DIY methods to remove one or two mice, but full infestations require the help of a professional.
Cost data in this article was sourced from HomeAdvisor unless otherwise specified. One-time treatment costs were sourced from online quotes we requested from Terminix. This cost is for general pest treatment and does not include rodent exclusion fees.
Signs You Need an Exterminator for Mice
One or two mice aren’t usually a problem for homeowners. Snap or live-capture traps can handle a mouse when it wanders inside. However, a full infestation is dangerous and difficult to DIY remove. We recommend hiring a pest control professional for a mouse infestation.
Consider calling a professional exterminator if you notice any of the following signs:
- Damaged cardboard boxes, insulation, or paper products
- Damaged foodstuff or food containers
- Dark streaks along floorboards and walls (called rodent runways)
- Foul odors
- Gnaw marks on floorboards, wooden furniture, or wires
- Small, pellet-like droppings
- Small, foul-smelling mounds along rodent runways
- Unusual scratching, thumping, or rustling sounds within walls
What Factors Affect Mice Extermination Pricing?
Here are the primary factors that determine mice removal costs:
- Infestation size: The size of the infestation plays a large factor in mice removal services. A large infestation requires more intensive pest control treatments. Pricing for controlling a small mice infestation typically starts at around $200; a severe infestation may cost as much as $600 to treat. You should also expect rodent exclusion services to require more time and labor for a severe infestation. Rodent exclusion is the process of sealing mouse entry points throughout your home.
- Infestation location: If the mice have nested in your yard, shed, or other occupied room of the house, the cost to remove them will be lower. However, nests in hard-to-reach places like ceilings, attics, basements, and foundations will typically be pricier to remove.
- Use of live traps: Despite being reusable, live traps cost five to 10 times more than traditional snap traps. This may be reflected in your service cost. Live trapping may also include travel fees for relocating the mice.
Should You Attempt DIY Mouse Removal?
If you notice occasional mice activity in your home but see little evidence of a larger infestation, DIY mouse removal may be a good option. You, as the homeowner, can purchase traps or poison baits from many popular retailers, such as Lowes, Walmart, or The Home Depot.
Here’s a breakdown of popular DIY mouse removal methods:
- Snap traps: This type of trap uses a small metal bar to snap the mouse’s neck. It’s effective for small infestations but requires messy cleanup. This trap is a more humane option for eliminating mice because it kills them quickly.
- Glue traps: These disposable traps use an adhesive pad to trap mice in place. They’re inexpensive but inhumane because they kill the mouse by dehydration.
- Live traps: Also called “no-kill” traps, these traps catch the mouse with a one-way door and keep them alive. Once caught, the mouse can be transported and disposed of away from your home. These traps are reusable and humane so long as you check the traps frequently to ensure the mice don’t dehydrate.
- Bait stations: These traps use poison to kill multiple mice. The mice consume the bait, go back to their next, and die. These traps are good for killing several mice at once but require the homeowner to find them and dispose of their bodies after they die. The’re inhumane as the poison is not fast-acting.
- Electronic traps: These traps use electric shocks to kill the mice. Their humaneness is disputed. They kill the mice painfully but quickly.
| Type of Trap | Price* |
|---|---|
| Snap traps | $2.48 (pack of four traps) |
| Glue traps | $4.98 (pack of four traps) |
| Live traps | $14.20 (pack of two traps) |
| Bait stations | $12.98 (one trap with 20 bait refills) |
| Electronic traps | $24.98 (one trap) |
Should You Hire a Mice Exterminator?
DIY rodent removal pest control can be effective, but hiring a professional exterminator is the most reliable way to manage your rodent problem. Nearly 50% of respondents from our 2022 consumer survey said they went on to hire a mouse or rat exterminator after trying DIY extermination methods.
Do Mice Come Back After Extermination?
Yes, mice can return after an extermination for many reasons. The most common cause is a nearby untreated infestation or proximity to a mouse-prone location. For example, if you live in an apartment and the building next to you has an infestation, mice can continuously migrate from one location to another. Homes next to open fields, forests, or other mice-prone locations must exercise consistent pest prevention to keep them out.
Other major reasons mice can return to a home are the presence of attractants and lack of prevention. Mice will continuously return if your property has food, trash, standing debris, overgrown grass, or other attractants. We recommend working with a pest control company to devise a comprehensive prevention plan to keep mice from coming back.
Using an Exterminator
Consider contacting a pest control company when DIY methods have fallen short of resolving your mouse problem. Depending on the severity of the infestation, you may want to contact an exterminator as a first course of action. Professional exterminators have undergone training in the safe handling of pesticides and are knowledgeable about identifying mouse entry points in a home.
This is what the process looks like for most professional exterminators:
- After contacting a pest control professional, ask if they offer a free inspection. The company will send a specialist to your home to evaluate the nature and scope of the infestation.
- Your pest control professional will advise you on their recommended treatments. This may include trapping, baiting, and applying repellents. They may also recommend rodent exclusion services to seal entryways and prevent recurring infestations.
- The exterminator will perform the pest control services on the scheduled date. If you signed up for an ongoing pest control plan, your home will receive follow-up treatments several times throughout the year.
What Questions Should You Ask an Exterminator Before Hiring Them?
Pest extermination can protect your home and provide peace of mind when performed properly. However, with the application of pesticides, there are inherent risks to your home and health. That’s why it’s important to hire a reputable professional to avoid health risks. Here are some questions to ask when choosing a rodent control service:
How much experience do your technicians have with removing mice?
Training and experience with treating specific pests speaks volumes about a pest control professional’s ability to do the job right. We recommend asking the company about its level of experience with mice extermination before signing a contract.
Will you provide a written estimate? Do you honor your estimates?
A written estimate provides a full breakdown of the charges to expect for your pest control service. Read the estimate carefully and ask questions about any fine print to ensure the initial estimate will not change on the day of your service.
Can you identify the location of the mouse infestation?
Exclusion is an important part of a comprehensive rodent extermination service. Your pest control technician should identify the location of the mouse infestation and provide a strategy for blocking the mice from reentering the home.
Are the products or traps that you use safe for pets and/or children?
Any reputable pest control provider should prioritize the safety of its customers. Ask about the risks associated with the proposed pest management plan and what precautions your provider will take to keep you and your family protected.
Do you offer a service guarantee? If so, how long does it last?
Many reputable pest control providers back their services with satisfaction guarantees. This may include a full refund for unsatisfactory service or free reservice for recurring infestations.
Is your company licensed and insured?
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has enacted strict certification requirements that pest control professionals must meet to operate legally. Individual states may impose additional requirements that can typically be found through each state’s Department of Agriculture website.
Is Mice Extermination Worth the Cost?
It pays to be thorough when it comes to rodent control. The $400 average price tag for mouse extermination pales compared to the damage an untreated infestation can cause. DIY methods can handle a few mice, but the average size of a mouse infestation is between 12 and 36 mice. If left alone, infestations of this size can tear holes in your walls, shred your insulation, gnaw your furniture, and even cause house fires.
You’ll want to hire a pest control company with the skills and experience to get rid of the mice and secure your home to prevent them from returning. We recommend companies such as Terminix and Orkin due to their impressive industry experience, thorough training, and comprehensive pest control plans.
FAQ About Mice Extermination Cost
How do I know if I have a mouse infestation in my home?
There are several signs of a mouse infestation. You will likely find trails of small droppings throughout your home, especially in areas with potential food sources, such as your kitchen. These droppings are dark brown and typically measure around one-quarter inch. Mice also scratch at walls, and you may hear them scurrying at night.
Can a mouse infestation make you sick?
A mouse infestation can potentially harbor contagious diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Mice transmit these diseases through their saliva, urine, and feces.
What is integrated pest management?
An integrated pest management (IPM) plan combines several strategies for residential and commercial pest control. IPM may include the use of pesticides, but it will also incorporate environmental strategies based on the pest’s behavior, habitat, and life cycle. For example, pheromones may be employed to discourage reproduction.
Our Rating Methodology
We back up our pest control recommendations with a detailed rating methodology that we use to objectively score each provider. We review pest control plans, navigate the provider website, speak with customer service representatives by phone and online chat (if available), request quotes, and analyze customer reviews for each provider. We then score the provider against our review standards for plans and services, reputation and customer responses, customer service offerings, workmanship guarantees, financing, and availability to arrive at a final score on a 5-point rating scale.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.
