How to Keep Mice From Chewing Wires in Your Walls

Ordinary house mouse (Mus musculus) nose pokes through a hole in the wall — Credit:
Getty Images

Nobody wants a mouse in the house, but if these critters have already invaded your home's walls, there's an additional problem to consider: electrical damage. Mice hide and nest in spaces within walls, where electrical wires are present, making them an easy target for curious mice to explore as a potential food source or nesting material. Thankfully, there are nonlethal ways to stop mice from chewing wires. Ahead, pest professionals share their advice for keeping mice away from your home’s wires.

Kyle Turner, a pest expert and the founder, president, and CEO of Pro Active Pest Control, one of the Sacramento and Bay Area region’s fastest-growing pest control companies
James Haidacher, pest expert and the vice president of Anchor Pest Control in New Jersey and Pennsylvania

Seal Every Entry Point

One of the best ways to stop mice from chewing wires is to prevent them from moving inside your walls to begin with. Kyle Turner, the founder, president, and CEO of Pro Active Pest Control, recommends sealing every entry point by packing steel wool tightly into gaps, then covering it with caulk. “Mice can't chew through steel wool, and they won’t try,” he says.

Focus on areas where pipes, wires, or cables enter the wall, gaps under doors, and cracks in the foundation. “Even a hole the size of a dime is enough for a mouse to get through,” Turner says. Also, use hardware cloth or metal mesh behind any larger openings, such as dryer vents, crawl space entries, and attic vents. “Quarter-inch galvanized mesh stapled or screwed in place blocks entry without restricting airflow,” he says. “Unlike plastic or foam, mice can't gnaw through it.”

Use Peppermint Oil

Applying peppermint oil to cotton balls and placing them near known entry points and along baseboards acts as a deterrent. (Though keep in mind that essential oils can be toxic to pets.) “Mice have an extremely sensitive sense of smell and find it overwhelming,” Turner says. Peppermint oil contains concentrated forms of menthol and menthone that irritate the nasal passages of mice. However, as the smell fades over time, so will its effectiveness in warding off mice. Replace the cotton balls every few days to maintain the strong scent.

Reduce Vegetation Touching the House

Another way to prevent mice from accessing your walls is by removing their hiding places near your home. “Overgrown bushes and tree branches act as bridges, allowing mice onto your home,” says James Haidacher, pest pro and vice president at Anchor Pest Control. “This often leads to holes in your home’s exterior.” This is one way they get inside your walls from the outside.

Trim bushes and shrubs back at least 12 inches from the home and cut tree branches back away from the roofline. Keep leaf litter and other debris away from the home, as these areas provide cover that gives mice places to hide. “Mice don’t like being exposed,” Haidacher says. “The more cover you give them, the more comfortable they are getting close to your home.”

Eliminate Food Sources

Mice are constantly on the hunt for food. “Eliminating food sources takes away the reasons they stay once they’ve gotten in your house,” says Turner. Haidacher agrees, recommending that homeowners keep food sealed (including pet food), clean up crumbs and spills, and ensure trash with food waste is sealed and managed properly. This applies to the food you have in your home and in surplus storage spaces, such as your basement. “If your home isn’t a food source, it’s not worth the effort for the mice to stay,” he says.