Behind the kickboards
The gap under your cabinets is a perfect mouse corridor. Kickboards hide droppings, nests of shredded paper and the holes where plumbing comes through the wall.
PROFESSIONAL MICE CONTROL
Mice Control Sydney
Mouse droppings in the cutlery drawer or scratching in the kitchen wall? Indoor mouse treatment and proofing of pencil-width gaps, from $89.
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OVERVIEW
Mice Control Where Mice Actually Live
The house mouse (Mus musculus) is a different problem from a rat. It weighs only 10 to 25 grams, according to the Australian Museum, lives within a few metres of its food, and can slip through a gap about the width of a pencil. That means mice set up home inside the kitchen itself: behind kickboards, under the dishwasher, inside the stove cavity and in the wall behind the pantry.
Because mice nibble small amounts from many places, a single tray of bait or one trap by the back door rarely gets them all. Mouse control works best with many small placements close together along the routes mice use, combined with sealing the tiny gaps where pipes and cables come through walls and cabinetry.
We decide between trapping and baiting room by room. In kitchens and food areas, and in homes with young children or pets, trapping and sealed stations usually make more sense. In roof voids and subfloors, lockable bait stations do the heavy lifting.
- Kickboards, appliance cavities and pantries inspected
- Close-spaced placements to suit how mice feed
- Trapping or baiting chosen room by room
- Proofing of gaps from about 6 mm around pipes and cables
DROPPINGS ID
Mouse Droppings or Something Else?
Droppings are usually the first thing people find. These are the rough differences our technicians look for.
| Droppings | Look like | Usually found | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| House mouse | Small (a few millimetres), dark, pointed at one or both ends, like a grain of rice | Scattered in drawers, pantry shelves, under the sink and along kickboards | Mice are feeding nearby, often nesting within the kitchen |
| Rat | Noticeably larger and thicker, capsule-shaped | Grouped along runs in the roof void, subfloor or garage | A rat program, not a mouse program |
| Cockroach | Tiny pepper-like specks or smears, sometimes with ridges on larger species | Cupboard hinges, corners, behind the fridge | Cockroach treatment instead |
| Gecko or skink | Dark pellet with a white chalky tip | Window sills, walls near lights, outdoor areas | Harmless native reptiles, no treatment needed |
| Microbat | Dry pellets that crumble to a glittery powder of insect parts | Beneath roof gaps, eaves or wall vents | Protected native animals; don't bait, seek advice |
Wear gloves and wet-clean droppings with disinfectant rather than dry-sweeping. NSW Health recommends disinfectant or bleach solution for cleaning floors and benches after mice.
KITCHEN HOTSPOTS
Where Mice Hide in a Kitchen
Inside appliance cavities
Dishwashers, ovens and fridges are warm, and their cavities connect to wall gaps. Mice nest in insulation and travel along cables behind them.
Pantries and bottom drawers
Chewed cereal boxes, pet food bags and droppings among cutlery or tea towels usually mean mice are feeding right there.
Wall cavities and ceilings
Light scratching inside walls at night, especially near the kitchen, suggests mice moving between the roof or subfloor and the benches.
- Check where the gas and water lines enter
- Look behind the hot water unit
- Check the laundry, which often backs onto the kitchen
DON'T WAIT FOR IT TO GET WORSE
Mouse droppings in the kitchen? We can come today.
Talk to a licensed Sydney technician today — honest advice and a fixed quote within 30 minutes.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why a Few Mice Become Many
01
Early Breeding
The Australian Museum notes house mice can breed from about two months old, with litters of four to eight young.
02
Food Contamination
Mice urinate and leave droppings as they feed, so nibbled packets and bench surfaces have to be dealt with.
03
Health Risks
NSW Health links mice to leptospirosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus and gastro infections.
04
Hidden Nests
Nests sit in cavities you can't see, so the mice you spot are only part of the population.
OUR PROCESS
How We Clear Mice From a Home
Built around how mice feed and move, which is not the same as rats.
01
Kitchen-First Inspection
We pull kickboards where possible, look behind appliances and check pantries, the laundry, roof void and subfloor.
02
Room-by-Room Plan
Trapping, sealed stations or baiting is chosen for each area, considering food, children and pets.
03
Close-Spaced Placement
Mice have small home ranges, so placements go close together along walls and near nests rather than one per room.
04
Seal Small Gaps
Pipe, cable and gas penetrations are identified for proofing with materials mice can't chew through.
05
Check & Clean-Up Advice
We check traps and stations, remove catches, and advise on disinfecting affected cupboards and surfaces.
TRAP OR BAIT?
Trapping vs Baiting Mice Indoors
Both work when used in the right place. Here's how they compare inside a home.
| Trapping | Baiting in lockable stations | |
|---|---|---|
| Best location | Kitchens, pantries, bedrooms and food areas | Roof voids, subfloors, garages and wall cavities |
| Visible result | Yes, you can see and remove catches | No, mice feed and leave |
| Odour risk | Low, catches are removed | Possible if a mouse dies in a cavity |
| Children & pets | Enclosed traps placed out of reach | Tamper-resistant stations fixed in position |
| Large populations | Slower on its own | Reaches mice in hidden cavities |
| Needs checking | Every few days | At follow-up visits |
Most homes get a combination: traps where you live and eat, stations where mice enter and nest.
MOUSE-PROOF THE KITCHEN
Mouse-Proofing Checklist for Kitchens & Pantries
Small gaps matter with mice. Work through this list after treatment.
- Seal gaps where pipes enter walls under the sink and behind the dishwasher
- Fill cable and gas-line holes behind the stove and fridge
- Check the gap behind kickboards and fix loose ones back in place
- Store flour, cereal, rice and pet food in hard, sealed containers
- Clean crumbs from under the toaster, fridge and stove regularly
- Fit door seals to the laundry and garage doors
- Cover wall vents and weep holes with fine metal mesh (not plastic)
- Keep bird seed and chicken feed in metal bins outdoors
- Don't leave pet food bowls out overnight
- Clear clutter and cardboard from pantry floors and bottom shelves
IS IT A MOUSE?
Mouse Look-Alikes
Three small animals Sydney households most often confuse, and why the difference matters.
House Mouse
Brownish-grey with large rounded ears and a tail about as long as its body. The target of this service.
Young Rat
Bigger head and feet for its size. Needs a rat program, with different placement and proofing.
Native Antechinus
A pointed-snouted native marsupial found near bushland. Protected in NSW, so it's excluded, never treated.
APARTMENTS & TERRACES
Mice in Units and Shared Walls
Many of Sydney's mouse jobs are in places where one home connects to the next: apartment blocks in Randwick and Parramatta, terraces in Surry Hills and Balmain, and townhouses with shared roof spaces. Mice use service risers, shared cavities and gaps around plumbing to move between neighbours, which is why a treated home can pick up mice again.
If your building has a wider problem, talk to your strata manager about a strata program covering common property. For a mixed rat and mouse problem, start with our rodent control hub, and for sealing gaps as a separate job see pest proofing.
Reviewed by Ismail, Founder · NSW Pest Management licence 5122967 · Updated September 2026
WHY CHOOSE US
The Elite Pest Difference
Kitchen Know-How
We look where mice live: kickboards, appliance cavities and pantry walls.
Family-Aware Methods
Trapping and sealed stations indoors where children and pets are around.
Licensed & Insured
NSW Pest Management licence 5122967 and APVMA-registered products.
Fast Appointments
7am to 9pm, seven days, with same-day visits where available.
SERVICE AREAS
Mice Control Across Sydney
Local technicians servicing 380+ suburbs — fast.
Northern Beaches
Western Sydney
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FAQ
Mice Control Questions, Answered
Everything you need to know before you book. Still unsure? Call us — we're happy to help.
Get a Free QuoteHow much does mice control cost in Sydney?
Mice control starts from $89. The fixed price depends on how many rooms are affected, whether the roof void and subfloor also need treatment, and whether you'd like gaps proofed. We confirm the price before starting, and any warranty or follow-up terms are set out in writing with your quote.
How small a gap can a mouse fit through?
Guidance generally puts it at around 6 mm, about the width of a pencil, though some government sources quote up to 8 mm. If a mouse can fit its head through a gap, the rest of its body usually follows. Gaps around pipes under sinks and behind appliances are the ones most often missed.
Should I use traps or bait for mice inside the house?
Inside living areas, traps are often the better choice. You can see results, remove the mouse, and avoid a mouse dying inside a wall. Bait in lockable stations suits roof voids, subfloors and garages. We often combine both, with trapping in the kitchen and stations in the cavities mice use to get in.
How fast do mice breed?
Quickly. The Australian Museum notes house mice can breed from around two months of age, with litters of four to eight young, and females can have several litters a year. A couple of mice in autumn can become a much larger population within a few months if food and shelter are available.
How do I clean up mouse droppings safely?
Wear gloves, cover cuts, and wet the droppings with disinfectant before wiping them up instead of sweeping them dry. NSW Health recommends mopping floors and cleaning benches with disinfectant or bleach solution, and washing affected bedding or tea towels in hot water with detergent. Wash your hands well afterwards.
Why do I still hear mice after treatment?
Mice take time to find new traps and stations, and nests hidden in cavities may take a week or two to clear. If scratching continues after two weeks, or new droppings keep appearing, there may be an untreated entry point. Let us know and we will check the placements and the gaps.
Can mice come from the apartment next door?
Yes. In apartment buildings mice travel through service risers, ceiling spaces and pipe penetrations between units. Treating your unit helps, but if the building has a wider problem a strata program covering common property is usually needed to stop mice returning.
What attracts mice into a Sydney home?
Warmth, shelter and easy food. Pet food left out, open cereal and flour packets, crumbs under appliances and bird seed are common attractants. Mice also move in from gardens and nearby reserves as the weather cools. Storing food in sealed containers and fixing gaps removes most of the attraction.
Is it a mouse or a baby rat?
Young rats are often mistaken for mice. A juvenile rat has a larger head and feet relative to its body, and thicker features. Getting this right matters because rats need different station placement and proofing. If you're unsure, droppings and where you find them usually settle it on inspection.
Could it be a native antechinus instead of a mouse?
In homes near bushland, yes. Antechinus are small native marsupials with a pointed snout and are sometimes found indoors. They are protected in NSW and must not be baited or trapped as pests. If we identify one, we will focus on sealing it out rather than treating it.
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