Silver Bullet Pest ControlThe Dangers of DIY Mice Removal: Why a Professional Is Worth It
Straight answers from Silver Bullet Pest Control, a licensed exterminator based in Garfield, NJ, serving Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties. Call or text 973-510-2585. Hablamos español.
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Quick answer: traps without sealing keep failing
Why does DIY mouse removal often fail? Store traps catch a few mice, but the gaps they came in through stay open, so more keep arriving. Poison can leave mice dying inside walls and is a risk around kids and pets, and cleaning droppings the wrong way stirs up dust. A professional finds and seals the entry points, places traps and stations safely, and follows up. Silver Bullet's mice and rodent service includes 90 days of coverage with unlimited free service calls.
Common DIY mistakes
| Mistake | What happens |
|---|---|
| Only setting traps | You catch a few mice; new ones keep coming through the same gaps |
| Putting out loose poison | Mice can die in walls (odor) and pets or kids can reach it |
| Plugging holes with foam alone | Mice chew through spray foam |
| Sweeping or vacuuming droppings | Stirs up dust; droppings should be wetted and wiped up while wearing gloves |
| Ultrasonic plug-ins | No reliable evidence they keep mice out |
What a professional does differently
Inspection
We find how mice get in: gaps at the foundation, pipes, garage doors, vents and rooflines.
Seal entry points
Chew-resistant materials like steel mesh and metal, not just foam.
Safe trapping and stations
Placed where mice travel and kept away from kids and pets.
Coverage
90 days of coverage with unlimited free service calls.
What we see on these jobs
The three situations behind most of these calls in North Jersey:
Mouse Treatment Inside the Home
- Small droppings in drawers and cabinets
- Chewed food packaging
- Scratching in walls at night
Our One-Time Mouse Service is 100% guaranteed, and mice and rodent service includes 90 days of coverage with unlimited free service calls in that time.
Rats Around the House
- Bigger, capsule-shaped droppings
- Burrows along the foundation
- Gnawing on wood, plastic or wires
Rats are wary and harder to trap than mice. The lasting fix is finding the burrows and gaps they use and closing them.
Sealing the Way In
- Gaps around pipes and gas lines
- Garage door seals
- Foundation cracks and vents
Trapping handles the rodents inside. Sealing the gaps with steel and the right materials is what stops the next ones.
Health risks from mice
Mice contaminate food and surfaces with droppings and urine, and their nesting material and droppings can trigger allergies. Wear gloves, wet droppings with a disinfectant before wiping them up, and don't sweep or vacuum them dry.
When to call
Scratching in walls at night, droppings in drawers, chewed food packages, or mice seen during the day all mean it's time. Call or text 973-510-2585. See mice and rat service.
Simple ways to prevent it
Seal small gaps
Close gaps around pipes, cables and vents with steel wool plus sealant or metal mesh. Foam alone gets chewed through.
Fix door sweeps
Garage and basement doors need tight bottom seals. A gap you can slide a pencil under lets mice in.
Store food sealed
Keep cereal, rice, pet food and birdseed in glass, metal or hard plastic.
Clear the perimeter
Keep firewood, leaf piles and dense shrubs away from the foundation.
How Silver Bullet handles it
Call or text a photo
Tell us what you're seeing and where. A photo often lets us identify the pest right away. We answer 24/7 for emergencies.
Inspection
A licensed tech finds the source: where the pest lives, how it gets in and what draws it.
Treatment or removal
We use the right method for the pest, placed where it works and kept away from kids and pets.
Seal and prevent
We close entry points and tell you what to change so the problem doesn't come back.
Related services
Get Help From a Licensed Exterminator
Call or text 973-510-2585 for the fastest answer, or tell us what's going on and we'll get back to you quickly.
Calls we get every week
- Mice in the kitchen or pantry
- Scratching in the walls or ceiling at night
- Rats burrowing in the yard or under a deck
- Droppings in the garage or basement
- Rodents in an apartment building or restaurant
Request Service
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get rid of mice myself?
You can catch a few, but without sealing the entry points more will come in.
Is mouse poison safe with pets?
Loose poison is a risk to pets and kids, and mice can die inside walls. Professionals use tamper-resistant stations placed safely.
Does steel wool keep mice out?
It helps as part of a seal with chew-resistant materials, but gaps need to be found and closed properly.
Is rodent service safe for kids and pets?
Yes. Traps and bait stations are placed where kids and pets can't reach them.
Do you seal the entry points?
Yes. Sealing gaps with steel and the right materials is how we keep rodents from coming back.
What if I keep seeing mice after treatment?
Mice and rodent service includes 90 days of coverage with unlimited free service calls, so we come back.
Do you treat apartment buildings and restaurants?
Yes. We handle rodents in multi-family buildings and food businesses and can set up ongoing service.
How do I clean up droppings safely?
Air out the room, wear gloves, spray with disinfectant, wait five minutes, wipe with paper towels and bag them. Never sweep or vacuum dry droppings.
Do mice come back every fall?
Often, yes. As it gets cold, mice look for warm shelter, so fall is the busiest time. Sealing gaps before then helps a lot.
Can mice chew through walls?
They can chew through drywall, wood, plastic and foam. Steel, metal mesh and concrete stop them.
How much does mouse control cost?
It depends on the size of the home and how many entry points need sealing. Call or text 973-510-2585 for a quote.
Do you remove dead mice?
Yes. Traps are checked and removed as part of service.
Do ultrasonic repellers work on mice?
Studies show little lasting effect. Mice get used to the sound, and they don't seal any gaps.
Is there a warranty on mouse service?
Silver Bullet's mice and rodent service includes 90 days of coverage with unlimited free service calls.
Serving North Jersey
Based in Garfield, we serve these towns and the rest of Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties.
Our service area
Bergen County
973-510-2585- Allendale
- Bergenfield
- Bogota
- Carlstadt
- Cliffside Park
- Closter
- Cresskill
- Demarest
- Dumont
- East Rutherford
- Edgewater
- Elmwood Park
- Emerson
- Englewood
- Englewood Cliffs
- Fair Lawn
- Fairview
- Fort Lee
- Franklin Lakes
- Garfield
- Glen Rock
- Hackensack
- Harrington Park
- Hasbrouck Heights
- Haworth
- Hillsdale
- Ho-Ho-Kus
- Leonia
- Little Ferry
- Lodi
- Lyndhurst
- Mahwah
- Maywood
- Midland Park
- Montvale
- Moonachie
- New Milford
- North Arlington
- Northvale
- Norwood
- Oakland
- Old Tappan
- Oradell
- Palisades Park
- Paramus
- Park Ridge
- Ramsey
- Ridgefield
- Ridgefield Park
- Ridgewood
- River Edge
- River Vale
- Rochelle Park
- Rutherford
- Saddle Brook
- Saddle River
- South Hackensack
- Teaneck
- Tenafly
- Teterboro
- Upper Saddle River
- Waldwick
- Wallington
- Washington Township
- Westwood
- Woodcliff Lake
- Wood-Ridge
- Wyckoff
Passaic County
973-510-2585- Bloomingdale
- Clifton
- Haledon
- Hawthorne
- Little Falls
- North Haledon
- Passaic
- Paterson
- Pompton Lakes
- Prospect Park
- Ringwood
- Totowa
- Wanaque
- Wayne
- West Milford
- Woodland Park
Essex County
973-510-2585- Belleville
- Bloomfield
- Caldwell
- Cedar Grove
- East Orange
- Essex Fells
- Fairfield
- Glen Ridge
- Irvington
- Livingston
- Maplewood
- Millburn
- Montclair
- Newark
- North Caldwell
- Nutley
- Orange
- Roseland
- Short Hills
- South Orange
- Verona
- West Caldwell
- West Orange
Hudson County
973-510-2585Union County
973-510-2585- Berkeley Heights
- Clark
- Cranford
- Elizabeth
- Fanwood
- Garwood
- Hillside
- Kenilworth
- Linden
- Mountainside
- New Providence
- Plainfield
- Rahway
- Roselle
- Roselle Park
- Scotch Plains
- Springfield
- Summit
- Union
- Westfield
Morris County
973-510-2585- Boonton
- Butler
- Cedar Knolls
- Chatham
- Denville
- Dover
- East Hanover
- Florham Park
- Hanover
- Kinnelon
- Lincoln Park
- Madison
- Mendham
- Montville
- Morris Plains
- Morristown
- Mountain Lakes
- Parsippany
- Pequannock
- Randolph
- Riverdale
- Rockaway
- Roxbury
- Whippany
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B