Size tells you the species, location tells you the route, freshness tells you whether it is happening now. Photograph before you clean.
3–6mm, dark, blunt-ended — about the size of a grain of rice. Rat droppings are much larger at 12–18mm and tapered at the ends.
Photograph them before clearing. They tell us the species, roughly how many, how recent it is, and which route is being used.
| Mouse | Rat | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 3–6mm | 12–18mm |
| Shape | Blunt, rice-shaped | Tapered, spindle-shaped |
| Quantity | ~80 a day, widely scattered | ~40 a day, concentrated on a route |
| Typical location | Back of base units, drawers, under floors | Under sink, subfloor, loft, near drains |
| Price | £190 flat / £240 house | £190 flat / £240 house |
Same price either way, so a wrong guess costs nothing — but the approach and the entry points differ, so it is worth knowing.
This matters more than people expect. A previous occupant's problem, already resolved, leaves droppings behind that look alarming and mean nothing.
See our full mouse control service, published prices and what proofing involves.
View Mouse Control Edgware →| Where you found them | What it points to |
|---|---|
| Back of kitchen base units | The plinth void — the commonest harbourage |
| Inside a drawer or cupboard | They have found the food store |
| Behind or under appliances | Warmth, and the under-unit void |
| Under the sink | Entry around pipe penetrations |
| Along a skirting or in a corner | A run between harbourage and food |
| In an airing cupboard | A boxed pipework route |
| In the loft, in insulation | An overhead route, or a shared roof space |
| Against a party wall | Possibly an adjoining property |
Mice contaminate far more than they eat, and they are incontinent as they travel. Contamination is not visible.
Report it in writing with photographs and dates. Mice can engage a landlord's repairing obligations, particularly where a structural gap is the cause, and a written record matters if it becomes a dispute.
Any fresh droppings mean a live mouse. A mouse produces around eighty a day, so a small number usually means recent rather than minor.
Larger and tapered means rats. Rounder and barrel-shaped at 8–10mm in a loft means squirrels. Small, dark and crumbling to a glittery powder means bats — which are protected, so stop and take advice.
If you rent, yes — in writing with photographs.
Buzzing rather than droppings? Wasp nests are £90 fixed cost in Edgware, guaranteed.
3–6mm, dark and blunt-ended — about the size of a grain of rice. Rat droppings are 12–18mm and tapered.
Fresh droppings are dark, soft and slightly shiny. Old ones are grey, dry and crumble.
Clear one small area, note the date, and check in three days. New droppings mean it is active.
Yes. They tell us the species, roughly how many, how recent it is, and which route is being used.
No. Dampen with disinfectant first rather than raising dust, and wear disposable gloves.
Anything open in an affected cupboard and anything with gnawed packaging. Mice contaminate far more than they eat.
Any fresh droppings mean a live mouse. A mouse produces around eighty a day.
In a loft, rounder barrel-shaped droppings at 8–10mm suggest squirrels. Droppings that crumble to a glittery powder suggest bats, which are protected — stop and take advice.
Photograph them, then clean up safely. Send us the picture and we will tell you what it is.
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