Decision tool
Do I Need an Exterminator? 5-Question Rodent Check
Not every mouse needs a pro. One dropping in the garage is a trap-and-watch job; droppings in three rooms and noises in the wall are not. Answer five questions and get a straight answer: do it yourself, start yourself and watch, or call.
Take the Five-Question Check
Pick the answer closest to what you have seen so far. You can change any answer and the result updates.
How the Check Weighs Your Answers
Here is why the answers count the way they do. Signs spread through the house, a hidden way in, and signs that keep coming back all push toward a pro, because those are the problems traps alone do not end. A total of 3 or less reads as a do-it-yourself job, 7 or more reads as a call, and anything between is start yourself and watch.
| Question | Answer | Points |
|---|---|---|
| What have you found? | One dead mouse or rat, nothing else | 0 |
| A few droppings in one spot | 1 | |
| Droppings in more than one room | 3 | |
| A live mouse or rat indoors | 2 | |
| Nests, gnawed wires or chewed holes | 3 | |
| Where is the activity? | Garage, shed or car | 0 |
| Kitchen or pantry | 1 | |
| Inside walls, ceilings or the attic | 3 | |
| Crawl space or basement | 3 | |
| Outside only: yard holes or burrows | 1 | |
| How long has it been going on? | I noticed it once | 0 |
| A few days | 1 | |
| A week or more | 2 | |
| Weeks, and it is getting worse | 3 | |
| Have you set traps yet? | Not yet | 0 |
| Yes, I caught some and they keep coming | 3 | |
| Yes, but I caught nothing | 2 | |
| Does anyone at higher risk live there? | No | 0 |
| Yes: a baby, young children, someone pregnant, an older adult or someone with a weak immune system | 2 |
Sources
- How to Clean Up After Rodents, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- Trap Up to Control Rodents, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- How to Handle Food Products That Have Been Exposed to Filth, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Retrieved October 15, 2026.
The points and the reasons are this site's own judgment. The facts in each result come from the sources above.
Rodent Help Near You
Enter your ZIP code or city to see local rules, common problems and a local number for your area.
ZIP matches use Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, which closely follow but do not exactly match postal ZIP codes.
Already Past the Trap Stage?
If fresh signs keep showing up, the way in is still open. A local rodent pro can find it and seal it.
- A local rodent control company picks up.
- They ask what you have seen and where.
- Ask about a free inspection and pick a time.