get rid of mice

Can Mice & Rats Climb Stairs, Beds, Curtains, Couches, Furniture & Walls? (How To Keep Mice Away)

Yes, mice can climb on beds. And if your bed is a mess or has food in it they will be happy to visit it at night while you sleep. Mice and rats can easily climb stairs, curtains, couches, furniture, wooden poles and walls. They can even jump. The only thing they can’t climb is a smooth surface like glass or a very smooth metal bed. 

Do mice bite or attack humans?

Yes but it’s “quite unlikely”.

I know, I know that this doesn’t alleviate your fear whatsoever so keep reading to find out what are the best fast practices to get rid of mice and keep them away for good so that they wouldn’t be crawling on you or biting you at night.

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Using a door sweep won’t get rid of mice but it’s an inexpensive way to stop them from entering your house and bedroom in the future. If you don’t care much about not using chemicals then you can always use poison but I don’t recommend doing it if you have pets or small children.

Not a fan of reading? Watch our video version of this article.

Warning: there’s footage of a mouse climbing in this video. So do not watch it if you’re super scared of mice.

But WILL a mouse or rat crawl into my bed?

They do climb beds but they don’t necessarily love beds. Mice can get in bed with you on their way to somewhere else or if they smell some food in your bed, they’ll come for a snack. Worry not though as there are many easy and effective ways to keep mice and rats away from your bedroom.

Can Mice and Rats Climb?

Yes! They can climb and do all sorts of tricks. 

can mice climb
Not only can I climb, I can also do cool tricks like this one!

Rats and mice are both very agile rodents that can climb and run on nearly any surface. They have tiny claws with sharp nails that allows them to latch onto any surface that has an uneven surface area. 

Bricks, concrete walls, wood finishes and shingles are all surfaces that offer a good surface area for these rodents to run on. Uneven surface areas also offers great gripping qualities in order for these rodents to climb vertically.

It can oftentimes seem as if these rodents are able to run or climb on any surface, but sleek surfaces like glass and smooth painted walls don’t offer ideal circumstances for them to climb up against. These surfaces don’t have any spaces where their claws can grip into and they will slip and slide across these surfaces.

Can mice and rats climb beds?

Yes, it is definitely possible for rats and mice to climb onto a bed, beds in general are made out of wood and these rodents can climb vertically with ease on a wooden surface.

The more important question though is why would they want to climb on your bed? Make sure that your sheets are clean and there is no food on your bed that will possibly attract the interest of these rodents.

Will mice get in bed with you?

Mice and rats are not known for getting into bed with a human. The reason that will get them to do that is if the bed is either very dirty or if there is food or crumbs in the bed that interests them. 

If “probably not” isn’t good enough for you then don’t be alarmed, instead read the easy and effective solutions on how to keep mice and rats out of your bed later on in the article.  

Can rats and mice climb bunk beds?  

The answer to this question depends on the surface of the material that the bunk bed is made from. If the bed is made out of wood then yes it is very possible for rats or mice to climb vertically up the bunk bed. If the structure of the bed is smooth these rodents will have a harder time to climb up onto the bed.

Do mice climb furniture?

They sure do. Usually on their way to somewhere else or because they smell food there. You’ve probably seen a mouse in a kitchen cabinet at one point in your life.

Can mice climb couches?

They sure can and it’s quite easy for a mouse or rat to jump or crawl into your couch.

Can mice climb curtains?

You probably already know the answer to that question… Yes, mice and rats can easily climb curtains.

Why do mice climb curtains?

There’s no specific reason for that. Maybe they found some food crumbs there or they just do it because they can.

Can mice climb walls?

Just chilling on the wall with my buddies
Just chilling on the wall with my buddies

The answer to this question depends on the surface of the wall. Mice can climb on uneven surfaces but they will have a harder time on smoother surfaces.

Can mice climb drywall?

Drywall offers a good climbing surface for mice, drywall features small air pockets that gives the mice a place to latch their small paws onto in order to climb up the surface of the wall.

Can mice climb brick walls?

Brick walls offer a great gripping surface for mice to climb on. Brick walls have an uneven surface that produces the perfect surface for mice to hook their claws onto when climbing up a wall.

Can mice climb smooth walls?

Mice are very agile, but smooth surfaces are harder for them to negotiate. If there is a absence of surface area for them to latch their claws onto, like on a smooth wall, then they will have a hard time climbing up that surface.

Can mice climb vinyl siding?

If the vinyl siding features a smooth finish then it might be difficult for the mice to get traction on when climbing, but if the surface area of the vinyl is uneven the mice will be able to climb up it without any problems.

Can mice climb metal beds?

Metal is known for having a smooth surface area. Due to the smoothness of the surface mice will have a hard time to latch their claws onto the metal in order to climb up against it.

Can mice climb up wooden poles?

Yes, they sure can. Because wooden poles aren’t too smooth usually, it’s easy for a mouse to get up from there.

Can a mouse fit under a bedroom door?

That depends on the bedroom door. If a pencil can slip under that door then a mouse can get under it too. Mice and rats can flatten their rib cages to fit through surprisingly small gaps.

Fortunately, there is an easy and inexpensive way to make sure mice won’t come to your room via bedroom door – just use a door sweep to seal the gap.

Can mice climb stairs?

The answer to this question will be yes 99% of the time. Stairs in general are made with a surface area that offers good traction like wood or carpet. Mice will be able to climb up a gripping surface area with ease.

Do mice usually go upstairs?

Because of mice and rats being excellent climber they do go upstairs quite often. They can do so by using the stairs, walls, wires, and pipes.

What can rats and mice not climb?

By now it is clear that mice and rats are agile rodents that can climb and maneuver around on almost any surface area. But don’t be alarmed they have a hard time climbing up smooth surface areas. Glass, smooth metal beds and smooth painted walls are all areas that mice struggle to climb up.

Will mice live in mattresses?

They don’t necessarily like to live in mattresses but mice and rats can definitely nest in a mattress. It’s not very common though as they prefer other places much more than your mattress.

Can Rats and Mice Jump?

rat jump bed
Of course I can jump. Be afraid!

Rodents like mice and rats are known for their agility and for being able to squeeze their bodies through small little holes, but how explosive are these little creatures in terms of their jumping abilities?

How high can mice jump?

Mice in particular aren’t known for their extreme jumping abilities. But that doesn’t mean that these little rodents aren’t able to jump. Mice can jump about a foot high in the air, they won’t be able to really jump onto anything significant but it does allow them to jump over small obstacles when they are running around in your home. 

Can rats jump in your bed?

It isn’t impossible for a rat to jump onto your bed, but it is highly unlikely that they will do it.

In order for this to happen the bed has to be really low (under 1 foot in height) which is hardly ever the case. The only other possible way for a rat to jump on your bed is if it jumps from a cabinet or something else close to the bed that they climbed onto first.

Unless something that they really like is on the bed you should not be worried about waking up next to a rat in the middle of the night.  

get rid of mice
Cats also help you to get rid of mice

How to Keep Mice and Rats Out of Your Bed

There are many different steps that you can take to prevent mice and rats from climbing into your bed while you sleep. 

Use Ultrasonic Repellents to Keep Mice Away

As its name implies, ultrasonic repellents emit ultrasonic waves to repel not just rodents but roaches, ants, flies, fleas and spiders as well.

You just need to plug it in and wait for a week or two to get noticeable effects.

Moreover, it’s safe for your family and your pets since the waves only affect pests.

I recommend the highly rated Neatmaster Ultrasonic Pest Repeller that has many positive verified customer reviews on Amazon.

It is the safest and most economical solution. It drives pests away instead of killing them and is completely safe. 

Use Mouse Traps

Keep mice out of your bedroom and out of your house by strategically placing mouse traps in areas where you see signs of activity and where they can possibly enter your house and bedroom.

A good mouse trap that I can recommend is the Catcha Humane Smart Mouse Trap. It is very easy to use and safe for your kids and pets.

Plus, it’s a humane way of eliminating your problem with mice. Just make sure that you release the mice that you’ve caught at least a mile away from your home. Otherwise, they’ll just return.

Keep Your House and Your Bedroom Clean

If you don’t give mice a reason to stay in your house, then they won’t. Ensure that food is carefully stored, clean up spills and making sure that there are no clothing lying in the corners of your room where they can potentially nest. You’ll also want to keep the space under your bed clutter-free.

Prevent eating in your bedroom as well to prevent crumbs from littering your floor and bedding. This way, mice won’t get tempted to enter your room or climb into your bed.

can mice climb beds

Use Peppermint Oil

If you want to prevent mice from getting into your bed the natural way, the best thing you can use is peppermint oil.

Peppermint oil to repell mice: does it really work?

The answer is yes, peppermint oil is an effective natural mouse repellent if you use it right.

How to use Peppermint oil as a mouse repellent?

  • Make sure that you’re getting 100% pure peppermint oil like this Pure Body Naturals Peppermint Essential Oil.
  • Then, just place cotton balls soaked with peppermint oil in places where the mice are likely to enter your room and house and in other areas where they show activity.
  • Depending on the severity, you’ll want to change the cotton balls every 2 weeks to a month.

You might also want to get a diffuser like this Urpower Essential Oil Diffuser and place it in your room if you find the smell of the peppermint oil to be enjoyable.

You can also make a spray by adding a few drops of peppermint oil to some distilled water and spraying this on your sheets and pillow when you make your bed.

It is important to keep in mind that peppermint oil is an effective natural mouse deterrent. However, it is not a very effective way to remove mice that already live in your property.

But it will sure keep mice out of your bed until you manage to get rid of them by using the methods below.

Use Pest Control Door Sweep

Mice and rats are very agile and can easily squeeze through small holes and cracks.

To stop them from entering through gaps under your door give pest and rodent controlling door sweep a try.

This door sweep is the perfect pest control system to keep all unwanted pests and rodents out of your house. It’s easy to install, durable, very affordable and non-toxic.

In addition to keeping out pests and rodents, it also keeps out cool air during the winter months. As the saying goes: “killing two birds with one stone” this is a case of killing two rodents with one stopper.

can mice jump

Frequently Asked Questions

Mouse in my room – is it safe to sleep?

A mouse in your room isn’t an ideal situation but it doesn’t have any immediate threat towards a person sleeping in the room.

It is advisable to get rid of mice as soon as possible since they like to gnaw on clothing or wires, but other than making noise they won’t harm attack a sleeping person.

Do rats bite humans in their sleep?

Rats aren’t known for being aggressive animals. It is extremely unlikely for a rat to bite a sleeping human. Rats are only known to attack when they are in a dangerous situation or if they feel threatened.

Can mice see in the dark?

Mice and rats are known for many things, but their vision isn’t one of these things. These rodents are nocturnal which means they prefer to come out at night, but they have bad vision genetically and struggle to see accurately in general regardless if it is light or dark outside.

Do mice come out during the day or night?

Mice are nocturnal animals, so they prefer coming out at night to look for food. However, they may also come out during the day. If you do see or hear signs of mouse activity during the day, this might mean that you have a major mice infestation.

Can mice attack you?

Mice aren’t aggressive, but they will attack you if they feel threatened. For example, if you corner a mouse or try to pick one up, there’s a good chance that it will bite you. Mice will also sometimes bite humans, particularly children, and babies, during their sleep especially when they can smell food.

If you do get bitten by a mouse, clean it properly with some warm water and soap.

Then, cover it with a dry, clean dressing. Since mouse bites can lead to serious infection, make sure to visit your doctor right away.

Do mice like the lights on?

Since mice are nocturnal animals, they’re naturally adverse to bright lights. Constant exposure to bright lights can affect their circadian rhythm and ultimately, impair their functionality.

Do mice climb?

Mice have amazing physical abilities that not only allow them to climb uneven surfaces, it also allows them to jump across counter tops and squeeze through small holes.

What smells get rid of mice?

Rodents have a very keen sense of smell so strong scents can repel them. Aside from peppermint oil, mice hate the smell of mothballs, ammonia, fabric softener sheets, and cayenne.

What attracts a mouse to your home?

A cluttered and dirty house is very appealing to mice since it gives them plenty of nesting areas. Also, if you frequently have food left improperly stored, including your pet’s food, this further attracts them to enter your home. You’ll also have to often take out the trash since its smell is like an open invitation to them.

What will scare mice away?

Cats are natural hunters that prey on mice so what better way to keep these rodents away than to get a furry friend.

Can Mice Climb into Bed

Conclusion

So, how to keep mice away from your bed?

By now you already know that mice and rats can climb stairs, beds, curtains, couches, furniture, wooden poles and even walls. The only things they can’t climb are a very smooth metal beds or glass.

If you have mice and rats in your house, there’s the possibility that they will go to your bedroom and climb walls as well as crawl on your bed.

Though they’re not aggressive, they can still bite humans. 

Fortunately, you also know how to keep mice away from your bedroom and house.

Aside from keeping your home clean and uncluttered, a high-quality ultrasonic repellent does a great job and gets rid of mice, rats, and other pests. It’s also a “no mess” solution.

Or you can always go for peppermint oil and leave a few mouse and rat traps around the house.

44 thoughts on “Can Mice & Rats Climb Stairs, Beds, Curtains, Couches, Furniture & Walls? (How To Keep Mice Away)”

  1. We live in the country..so we always have to do battle with mice..when it begins to get cold outside. When the cold weather arrives..the mice begin to look for warmer quarters. Now, my bed is clean as a whistle..no food, crumbs or dirt, etc. But..on 2 separate occasions..I woke up in the morning to discover a mouse..happily curled up and sleeping with me. The first time..I screamed bloody murder. The mouse jumped down and ran away..sadly looking over its shoulder at me..several times..as if to say “Geez..what’s wrong with you? I thought you and I were happy bed buddies..snug and warm together..so why are you screaming like a banshee”? I kind of felt sad for the mouse..until I realized that it was now loose in my house again. But..I captured it a day later..and my friend was relocated. The second mouse that was curled up with me..I captured in a paper bag and..it too was relocated. And so..to answer the question about whether mice will hop in bed with people. The answer is..Yup..at times they will..unfortunately. So..be on the lookout for an unwanted mousey bed buddy.

      1. Lately, I barely sleep all night because of fear of the mice. Last night as I was entering my bedroom a mice ran iinside my bedroom. I could not sleep because it was the last thing on my mind.

  2. I hear scratching from the corner of my room …. I think it’s a mouse and I’m scared to sleep right now …. What do I do?

    1. Don’t panic! Go to sleep in another room for tonight and get some mouse traps or ultrasonic repellents (or both!) tomorrow to get rid of mice. Hope it helps!

  3. It’s night rn where I live then I just saw a mice run from UNDER my bed. I am so terrified I am an 11 year old, ever since I saw my furry friend I just ran downstairs crying to my dad and he had let me sleep with him and my mom😏 I feel so better I just hope they don’t get in my parents bed. But my dad said he gonna call an exterminator.

    1. do you think that leaving a light on in the bedroom will help? Or would they still climb into your bed?

  4. I heard a mouse in the corner of my bedroom im afraid to sleep I don’t want mice in the bed with me.. I can’t sleep with my parents cause the bed ain’t big enough what do I do?

    1. Unfortunately, there is no immediate solution… Your best option is probably to sleep in a living room. Let your parents place some mouse traps or ultrasonic repellent in your room and your mouse problem should be solved in a couple of days.
      Don’t be scared – remember that mice are scared of you as well!

      1. We have field mice and they smell terrible. Everything in our room smells like mice. I mop every other day and wash the walls. I never knew they would climb in the bed. Please help. Need to get rid of smell

  5. I don’t know what to do. I just found a mouse in my room and there’s no where else I can sleep. I can’t sleep with my Mom & stepdad and am currently in the kitchen with nowhere to sleep.

  6. Elizabeth Anderson

    Moved in to care for parents who won’t listen and keep water out for th3 dog and food out also a bowl of oranges. The attached garage is full of stuff great for rat nests like wood and clothes anything you can think of is there. I’m afraid of rats .their dog has a cough and I brought my dog with me. I did not know things were this bad. I live on the other side of the USA . . Will my dogs presence and dog fur keep rats out of my bedroom? There is no way that I can get rid of all of this accumulation by myself and I cannot afford to hire help. Any suggestions How to keep them from coming in from under the garage door?

    1. I don’t think your dog’s presence will keep rats out of your bedroom. You might get lucky and the dog might catch them.
      You can use a door sweep to keep them from coming in from under the garage door. Use a strong and thick one!

  7. I just caught a mice on my bed😣 and my mom won’t let me sleep on the couch but she did put down some peppermint oil and carpet freshener…. is it any chance that it will come back?

  8. I did have a rat jump in the bed with me . I screamed and it ran off . I live in a camper for now and had a new tub put in it and the guy left a hole in the floor under the tub that’s how they were getting in . We fixed the hole and I’ve set off traps killed 2 large brown rats . Have been sleeping in a pop up tent zipped up on my mattress until I’m sure no rats are in here with me. I live in a wooded area and everyone around here has them in the yard. I don t leave food out or clothes

  9. I’ve had mice since the new year. Two weeks ago an exterminator came out and gave me awesome traps and professional bait to use. Haven’t caught a damn mouse in that time. She said that since mice are curious I should move the traps around. Everytime I do, I see fresh poop near where the trap had been before I moved it, within a few days. I still have my store bought traps out too and no dice. These critters are driving me crazy!

    1. If you see fresh poop near where the trap had been before, you shouldn’t move the traps I reckon. Or maybe they are messing with you haha

  10. They hate anything minty smelling, for example, spearmint, peppermint, and plain mint. They also can’t stand the scent of fabric sheets and baby powder. There’s a host of things these little demons don’t like. Put a bag of moth balls near your door’s entryway. Have an oil burner in your room. Pick whatever minty all natural oil you like. Put some dryer sheets in your bed. You can even put a few drops of the oil on you, prior to burning. However, this is all very extreme! Any one or two of these will work! Their sense of smell is off the chart and these are things they AVOID! Beware as moth balls are very toxic to humans as well unless packaged properly.

  11. Can rats climb on a blow up mattress ? & can you ever really solve a mice infestation? Or is it something that will continue to reoccur ? 🙁 thanks

    1. Mice and rats can quite easily climb on a blow up mattress. Don’t worry, you sure can get rid of mice if using the right methods!

  12. What is a door sweep? And where can a person buy one?
    I live in a condominium and the door into the hallway has a huge gap at the bottom. I am presently fighting a mouse infestation and am becoming very fed up. They have been in my bed (mouse droppings) so I am sleeping on my sofa which fortunately is not a problem for me since, because of physical problems, I sleep there quite a lot!! The pest control person came and has put down various items and so far they are working.

    Thank you for the info re smells they don’t like!!

    Barbara Rooney

    1. You can easily buy them on Amazon or pretty much any other online or offline store. I do have a link to the door sweep I recommend in this article.

  13. I have mice I think they are inside my mattress. At night I feel them moving under me. I put a peppermint defuser under my bed. Seemed to help a little bit. Do ultra sonic repellers really work?

    1. They do. Though it takes a couple of days before they start to work. Be sure to get a good quality one to help you to get rid of mice for good!

    2. Omgosh
      I’m your mattress?
      I would DIE 😱
      You feel them crawling around under you? Are you freaking kidding me 🤯
      Throw the darn thing out

  14. Heard the little guy rummaging in a grocery bag of candy I had in my closet! I sent my German Shepard after it and he tracked it down between a box and the wall. I lifted the box and he almost got it! It ran under my bed and it’s stuck there in a rug I have rolled up underneath (I think). I placed cotton balls of peppermint oil around my bed. Just hoping it doesn’t hop in bed with me (will it?). Tomorrow I will borrow my girlfriends cat and I will also get some traps with good bait (he apparently likes kit kats).

    1. Kit Kats, seriously?! The mice are evolving haha
      Be sure to keep your bed clean to make it look unattractive to the mouse!

  15. Pingback: Mice Climbing Walls | thephysicsofmeaning.com

  16. Right now I am in Portugal, on the third floor of a building. It’s hot so we had the windows open, but then I started imagining rats climbing in the windows. I think they can climb these walls; there are drain pipes and a few other things they could grip. So, I will close the windows and stay awake all night because of the heat.

  17. I have 3 rats in my room and I’m terrified it’s currently 5:37 AM and I’ve been up since like 4:00 I’m tired but I’m afraid to sleep because I don’t want to wake up to a rat in my bed and I don’t want to get bitten! I also can’t sleep because of the noise. My bed is made of wood finish so I know they can climb up and that’s making this whole experience terrifying for me. I can’t sleep on a sofa or couch because that’s downstairs and we have an alarm system that we put on every night

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