Can Mice Get Into Metal File Cabinets – Remote Working Warriors

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Metal file cabinets – probably one of the most versatile pieces of furniture you can invest in for your home office. Recently however one of my neighbors has developed a bit of a mouse problem and so that got me thinking: Can mice get into metal file cabinets?

Most mice cannot get into metal file cabinets. This is because most metal file cabinets are made of stainless steel, cast iron, or strengthened aluminum, all of which are incredibly durable materials that mice cannot chew through.

Should your metal file cabinet already have an existing hole, the size of a dime or pen then you may need to look into mice prevention techniques.

So which metal file cabinet materials work best against mice? And what do you do if you get mice in your file cabinet? Keep reading to find out more!

Now if you’re just interested in my recommendations for the best file cabinets that have the best weight capacity limits you can check them out here (all links take you to Amazon):

Small cabinet (2 drawers)
Medium Cabinet (3 drawers)
Large (4 drawers)

(Just a heads up a lot of people reading my blog are in the process of designing their own home office. If you want to save some of the painstaking time I did in designing my office, you can find my recommended products here)

Can mice get into file metal cabinets?

For those of us who keep sensitive documents in our file cabinets, one of the worst things we can experience is having a mice infestation, chewing through cables, and all this sensitive information.

Mice ruining documents is actually way more common than you might think.

So are metal file cabinets a good way to store hot items in your home office?

Luckily I’ve scoured the web and called up a few pest control companies and come up with the following information:

Mice cannot typically get into metal file cabinets

This is because the majority of retail file cabinets on sale are made of cast iron, stainless steel, and 316 stainless steel.

These materials are notoriously tough and mice will not be able to chew through them.

Other file cabinets that are made of strong-grade aluminum will also offer a degree of protection against mice.

Mice however can get into file cabinets made of lesser quality aluminum as well as other materials such as wood, plastic, and fiberglass.

Mice will also be able to get into a file cabinet if there is a pre-existing hole

If this hole is the size of a dime then adult mice will be able to enter

Alternatively, if the hole is the size of a ball-point pen, baby mice will be able to enter your file cabinet.

All in all, however, metal file cabinets should be safe from mice – so much so that farmers often use them as a way to store grain and seed to prevent mice from feeding on them.

What kind of file cabinets will mice be able to get into?

Now I appreciate not everyone reading this will have a metal file cabinet made of stainless steel or cast iron.

To help compare then which file cabinet materials will be permeable to mice infestation, I’ve created a table below:

File Cabinet Material	Will mice be able to chew through?
Cast iron	No
Stainless Steel	No
316 Stainless steel	No
Aluminum	Yes
Oak	Yes
Plywood	Yes
MDF	Yes
Plastic	Yes

How to prevent mice from getting into your file cabinets?

So if you have recently had an outbreak of mice in your home office, and are worried that they might damage the important documents in your file cabinets, I would do the following:

Ensure your file cabinet is made of cast iron or stainless steel. Regularly inspect your cabinets for small, pen-sized shaped holes, and use mice traps to prevent mice from getting into your file cabinets.

Let’s explore these in a little more detail:

Ensure your file cabinet is made of steel

Mice, despite having a strong bite, are unable to chew through strengthened metals such as steel or aluminum.

Ensure then that your cabinet is made of these materials.

If not, it might be time for you to purchase a new file cabinet.

Regularly inspect your file cabinets for holes

Mice are notorious for getting into tiny spaces.

Adult mice can get into spaces as small as a dime-sized hole.

Baby mice can get into spaces even smaller such as a pen-sized hole.

This is because of their lack of collarbones making this a major problem.

If your file cabinet is old or already has some holes around this size mice may easily be able to get into your file cabinet.

Ensure your drawers are shut

Most file cabinets have a locking mechanism whereby one drawer opens and the others remain locked.

This is fantastic at keeping mice at bay, however, these drawers must be kept close.

It can be easy to leave one of these ajar and if a tiny gap is left open on the file cabinet, mice will be able to get in.

Ensure then after using your file cabinet, you double-check to make sure the doors are locked.

Check your lock for signs of damage

While most file cabinets are made of solid materials, such as iron or steel, a lot of manufacturers skimp out on the lock.

Locks then can sometimes be made of aluminum or plastic – both of which mice can chew through relatively easily.

Ensure then that you have a lock that is made of steel or iron or make sure you keep your lock securely covered.

Set up a schedule

If you suspect that your home office and file cabinet may be subject to a mice infestation then one way you can solve its to regularly check for signs.

Looking out for bits marks, scratches, or dropping in and around your file cabinet means they have gotten in.

Do this a few times per week at various times of day to ensure you are keeping up to date if you have a problem.

Remove the mice

Whilst the above methods will all stop mice from entering your file cabinet, easily the best thing you can do is to get rid of the source of the problem.

Investing then capsules or sticky sheets for mice and laying these around your filing cabinet can get rid of the problem.

If you have a severe problem then it might be worth calling in pest control to help you out with the problem.

After all – mice can breed and have up to 56 pups each year so it’s a problem that needs solving.

Why do mice need to be removed from file cabinets?

Now I’m sure some of you reading this are animal lovers (like myself) and are wondering what is so bad about leaving mice in a filing cabinet?

Leaving mice in a file cabinet will destroy the valuable items that you store in your file cabinet.

Mice will chew through everything they can get their teeth through, this means that items like electronic wires, confidential papers, and other items typically kept in file cabinets will be no match for these rodents.

On top of this mice can carry up to 35 diseases, a lot of which transfer directly to humans negatively affecting your health.

How can mice get into metal file cabinets?

Mice will typically get into metal file cabinets through pre-existing holes in your cabinet or through drawers that are not properly locked. If your file cabinet is made from cheap aluminum, wood, or plastic then it will simply chew through these materials

How much room do mice need to get into a file cabinet?

Adult mice only need a dime-sized hole to enter. Baby mice only need a pen-sized hold to get into a file cabinet. Typically the mice will enter file cabinets through the locking mechanism which is the perfect size for them to squeeze into if chewed out.

Why do mice get into file cabinets?

Mice will typically get into file cabinets in the winter months as a way to stay warm and create a safe environment for their offspring. Mice also like to nest in file cabinets as a way to avoid predators, as well as to keep them safe from extreme weather conditions

Best mice-proof file cabinets?

Any file cabinet made of cast iron, stainless steel, or 316 stainless steel should offer strong protection against mice. It is important to ensure that the lock on your file cabinet is also made of these materials to ensure mice do not chew through and get in your file cabinet that way.

What file cabinets should you avoid?

File cabinets made of wood, plastic, or cheap aluminum should be avoided if you have mice. This is because they will easily chew through these materials. Instead, opt for file cabinets made of stainless steel or iron.

Now if you are reading this there is a good chance that you are interested in buying a file cabinet so I would recommend you have a look at the following posts:

The content on this site was written by Fehed Nicass who has been working from home for over 3 years. His current profession is in sales.