How to Keep Mice from Entering Your Home?
Is it just me or do mice always have a way of making family members jump on chairs in the house? Mickey Mouse is cute, but we can all agree the mouse in your house is not. After all, having any rodent in the house is a cause for concern. During the colder months, mice and other rodents may make their way indoors. Of course, you know mice and rats are a nuisance if they get indoors. They will not only eat your food, chew up wires, but also destroy furniture and walls.
And besides causing fires when they chew on the insulation on electrical wiring, these rodents can carry diseases such as hantavirus. This is a disease that’s transmitted by accidentally inhaling dust, containing infected mouse droppings and dried urine.
While getting rid of mice could be a phone call away to a pest control expert, that’s not the only option. You could also try dealing with these pests on your own. But if you are not sure where to start, then this article is in your best interest. And without wasting much time, let’s take a look at what you need to know about preventing mice from entering your home.
1. Start by Eliminating the Entry Points
The most effective and permanent mouse control comes down to one single thing, finding out how the mice are getting into your house. Rodent-proofing your home is an effective way to stop mice infestations. More importantly, defend your home from mice by eliminating the major points of entry that provide easy access to your home. However, this can be difficult due to a mouse’s ability to squeeze itself into even the tiniest of openings.
Basically, if you can fit a pencil into a crack, hole, or opening then there’s a chance a mouse can get through it as well. Therefore, try to seal all cracks on the floor as well as openings in the walls, including where the vents and utility pipes pass.
2. Consider Using Mousetraps
Nothing is more satisfying than having all the necessary gear when going to war. The same case applies when it comes to dealing with mice. The best way to help get rid of mice in an ongoing infestation is by using mouse traps. You can consider using the classic wooden snap traps. These should help do the trick for the moderate mice populations. But keep in mind that in most cases, people tend to overlook mice infestations.
3. Select a Suitable Bait for the Mouse Traps
Just like the way a magnet is attracted to metal; mice are attracted to food. Chocolate, peanut butter, bacon, oatmeal, dried fruits, and hazelnut are among the top dishes that mice love. When you’re ready to set the trap with the bait, these are some of the top options that you can consider.
More importantly, tie the bait to the trigger with a fishing line. This will make sure the mice get what’s coming to them without “making off with the cheese.”
4. Strategic Placement of the Traps
A gambler is only as good if he gets his cards right. Therefore, a goal without a plan is just a wish. As much as you have all the traps, knowing where to put them is the key. Place the traps perpendicular to the walls. This will not only cause the mouse to run directly into the bait as it naturally scurries along the walls but also, running over the trap from the wrong direction. This will help by triggering it prematurely.
The critical thing to note is that mice don’t travel 10 or 20 feet from the food source. Once you have identified these areas, it will be easy to layout traps.
5. Avoid Storing Pet Food Open
Keep dog and cat foods contained using airtight storage containers immediately after buying them. Additionally, avoid placing garbage bins alongside the house or garage as that will be a siren call for rats and mice.
6. Keep Doors Closed.
Garage doors left wide open can be an invitation to rats and mice. That’s mainly in the cold season when the rodents are seeking to find warmth. Hence, get into the habit of closing your garage door immediately after entering and also keep side entry doors to the garage closed.
7. The Tom and Jerry Chase
We all know the drama of Tom and Jerry from our childhood that always kept us entertained. Well, this is no different from this situation. Cats love hunting mice. If you have a cat, they might be the best way to catch a mouse without breaking a sweat.
8. Maintain Cleanliness of Your Countertops
Cleanliness is next to godliness. Poor housekeeping that fails to promptly sweep up spilled crumbs or food scraps from floors or countertops is an invitation for mice and rats. Hence, keeping your house tidy is key in preventing mice from entering your home. Furthermore, never leave bowls of pet food open on the floor. Pet foods are one of the most inviting factors to mice.
What Do You Need to Get Rid of the Mice?
A mouse trap may be the best solution for getting rid of mice in your house. However, to keep future problems in check, you may want to place some mouse poison at strategic places. Additionally, keep the poison out of reach from children and other pets. But just at the right point where the mice can easily reach.
Poisoning may not be the most desirable way to get rid of mice, but it is the surest way. You don’t always see them since they are by nature, shy and lightning quick. This means you may have mice in your house and not know it yet. Neither mouse traps nor poison is expensive, but both will help to give you peace of mind.
In Summary
Many people who have mice in their homes have a tough time. Besides being a nuisance, mice in your home can potentially pose health risks. As I explained earlier, mice droppings and dried urine can cause infection if inhaled.
What attracts mice? To answer this question, you should think about what a mouse wants: Safety, food, warmth, a place to have young ones. She will search as far as her short legs will carry her to find those things. If your house is in her path, then it will be game on. for more information on mice.
