Mice can be dangerous pests because they can transmit diseases to humans — not to mention the property damage they cause. Whether you already have mice or you want to ensure an infestation doesn’t happen, learn how to make your home an inhospitable place for mice to live while protecting your belongings from damage.
Fix Up the Home
To keep mice out of your home, you first need to prevent access to it. Mice can squeeze through holes as small as a quarter-inch, so if you see any holes that lead from the outside to the inside of your home, seal them off. This could include holes in weather stripping or around windows and doors, cracks in the foundation, holes next to pipes, or even missing screens in air ducts, vents, or crawl spaces.
Put Away Food
Sustenance is an essential part of a mammal’s life, so if you cut off mice’s access to food and water, you can make your home unappealing to the mice. Fix any leaky pipes or faucets that could provide the rodents with access to water, and put away any food that you typically keep out, such as fruits or vegetables in open bowls.
Store all food in bins that mice can’t chew through, such as plastic storage bins. Seal the lids tightly so that they can’t slip inside — even a small hole could be big enough for a mouse to squeeze through.
Remember that mice don’t restrict themselves to human food. Pet food, birdseed, and grass seed can be appealing to mice, so put everything the rodents could eat into bins, including games with bean bags. You’ll also need to close the lids to any garbage bins completely so that mice can’t get into the trash can and live off of those scraps.
Store Belongings in Bins
Mice are nesting animals, using scraps of whatever they can find to build their nests, as well as chewing off and ripping up materials. Keep any potential nesting materials in bins with covers. Bedding such as pillows and blankets are common nesting materials, but even clothes, paper, and cardboard could be at risk.
What to Use and Not Use
Mice reproduce quickly and are quite destructive, so if you have noticed an infestation, you need to take care of it before it gets out of hand.
Don’t Use
Various products on the market, such as mint oil and ultrasonic machines, may claim to repel mice so that they won’t infest or will leave your property. However, most of these products don’t actually work, and will be a waste of your hard earned money.
Use
The best way to get rid of mice is using a professional pest company, as they have the experience and knowledge to tackle the problem. The products they use are formulated to be used by a licensed professional so they will always be better than what you can get over the counter at any store.
If you’re ready to get rid of the mice in your home or on your property, contact our team at Guardian Pest Control today to find the best mice control solution for you. We offer prescription-strength bait and can help you so that you can enjoy a safe home again without the risk of damage to your property, your belongings, or your health.