How To Keep Mice From Being Attracted To Your Home

Maryland winters are chilly, which means that mice are constantly looking for a place to stay warm and get the food they need to survive. It’s not unusual to see them pop up in homes, and once an infestation takes root, you’ll likely be dealing with these little pests for months.

Seeing one or two mice may not initially be much of a concern. However, mice reproduce very quickly, which means that you can wind up with dozens over the course of a year. In addition, it is important to take a mouse infestation seriously, because they carry diseases that could negatively affect your family’s health, like the Hantavirus. Rather than dealing with an infestation after it has already taken root, the best course of action is to stop mice from coming into your home in the first place. These ideas will get you started.

Clean The Garage

Rodents love the garage, in part because there are so many places for them to hide. Many families use their garage to store “stuff,” and that stuff gives mice plenty of materials to make their nests with. If your garage is cluttered, start by clearing it out as much as possible. If you don’t give mice a place to hide, they are less likely to build their nests on your property.

Seal Up Food

Mice need food to survive, and that food is often hard to come by when it is cold outside. Mice like fruits and seeds best, and these are often the foods that homeowners leave uncovered. Think about your cereal, peanut butter, and peppermint candies, for example. How well is the box sealed? Would it be easy for a mouse to gain access? If the answer is yes, try transferring certain foods to airtight containers.

Rats and Mice love to find food laying out. Especially after a hurried morning when you leave for work or even overnight when you forget to put away the night’s snack.

Don’t forget about pet food, either. Rodents love to snack on it, so as much as possible, make sure it is inaccessible to them. Don’t keep it outside and make sure you pick up the pet food bowls and bird food before you go to bed each night.

Rethink Your Trash Storage

Mice aren’t particular when it comes to what they are eating, and they are just as likely to snack on your trash as they are your pet food. Put bags of trash in your exterior trash containers and secure the lids to prevent mice. Wheel the trash cans away from your home if you can. Opt for metal over plastic containers, because they are harder for rodents to access. If a mouse really wants to, it can chew through plastic to get to the food that it wants. It is also a good idea to examine the trash cans periodically to make sure they don’t have cracks and entry points. If there are any, they may need to be replaced due to holes or cracks.

Care For Your Lawn

Cut your grass and make sure there is nothing on the exterior of your property that could provide a safe haven for rodents. If you have to store something outside, make sure that it is elevated so that it is difficult for mice to access.

Are you anxious to get the mice gone as soon as possible? Have you tried everything you can think of but are still having problems? Barefoot Pest Control will help you keep rodents out and take the responsibility off of your shoulders. You don’t have to live with mice if you don’t want to.