Mice can be a problem in any home, often unexpectedly entering through tiny holes and cracks in the foundation, walls, vents, or roof. While mice can be startling enough to run into inside your home, they also pose several health and safety risks for homeowners; for instance, mice are avid chewers, known to chew up grocery items as well as electrical wires, potentially exposing homeowners to bacteria and illness, as well as increasing the likelihood of a house fire, in extreme circumstances.
So, to best protect your home and family members from mice, here are some of the best ways to knock them out.
Minimize Clutter
Part of the reason it can be so surprising to see a mouse in your house is you may not have even realized you had a problem, as mice often expertly hide. The more clutter in your home, such as storage boxes, (especially those kept on the floor), the more hiding places you’re providing for mice and the more likely you may be to run into a rodent unexpectedly.
Mice are attracted to clutter because they like dark places with lots of nooks and crannies where they can hide from predators—so get rid of as much clutter as possible throughout your house!
Keep Your Home Clean
In addition to minimizing clutter in your home, it’s also critical to keep your space clean and sanitized. Here are a few tips to keep your space clean (and make it less attractive to rodents):
- Make sure you’re keeping your kitchen clean, leaving no crumbs or spills behind, particularly on countertops, in cupboards and drawers, and under tables and chairs.
- Clean up pet bowls when not in use—if your dog and/or cat loves to eat them, so will rodents.
- Wash dishes immediately after meals.
- Keep garbage cans covered at all times.
Seal Off Entry Points
Mice can easily enter a house through even the tiniest of openings. To prevent them from doing so and to make sure that they’re not already inside your walls, follow these steps:
- Look for holes in the walls, floor, and ceiling. If you find any cracks or gaps, seal them with steel wool or caulk.
- Check the attic and crawl space for gaps where mice might be getting in. If there are any small openings between the house’s foundation and a tree root system below it, seal those off as well with metal mesh or caulk to keep mice out of your home.
Maintain a Regular Pest Control Plan
For most homeowners, getting rid of mice is just a matter of time before more return.
Often, DIY solutions for mice control aren’t effective because the problem isn’t fully knocked out. If one mouse gets into your home, there’s a good chance they will have friends who haven’t been seen yet! Because of this, the most effective way to knock out a mouse problem is with a regular pest control service performed by a professional who is trained in identifying the signs of a mouse problem and creating an effective plan for not only knocking them out but ensuring they don’t return in the future.
Knock Out Your Mouse Problem for Good
You don’t have to live in fear of rodents in your home or the risks they pose to you and your family. For help knocking out mice for good, call (800) 244-PEST to schedule an estimate for your home.
