As the weather begins to cool off and fall weather arrives, you might notice an increase in pest problems within your home. From spiders to insects and even mice, it is not comfortable knowing there could be an uninvited critter sneaking around your home. Here are some recommendations to help you get rid of mice inside your home and around your property.
Block Entry Into Your Home
Mice and other rodents are dirty animals and they are also creatures of habit, taking the same trails and making pathways wherever they travel. And for this reason, it makes it somewhat easy to find out where they have been and where they travel. Mice leave greasy residues on small entrances they take and will also leave droppings anywhere they crawl. These two signs are good indicators you have found where mice are coming into your home and you can use the clues to help you block them out of your home.
If a mouse or mice are getting into your basement laundry room through a crack around the window frame, block it off with a caulk, spray foam insulation product, or cover it with wire mesh. Keep in mind that mice only need a tiny opening the size of a pencil eraser to get into your home: they are incredibly agile. Clean up the mouse droppings either with sticky tape or a vacuum with a HEPA filter to prevent the risk of exposure to diseases.
Once you have sealed up the openings, place traps and bait in several areas and monitor the area for new activity, which will be evident by new mice droppings. Your local pest control professional can also help you catch and remove any mice in your home or in your yard. When the weather starts to get cold they will try to seek out shelter, which is usually inside your home.
Clean Up Your Exterior
The condition of your yard can make a big difference in whether or not you have a mouse problem. If there is a lot of clutter in your yard or a woodpile, they make the perfect place for a mouse to survive. Mice will need a source of food and water and if your yard provides both, it will attract them to your property. Food sources can include dog or cat food that is accessible or on the ground.
If you contain your pet food in its original paper bag, a mouse will easily be able to chew through the packaging. Store the food in a plastic or metal container that you can seal off from mice. So be sure it has a tight-fitting lid because a loose lid may have a tiny gap that will allow a mouse entry.
Reach out to a pest control service for help with these critters as well.
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