With the dramatically fluctuating temperatures and the extreme cold, it would be no surprise if pests have already made attempts to infiltrate your home. No one likes to share their home with a bunch of fuzzy roommates. If you haven’t already taken steps to mouse-proof your house, there’s no time like the present! Here’s three quick easy ways to make sure you lock the mice out with the cold.
Don’t Be a Lunch Lady
Mice view our homes as vast, warm spaces with a near endless supply of the most delectable foods they can imagine. In order to deter mice from moving in under the fridge, there’s a few easy fixes to make your delectable food less accessible. Store all your dry goods in airtight containers, including floor, rice, pasta, nuts and oatmeal. If a mouse can smell it, they’ll come looking for it. Try to keep veggies and fruits in the fridge and off the counters. If this doesn’t work for you, store them in large bowls with narrower mouths or in hanging baskets up off the countertops. Get rid of anything that’s past ripe, as this smells the sweetest and will be easier for a mouse to follow. Also try implementing a daily routine of tidying the kitchen of food bits and spills because even though it might just be bread crumbs to you, it’s a feast for a hungry rodent.
Tidy House, Happy Life
While you’re tidying your kitchen, take a look at the rest of your living space. Are there piles of clothes or newspaper? Do you have books and games stacked around shelving, creating little hiding spaces behind your bookcases? Is your attic a maze of optimal safe places for a mouse family? There isn’t anything wrong with having a cluttered house, but it definitely makes it much easier for a mouse to hideout without your noticing right away! It’s not a bad idea to tidy up your home not just to optimize your space, but to lessen the possibility of pests invading under the radar.
Shut the Door!
No really, shut your doors! When you’re dragging in your grocery haul, don’t leave the patio or garage door flung open as you do so. Any opportunity for a potential entry a mouse will take and they will absolutely try to follow you inside. Getting into the practice of shutting your doors and windows will help keep the fuzzy little critters outdoors. If your weather stripping is worn or tattered, consider replacing it not only against nosey mice, but against the cold air!
Winter can be a tough time of year for everybody. Though you might be willing to open your home to friends and family in need, the same can’t be said for a hoard of mice. Give them the cold shoulder and make sure to do a little mouse proofing of your house, or even a touch up of your previous protective measures. If they do happen to get past your best efforts however, don’t start to panic over a mouse invasion! We at One Man and a Lady Bug strive to keep your home a pest-free environment, and we’d be happy to consult with you today regarding your pest problems.
