Mother nature took us on quite the ride and skipped right over fall this year. Just as the colder temperatures are a shock to us, it’s also shocking to the little critters now looking for a warm place to snuggle up for the winter! But before you curl up with a hot chocolate and all the seasons of Game of Thrones to prepare for its return next year, make sure you properly mouse proof your home so they won’t try to cuddle up next to you!
It goes without saying that a tidy house with no crumbs or overnight snacks left on the counters isn’t going to be nearly as inviting as a home that offers a lot of leftover delights for a mouse. Keeping your house spick and span is the first step in prevention against a mouse infestation. This means regularly sweeping, wiping down counters, frequently emptying the garbage and making sure to clean up all leftover food items and sealing them properly. Mice find pet food delectable and storing the dog’s food in an airtight container will make it much harder for a tiny mouse nose to sniff out. Not only will a cleaner house deter Mickey and his friends, so will cleaning up those piles of old newspapers and magazines in the basement! Mice will make a home pretty much anywhere and any clutter that offers possible shelter is prime mouse real estate. This includes clutter in your yard, garage or shed. It’s a good idea to keep dense foliage to a minimum when you’re landscaping next spring as this offers more protection for little critters to make nests!
While it might not be the time to landscape the front and backyard, it’s always a good time to take a peek at the perimeter of your house for possible mouse entrances. Mice will fit through any crack or crevice the size of a dime because if they’re itty bitty heads will fit, so will the rest of them! Check siding, doorways, windows and the foundation for any nooks and crannies. The best way to keep a mouse from sneaking inside is to fill these holes with steel or copper wool or even cement. Caulk is an option, but mice tend to chew right through it! While you’re fixing up the holes outdoors, check inside around baseboards, under appliances and in corners and seal these up too. Replacing worn out weather stripping around your doors and windows keeps both winter and mice at bay and makes that heating bill a little less startling.
But sometimes our best efforts don’t quite do the job and mice still find a way to set up camp in our homes. If this is the case, it’s time to call the experts. Our technicians have years of experience when it comes to getting the mouse out of your house and we are happy to answer any pest control questions you have. Give our team a call and we’d be happy to set up a consultation with you! Let us help you keep the warmth inside and the critters outside this winter!
