No one wants a mouse in the house. That single mouse within a matter of weeks can lead to a whole string of mice infesting your home and destroying your peace of mind.
And while mice are very active and out and about during the summer, it’s the weeks leading up to fall when they begin making preparations to hole themselves in for the winter ahead. You don’t want to be left without proper mice control in place before autumn is here.
But there are steps you can take now to curb a mice infestation in its tracks. Prepare and protect your home with these 6 effective ways to prevent and get rid of mice.
1. Keep Mice Out By Maintaining Your Landscaping
Summer’s the perfect time to tackle all those outdoor projects you held off during the winter. But keeping your landscaping clear of clutter will do more than just give your yard great curb appeal.
Before mice make their way into your home, they will seek out shelter in the area surrounding it. That could be under piles of leaves or hidden among tall and unmowed grass, untrimmed bushes, and shrubbery.
A good rule of thumb is to keep a sensible distance between your home and any plants. Creating a wide gap may help keep mice confined to the outdoors. Keep them off your property by trimming down foliage, trees, and other plants that act as a shelter to rodents and pests. Don’t give them a place to stay!
2. Look for (and Address) Standing Water Sources
Don’t give them a replenishing water source either. Whether that’s a leaky outdoor faucet or a pool of water collecting in your gutters, such standing water should be removed and the problem causing it fixed fast.
Water is one of those basic necessities mice look for when seeking a place to nest. If you offer it to them freely, why wouldn’t they want to stay? They may first be drawn to water sources outside, but check inside your home too for any leaks.
3. Clean and Clear Away All Food Sources
The same goes for food sources. Leftover crumbs on the floor, food scraps on dirty dishes, an unsealed garbage can, and open food containers are just inviting mice indoors. They need a place where food will be readily available to them, especially once fall and winter arrive and food outside is scarce.
Cleaning up after meals will be vitally important, but so will keeping any other food or trash in containers that seal tight. You may want to invest in glass or strong plastic containers to hold cereal, pretzels, flour, sugar, or other food with an open container. Don’t forget to set up pet food in a secure container either!
It’s a pain to wipe down counters and tables, vacuum, sweep, clean the dishes, and take out the trash so frequently. But our mice control specialists have seen for themselves what a difference cleaning up food can make for stopping and preventing an infestation.
4. Tidy Up Inside and Out
You don’t need to go full Marie Kondo, but get rid of clutter that again offers a safe refuge for mice. Garages, sheds, basements, and attics are notorious for collecting clutter. Regularly go through these and other areas around your home where boxes and a hodgepodge of miscellaneous items pile up.
Mice have strong teeth that can chew through cardboard boxes and plastic bags. Store items you do choose to keep in plastic bins instead. These can be easily stacked up for less of a mice and won’t give access to mice.
5. Caulk Holes and Cracks to Stop Mice from Entering In
Even the smallest holes can let in a mouse. They can squeeze into tiny spaces, meaning that any cracks, gaps, or holes leading into your home should be sealed well in advance of fall.
Use waterproof caulking for cracks in your foundation, around pipes and HVAC ducts, and at other structural points throughout your home. New weatherstrips can help fill the gaps around window and door frames to protect those entry points.
6. Don’t Go Without Professional Mice Control
Professional pest control companies can inspect your home for such entry points and other factors that may incite a mice infestation. But more importantly, they can apply other protective measures and lay mice bait and traps to remove the problem entirely.
Yet many homeowners rely solely on DIY mouse control instead. They may catch a mouse here or there, but the real problem remains.
Take the above measures and call a pest control company if you want to get rid of mice, rats, voles, and other rodents completely. H2 Pest Control is one such company with years of experience in controlling and removing mice populations in Eagle Mountain UT, Lehi UT, and other surrounding Utah locations. But we also only use eco friendly solutions with natural and environmentally friendly pest control. These solutions are safe for small children and pets, protecting your home from mice without putting your family at risk of exposure to toxic substances.
Make your move and stop mice this summer before their fall exodus into your home begins. Call or contact H2 Pest Control for a mice and pest inspection! We’ll devise a plan specifically for your home to crush any mice infestation now and in future months.