Winter is a time of the year when a lot of outside critters want to come indoors where it’s warm and cozy. Sure, there’s probably an ongoing supply of food for them, but we know that you’re not interested in these types of house guests over the winter. Let’s discuss our top 5 tips that you can use to prevent mice from seeking shelter inside of your home or garage as the temperatures start to drop.
It’s a good idea to periodically walk around the perimeter of your home to look for any gaps or points of access that could allow for a potential mouse infestation. What might seem like a very small hole could be more than large enough for a mouse to come through. Young mice can fit in a hole the width of a pencil – just 5mm! Find ways to permanently close off these cracks and crevices. You can board them up, use caulk, or use something like an insulating foam sealant that can be sprayed and then expands to fill the area.
Mice are usually scouting around looking for a food source, so make sure you haven’t left anything behind for them to eat. If you need to take the trash out of your kitchen or bathrooms, remove the bags and take them directly to your garbage receptacle outside. Don’t leave the bags anywhere in your home or even outside in the garage. The smell will attract the mice quite quickly. Also, put away things like bird seed and pet food, storing them in mouse proof containers.
If you like to leave seed outside for the birds and squirrels, understand that this could be attracting mice as well. You can still enjoy some bird watching, just invest in the suet cakes that remain in one piece and hang up off the ground. This will prevent seed from spilling onto the ground where mice can easily get at it.
Mice will nibble at crumbs and messes that are left in different areas of your home. Make it part of your routine to clean up after yourself each day. This means you should wipe up crumbs off the countertops, sweep the floors after meals, clean up any spills that occur, and keep food sealed and put away at all times. Cleaning up doesn’t have to be a major chore. Come up with a way to make this process simple. Use a dustpan and a broom or a cordless stick vacuum. You could also invest in a robotic vacuum that runs all around your house keeping the floors clean of anything that could attract mice.
Your son or daughter has been pestering you to adopt a cat, but you’ve been turning them down. Now may actually be a good time to bring a feline friend home with you. Cats are really good at sensing mice, and we all know that mice aren’t really interested in becoming best friends with your furry baby. If a rodent was to enter your living space, your cat’s natural instincts would kick in and the problem would likely be addressed in no time.
The more clutter that you have in your home, the more spaces that mice have to hide. Don’t allow laundry, bedding and blankets to pile up on the floor as this can become nesting materials for mice. Have your children put their toys away each day as well. Papers, bags, and boxes are all cozy little hideouts for unwanted mice.
You can also utilize the services of the pest control professionals at PestNow CVA to keep mice away this coming winter. There are safe and effective products that can be used inside your home and around the perimeter that will keep mice and other pests from trying to make their way indoors. If you would like more information on how to avoid mice in your home this winter, reach out to us here at PestNow of Central Virginia. We are a veteran-owned and operated local business that offers professional pest-control services throughout the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Northern Neck areas. When you work with PestNow CVA, you get the best of both worlds. We provide you with the support of the nationwide PestNow organization along with the personalized service, individual attention, and professional expertise of the local Virginians who own and operate our three locations. Let us know how we can help. We’ll make sure that we use products that are safe for pets and children. We’ll protect your family like they are our own.
