Leaving Mice Out In The Cold: Tips To Keep Them Out Of Your House
Posted on: 23 December 2014
When the cold temperatures settle in during the winter months, mice scramble to find warm, dry places to nest. This means that your home is at a greater risk of mouse infestation during the winter months than you might think. If the idea of sharing your space with rodents makes you shiver more than the winter wind, you'll want to protect your house. Here are some tips to help you keep mice outside where they belong.
Patch Up Entry Points
The exterior walls of your home are one of the most vulnerable areas when it comes to mice. Do a thorough walk-through around the outer perimeter of the house, looking for holes. Mice can squeeze in through tiny spaces, so you'll want to seal off any holes that are nickel-sized or larger. Look for gaps around pipes and faucets as well as holes around the foundation. All of these should be sealed up using spray foam insulation or other material.
Eliminate Hideaways
Once mice find your property, they'll start looking for corners, cubbies and other spaces to hide and nest. Get rid of any areas near your house that may provide comfort for mice, including leaf piles, firewood stacks and other structures. Don't leave any debris around the perimeter of the house if possible, because mice will make a home out of virtually anything. When the yard isn't inviting, chances are that the house won't be, either.
Keep Trash at a Distance
Trash cans are an endless food source for mice and other rodents. Keep the trash cans as far from your house as you can so that you aren't drawing mice to your house in search of easily-accessible food. You might also want to invest in rodent-deterrent garbage cans, because they seal tightly to keep mice and other critters at bay. When they can't get into the can, the trash inside isn't going to draw them.
Explore Natural Deterrents
There are a few natural methods to deter mice from coming into your house. Place mothballs in any areas where you can tell that the mice are coming in. The smell of the mothballs is a deterrent for mice. Unfortunately, it can be overpowering and off-putting for you, too.
If you want something with a more pleasant smell, peppermint is also effective. Plant some peppermint plants around the outer perimeter of the house and then treat the exterior walls with peppermint oil periodically. The smell of peppermint will keep mice at bay because they find it offensive.
Turn the Mice into Prey
Even if you don't want to trap the mice, you can still eliminate them by adding a cat to the household. In addition to adding a sense of warmth to the house, a cat may actually hunt mice that have settled into your house. If you want to combat the infestation in the most effective way possible, opt for a cat that spends time both indoors and out, because those cats retain more of their natural hunting instincts.
Call a Pest Control Service
If you try all of these steps and the mice are still taking up residence in your house, you may want to call a pest control company to get rid of them. A pest control service can trap the mice and relocate them for you.
With so many different ways to deal with mice, you are sure to be able to combat these little pests. Whether they've already gotten in or you want to keep them from coming at all, the tips presented here are a great place to start. The more proactive you can be, the better your chances are of keeping your home mouse-free.
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