As the weather grows colder in the Midwest and winter approaches, it’s time to go through your winter preparation checklist. Winter clothing? Check. Winter tires and wipers on the car? Check. Ice scraper and snow shovel? Check. You should be prepared for whatever winter might throw at you this season.
But is your house ready for the invaders that are coming? And no, we’re not talking about the in-laws coming for Christmas. We’re talking about pests, more specifically mice, the opportunistic little rodents that would love to spend the holidays nestled in your cozy home.
How Mice Enter Homes
Mice prevention is a tough job. Mice and other winter pests can slip into your house through a hole smaller than a dime. They might climb through a hole in a window screen, a gap in a vent or even down an open chimney.
Once a mouse finds its way into your house, it can hide pretty much anywhere. Plus, your home is like a five-star hotel to mice and other rodents. Think of all the amenities you offer: water, food and shelter. Mice will make a nice and comfy nest inside your home and never leave.
Ridding your home of a rodent infestation is a lot more work than keeping mice out of your house in the first place. That’s where our best mouse prevention tips come in handy.
How to Keep Mice Out of Your House in Winter
Here are Plunkett’s best mice prevention tips to keep mice out of your house.
Fill in Any Holes
Gaps as small as ¼ inch can be large enough to let mice into your house. Inspect your house carefully and fill in any gaps in your home’s siding, cracks in the foundation and holes in the roof. When filling in holes, make sure to use the most appropriate materials for the job. Cover vents with a fine wire mesh, install chimney caps over open chimneys and fill in structural openings with copper mesh.
Keep Clutter Away from Your House
Piles of wood, bricks, garbage and other items can be inviting for mice and other pests. Mice like to nest in piles of wood and forage for food in the garbage. Placing piles of these things near your home’s foundation is like hanging a neon sign that says “vacancy.”
Keep these items far away from your home or safely locked away in a shed. The less inviting your home looks, the more likely you are to prevent mice from entering your house.
Clean up Your Yard
Mice like to hide out in bushes, piles of leaves and long grasses. One of the best mouse prevention tips is to clean up your yard. Make sure to rake up any yard waste before snow falls. Trim back shrubs and tree branches so you don’t give mice any ladders to climb up your walls and into your home.
Elevate Your Firewood
If you love a roaring fire on a cold winter’s night, make sure to elevate your firewood. A pile of firewood can make a comfortable home for a mouse. Keeping your firewood at least 18 inches off the ground will let mice know that they’re not welcome.
Keep Pet Food Inside Your House
Don’t let pet food stay uncovered outside. Mice and other rodents can smell tasty food and follow their noses right to your door where they’ll chow down on the pet food. Once they’re done, the mice will enter your home in search of more. Keep pet food in airtight containers inside your home, instead.
Keep Windows and Doors Shut
Your house is a warm haven in the cold of winter. Mice will take even the smallest opportunities to sneak into your house. Do your best to keep your doors and windows shut.
While this might seem like a no-brainer, you’d be surprised how often windows and doors stay open during the winter. You might prop open a door to let holiday guests in at a party. Or you might need to open the windows to let out the smoke and smell from a burned Thanksgiving turkey.
Your doors or windows will stay open for a short time, and the next thing you know is that you have a little brown mouse coming home for the holidays. If you know that your windows will be open during the winter, make sure they’re covered in flawless mesh screens.
Install a Rubber Strip on Your Door
There’s often a small gap between your exterior doors and the ground, especially in older homes. A rubber strip can close off this gap and prevent mice from entering your home. You can choose from self-adhesive options and styles that you attach with screws. Both types will help protect your home from furry invaders.
What To Do If You Find a Mouse in Your House
If you followed all of our tips for keeping mice out of your house in the winter to a T and you still see signs of mice in your home, don’t worry. Even the best mouse prevention tips can’t keep the sneakiest mice away.
When you need help with mouse problems, call Plunkett’s Pest Control. We can help you find mouse nests and send mice packing. Plus, our professionals live in the same communities that you do, and we want to keep our communities safe and clean. We know how important it is to protect your home and family from pests and pesticides.
We use integrated pest management methods. This is an eco-friendly pest control option. We focus on mice prevention and use the least amount of chemicals possible to eradicate rodents from your home. Some of our interior pest control treatments are even 100% chemical free.
We’re happy to help fix your mouse problems this winter and throughout the rest of the year. Give Plunkett’s Pest Control a call today at 1-866-906-1780.
