Top Mice Prevention Tips

June 30, 2017

In: Rodents

There are some folks who think that mice are only a problem when the weather begins to get colder. While it is true that fall is when these furry creatures will be on the move looking for a warm place to hold up for the winter, this doesn’t mean that they can’t find their way in during the rest of the year. After all, why wouldn’t a mouse take the opportunity for an easy meal and a safe spot away from their natural predators if given the opportunity?

No matter what time of the year it is, mice are a dangerous and destructive problem to have. One or two finding their way into a home quickly leads to dozens of babies who then have more babies. In just a few months’ time, you can have double digit disease carrying, wire chewing menaces hiding behind your walls. Mice, in their quest for food and water, will wait patiently until they think no one is around and make their way into the kitchen.

Once there, every crumb, box of cereal, and bag of rice is fair game. At the start of an infestation, many homeowners have no idea that their entire counter area and the inside of their cupboard have been explored by mice who are leaving behind bacteria causing salmonella or hantavirus, along with several other diseases, that can affect the family that lives there. Mouse droppings dry and get into the air causing respiratory issues, especially in children. Mice also are typically the culprits when fleas are introduced into the home, whether there are any pets that live there or not.

Health risks aren’t the only problems that mice bring with them. These pests are a destructive addition to a home. It isn’t just their tendency to steal soft materials like bedding, clothing, and even insulation to make their nests that cause damage. It is their need to chew that is a serious threat to a home. In order to keep their front incisors, which continually grow, at a manageable length, a mouse spends an extraordinary amount of time chewing on anything that they can reach: wood, cardboard, plastic, and electrical wires are all fair game.

So, how can we protect ourselves from the certain destruction that mice bring? There are ways to make your home a harder place to get into and a less appealing prospect for cohabitation. Consider applying these tips in your home:

• Check the perimeter of your home for key entry points. Mice need very little space to squeeze through, so make sure that any windows and screens are in good repair as well as doorways. Also, check the area where pipes come into your home. If the space around them is larger than a dime, caulking should be applied to fill up the gap.

• While checking for entrances, make sure that the places where mice hide outside are not too close to your house. Wood, debris piles, and trash cans should be stored well away from any doorway that these quick little creatures can scurry through.

• Inside the house, make sure that the kitchen is kept tidy. That includes cleaning the counters, keeping the dishes done, and sweeping and washing floors on a regular basis. Mice have a keen sense of smell; and if they smell food, they are more than happy to find the source. It is also important to make sure that pet food is kept off the floor when your pets are not eating.

It is not always possible to keep pests out of your home, no matter how diligent you are about your cleaning habits and perimeter sweeps. Luckily, American Pest Solutions has an expert team of rodent control specialists who are well trained in the removal of problem pests like mice. Give us a call today and ask us how we can help you take control of your pest problems.