Did you know that 37% of homeowners have seen a rodent in their house in the last year? If you haven’t seen one in yours, don’t count your lucky stars just yet. It might be that you just haven’t spotted them or they might move in sometime in the future. While you can’t fully prevent rodents from becoming unwanted houseguests, there are definitely ways you can make your property as unattractive as possible to them. That way, you’ll decrease the chances of them finding your home appealing. Here’s how to practice good rodent control so you keep mice and rats out of your home.
Keep Dry Foods Sealed Up
Don’t just keep your dry foods in their original packages in your cupboard. The fact is, rodents can easily chew through bags and paper cartons.
Get yourself a nice set of plastic or metal containers and put all your dry goods in those. Mice and rats won’t be able to smell them, and even if they want to try and get into your dry foods, it won’t be possible since they can’t chew through plastic and metal.
Keep Your House Tidy
Did you know that a messy house can be bad for your mental health? Not only that, but it also makes for a wonderful home for rodents!
Mice and rats love to hide in clutter, such as scattered papers, magazines, books, and cardboard boxes. And even more so, they’re delighted to eat all the food scraps and crumbs on your floor!
So do yourself a big favor and keep up with cleaning your house. Sweep and vacuum the floors regularly and clean the countertops after every meal so no crumbs are left out.
If you don’t already have one in your kitchen, get a garbage can that has a lid. That way, when you throw ingredients and leftovers into it, the smells won’t be wafting out and attracting rodents into your home. They also won’t have easy access to your trash.
Plug up All Entry Points in Your Home
You might not realize it, but your house is probably full of entry points for rodents. They’re smaller than they actually look (thanks to their fluffy fur), so this means they’re able to shove themselves into the tiniest of holes!
Before fall arrives and the weather gets cold, you’ll want to inspect your house thoroughly for any entry points. This includes your walls and foundation.
If you find any cracks or holes, make sure you fill them right away. You can use masonry repair material for that. You should also check that all weather seals are working.
For larger holes, you can stuff them with steel wool. This is a material that rodents can’t chew through. Keep it in place with some caulking.
Keep up With Landscaping
You might think that landscaping is just something to keep your property pretty, but it does much more than that!
When you keep all your trees, shrubs, and other foliage nice and trimmed, this eliminates pathways that rodents can take into your home. For example, an overgrown tree branch allows a mouse to climb up and into an open window.
Not only that, but overgrown landscaping also provides more cover for rodents. This makes them feel safer from predators like owls and cats, which makes the outside of your home very attractive to them. If mice and rats make themselves comfortable outside your house, then it’s only a matter of time before they move inside.
Get Rid of Bird Feeders or Move Them Further Away From Your House
Hanging up bird feeders can be a great way to get a glimpse of nature. However, the foods you put into the feeders not only attract birds, but also mice and rats.
The best thing you can do is to get rid of your bird feeders altogether. But if you don’t want to stop attracting birds to your home, then consider moving the feeders as far away as possible so it’s not as easy for rodents to get into your house.
Try Essential Oils
These aren’t scientifically proven to work, but it still might be worth a try. Some people claim that mice don’t like the smell of peppermint, so soak some cotton balls with peppermint oil and place them around your house.
For a more natural route, you can also try planting some peppermint plants in your yard.
Hire a Pest Control Company
Even if you don’t see any signs of rodents in or around your home, it’s always a good idea to work with a pest control company. These experts can do a thorough inspection of your property to determine if there are any entry points you’ve missed. They can also give you a personalized pest control plan and sound advice on what you need to improve.
Don’t just have them come once either. It’s important that you have your home inspected regularly to ensure that no rodents have made their way in.
And if they have, you want to catch it sooner rather than later. A large infestation will take a lot more time and money to fix.
Get Professional Rodent Control Today
By practicing good rodent control on your own, you’ll stand a much better chance of keeping those pests out of your house. Remember to be diligent about it, as any slipups can immediately make your home inviting to mice and rats.
And more importantly, keep up with pest control services. These professionals will be able to detect any entry points in your home and can also advise you on how to tighten up your defenses even more!
Do you need pest control service and are looking up “rodent control near me?” Then get in touch with us now!