Mice should be avoided because they carry disease. They’ll spread feces around the house and get into your food, putting your family at risk of getting sick. What is especially challenging about mice is that they are so small. It can be very hard to tell where they are coming from.
The following is a checklist to help you mouse-proof your home. Mouse-proofing is an excellent investment that will save you the trouble of an infestation. If you need help getting rid of mice, contact a mouse exterminator Brampton or near you.
Weatherstrip the doors
Door gaps are often wide enough to fit a mouse. Add some weatherstripping to the bottoms of your garage door and your doors to the outside to keep the critters out. Indoors, you can add floor sweeps to your pantry door or other room where you keep food.
Cover wall vents
Mice can climb brick walls, then chew and wriggle their way through plastic wall vents. You can keep them out by covering your vents with a thick, quarter-inch mesh made of galvanized steel. Simply shape the mesh to cover the vents, then screw it right into the wall. The material should last for several years.
Plug weep vents with mesh
Weep vents, or weep holes, are little gaps placed between bricks to allow for moisture to escape. Unfortunately, weep vents are often wide enough to fit mice. Once inside, mice find a way into the walls of the home. Plug these holes with stainless steel covers from the hardware store. They’re highly affordable and easy to use.
Seal gaps in the walls
Grab a flashlight and take a good look at your walls. Check the foundation, deck, a/c line, plumbing, and edges of the soffits. Seal any gap that is one-quarter of an inch wide or more. Use mortar, mesh, caulking, wood, or other tough material that will block the space from mice.
Put food out of reach
Mice are attracted to homes that smell like food. So, put everything you can in sealed containers. Use tightly lidded jars and bins that keep food out of reach. Vacuum often and take out the garbage every day. If mice ever move in, they will find that there is no food available and go elsewhere.
Get rid of clutter
Mice love clutter because it makes it easier for them to hide. Keep this in mind when tidying up the house. Take things off the floor and get rid of what you don’t need. Mice won’t find anywhere to nest or hide if the house is free of clutter.
Use ultrasonic deterrents
If you’ve struggled with mice before, try using an ultrasonic deterrent. This deterrent emits a high-pitched noise that we can’t hear but that bothers mice. Place one near your front door or anywhere you suspect might be prone to mice.
Signs of Mice in the Home
Mice are very quiet, so they can go unnoticed for a long time. If you’re not sure whether you have mice or not, look for these signs.
Scratching noises
Are you hearing a mysterious scratching noise at night? Mice often chew on studs and drywall while in their nests, which creates a repetitive scratching noise that can be hard to locate. If you’re hearing something, you’re not going crazy – it could be mice.
Droppings
Mouse droppings are small and dark, with tapered or stringy ends. Droppings are commonly found along the walls of the home, or anywhere there is food, like a kitchen cabinet.
Missing food
Did a hole suddenly appear in a bag of flour? Are there teeth marks on a box of cereal? This is another sign of a mouse problem. Do not eat anything that mice have touched. Throw the food out in a plastic bag and disinfect the area.
Smudge marks and footprints
Greasy stains on the baseboards or surrounding a hole in the wall may point to mice. These stains occur when mice follow the same paths repeatedly and rub their bodies against the same surfaces every night. Strange little footprints in the dust are another indicator.
Contact an Exterminator for Mouse Removal
The easiest way to get rid of mice is to hire an exterminator. Professionals have access to high-quality baits that get rid of mice very quickly. They can also inspect your property and mouse-proof you’re home for you. The services that exterminators provide are invaluable. Contact your nearest pest control company as soon as you see the sign of a mouse problem.
