Keeping rodents at bay can be a challenge. Not only do they pose a threat to your home through their natural tendencies to chew and dig, but house mice also tend to breed quickly, making it even more difficult to get rid of them. If you’re looking for some suggestions on how to keep rats and mice away from your home, read on!
Having rodents around your house is never ideal – even if they don’t cause any structural damage or create odour issues. However, there are ways you can help keep rodents at bay without calling in the professionals. Here are 6 tips that will help you keep rodents away from your home for good:
Clear your yard of loose material
If there’s one thing rats and mice love, it’s hiding under things like loose boards, piles of dirt, or shrubs. Make sure there aren’t any gaps under your deck or other items like that that could allow rodent access to your yard. Clean up any debris that’s lurking under things like piles of dirt and shrubs. This will help keep any rodents that might be lurking in the surrounding area out.
Install screened windows and doors
Rats and mice, just like any other mammals, are drawn to warmth and moisture. Mice in particular are drawn to moisture in the air and food on surfaces. If you keep your home maintained with a schedule, this could be a problem.
Make sure your windows are clean, so there aren’t any traces of food on them. This will keep these pests out of your home. Mice also like to chew on plastic and rubber, so make sure your door seals are in good shape. If they aren’t, take them off and replace them with more durable options that won’t quickly break down.
Seal your home from the inside too with caulk or other sealant options. Aside from keeping rats and mice out, these improvements will also prevent pests from gaining access to your home in the first place.
Seal up gaps and cracks
If your home has gaps between the exterior siding and the wall, make sure you caulk them up. This will prevent rodents from getting in through these openings, and will also keep termites out. Cracks in your driveway and other paved areas should be filled and paved over with concrete. This will prevent rodents from accessing your home through these gaps.
Mice and rats can also access your home through gaps around porch boards, or around pipes that run outside your home. These pipes should be caulked or covered up as well. Mice also like to gnaw on wood, so make sure there aren’t any gaps in your fences or shrubbery near them.
Keep your home properly maintained
One of the best ways to keep rats and mice away from your home is to keep it clean. Not only will this make your home smell better, but it’ll also help keep pests out. Mice are drawn to areas of your home that are dirty, and if you keep these areas clean, you’ll greatly decrease their chances of being able to get to your food and belongings.
Keep your garbage cans tightly closed, and keep your pantry stocked with foods that are easy to eat but difficult to chew through, like grains and pasta. If you have pets, make sure they aren’t bringing home food scraps from the yard. If you have outdoor compost piles, make sure you regularly turn them or empty them. This will prevent rodents from getting to the food inside.
Use effective trapping techniques
Trapping is a great way to keep rats and mice out of your home as it’s a highly effective method that requires no special hassle. Purchase a baited, snap trap designed to target only rats and mice. Place the trap along pathways that lead to your home and set it off when a rodent approaches. Make sure to put a trap in each pathway leading towards your home, so you can catch multiple rats and mice.
Bait your trap with a substance that’s highly attractive to rats and mice, like peanut butter or honey. You can also try mixing in some veggies to make it more interesting for them to eat. When you catch a rat or mouse, remove it from the trap and release it outside.
Don’t feed the rodents. Ever!
If you want to keep rats and mice out of your home completely, don’t feed them! Not only will this help prevent you from accidentally feeding them, but it’ll also deter them from showing up in the first place. It might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many homeowners don’t heed this warning.
If you do accidentally feed the rodents in your area, or if you have pets that like to bring in food scraps, try trapping them or removing them from your property. This will help keep these pests out of your home while still preventing you from accidentally feeding them.
Conclusion
Keeping rats and mice out of your home can be difficult. Fortunately, there are a few simple tricks you can use to keep these pests out, as well as prevent them from getting in.
Clear your yard of loose material, install screened windows and doors, seal up gaps and cracks, keep your home properly maintained, use effective trapping techniques, and don’t feed the rodents. These methods will help you keep rats and mice out of your home for good.
