With cold weather on the way, we are drawn to the indoors, staying inside where it’s warm and cozy out of the chill and gloom of winter. Humans aren’t the only ones seeking warmth and comfort. According to National Pest Management Association, nearly a quarter of US homeowners report mouse infestations in the winter. To avoid joining this statistic and prevent mice or rats from getting in your home, our rodent control company in Raleigh is sharing some simple steps you can take today.
Rodent Proof Your Home’s Exterior
Mice, rats, and other vermin will often nest around the exterior of your home before finding a way inside, so if you want to stop them from coming inside, prevention starts with the outside.
Move Your Woodpile
If you have a fireplace, chances are, you have a woodpile outside your home. While you may want to keep it conveniently located to your home by having it just steps from your door, you’re also placing a popular rodent habitat just steps from your door, too. Mice and rats often nest in woodpiles, so to keep them from coming indoors, make sure you move the pile at least 20 feet from the door, and raising it a few feet off the ground will stop them from getting into it to begin with.
Clear Leaves and Lawn Debris
It’s time to grab your rake and your clippers, and clean up your yard. Piles of leaves, overgrown shrubs, and other dense lawn debris creates a haven for rodents. Removing it, especially around your home’s foundation, gets rid of potential habitats in the fall so during the winter there won’t be any vermin living nearby that will make their way into your home.
Seal Your Exterior
While you’re outside, grab your caulking gun and do a comprehensive sweep of your home’s exterior. Sealing gaps and cracks in masonry and around windows and doors is your next line of defense for keeping vermin outside. Mice and even rats can get in through incredibly narrow channels so even small crevices can be used as an entrance. Meanwhile, place 1/4″ hardware cloth in vents and intentional gaps that allow air to come in but can’t be chewed through. Taking a few minutes to seal everything up will go a long way to keeping the pests out.
Clean Up the Garage
Mice and rats can easily get into garages. Not only are the doors larger and open for longer, but they often don’t seal to the ground very well. This leaves gaps that can be easily accessed by small vermin. Storing items in plastic totes with tight-fitting lids, getting rid of cardboard boxes that vermin can chew through and nest in, and clearing away garden supplies like bone meal and seed packets that can be food sources are key to making your garage a mouse-free zone.
If you have an attic or basement, you’ll want to do the same things in those spaces – removing clutter, storing items in plastic, and eliminating paper, piles of clothes, and other items that can be potential nesting areas.
Repel Rodents Naturally
Rodents have strong senses of smell, so powerful scents can be overwhelming and unpleasant to them. One of the more effective, natural repellents you can use around your home is peppermint essential oil. Mixing two teaspoons of peppermint essential oil with a cup of water, shaking it and spraying it around your home, particularly under sinks and around doors may keep them away.
Make sure you use the entire mixture or pour it out when you’ve used it. There isn’t a preservative so after a few days in a spray bottle, the mixture can grow bacteria which you don’t want to spray around your home.
Call for Rodent Prevention
The best way to keep rodents out of your home and get rid of any that may have made their way inside is by working with a professional rodent control company. They will be able to treat the inside and outside of your home quickly and safely with an effective solution that keeps rodents far away. Even better, rodent control also works on other pets that may try and find their way indoors this winter, including ants, spiders, and cockroaches.
Schedule Rodent Control Service in Raleigh Today
DIY solutions can only go so far to keep your home pest-free. If you’re worried about mice or you’ve seen evidence of vermin inside your home, we can help with pest control packages starting at just $19 a month. To learn more, reach out to us today at (919) 231-3292 or fill out the form below.
