Keep Winter Rodents Out
As temperatures continue to drop, you’re more likely to hear the tell-tale scratching of an unwanted guest as mice, raccoons, squirrels, and other rodents search for warmth and food.
A mouse can fit through openings as small as a dime—through the gaps around pipes, vents, cables, and more. Once they’re in, the infestation can become a messy one. It’s best to stop this problem before it happens.
Rodent-proofing your house isn’t difficult.
Manage your garbage.
Rodents have a great sense of smell. Make sure your garbage bins have lids to help contain the smell and, obviously, to make it harder for rodents to get into them. You should also move your garbage cans farther away from your house to make your house less attractive to them.
Additionally, get rid of your garbage as often as possible. The longer it sits around, the stronger the smell becomes. Even if your bin isn’t full by trash day, take it to the street anyway. No food means no rodents.
For bonus points, spray out the inside of your bins now and then to keep them relatively clean.
Keep a tidy yard.
Rodents like tall grass and weeds because of the cover they provide. Eliminating these types of hiding spots will dissuade mice and rats from your yard. Same goes for piles of sticks, and other clutter—these, too, serve as hiding spots for rodents.
If you have a pile of firewood, elevate your logs about a foot off the ground, and store the pile away from your house.
Trim back trees or shrubs that touch your home, so rodents can’t climb their way to entry points they wouldn’t normally be able to reach.
Inspect your exterior.
Take a look at the openings around pipes and utility wires at the points where they enter your home, and seal those gaps. You can do so using pipe sealant or caulk. If the opening is large, you might use an expandable polyurethane foam. All of these tools can be found at your local hardware store.
Make sure the weather strips along your doors and windows are in good repair. Replace strips that are cracked, chipped, or falling apart. Check your vent screens and replace screens that are torn.
Your chimney is a prime entry point for varmints. Invest in a mesh chimney cap to prevent rodents from making a home in, well, your home by coming in through the chimney.
Organize your storage spaces.
Rodents are much less likely to stick around if they don’t have anywhere to hide. Organizing and de-cluttering your storage spaces will minimize these opportunities. Those thick, plastic, lidded storage bins are a great method to keep rodents from ruining your possessions while also tidying up the space.
For even more protection, elevate these bins about a foot off the floor, if possible.
Be conscious of your food.
The holidays wouldn’t be as great without all of the eating—that’s true for rodents, too. Keep your cabinets and cooking areas clean. Store leftovers quickly after dinner and don’t let dirty dishes sit for very long.
Try storing the food in your pantry in sealable containers. The same goes for your pet’s food.
As pests seek warmth during the winter, Lawn & Pest technicians are here to help fortify your defenses with programs like Pest 360. Contact us today for your free assessment, and let our professionals help you get a game plan together to ensure a pest-free holiday.
