Preventative Pest Tips
Mice, voles, and other rodents are unwelcome guests in any home or storage unit. They can chew through wires, damage belongings, and leave droppings that can spread disease. The good news is that there are steps you can take to prevent these tiny trespassers from setting up camp.
Fortress Home:
- Seal Up Entry Points: Mice can squeeze through openings as small as a dime. Conduct a thorough inspection of your home’s exterior, focusing on foundation cracks, gaps around pipes and wires, and spaces around dryer vents. Use caulk or steel wool to seal these openings. If you are not responsible for maintenance of the building, let the landlord know if you have found an entry point that may need to be sealed.
- Eliminate Food Sources: Mice are resourceful scavengers, but you can make your home less attractive by keeping food out of their reach. Store food in airtight containers, clean up crumbs promptly, and don’t leave pet food bowls full overnight.
- Store Properly: Mice love to nest in clutter. Keep cardboard boxes off the floor (use plastic bins instead) and avoid storing things directly against walls.
- Set Traps: Snap traps and bait stations can be effective in catching mice already inside your home. Place them along walls where mice tend to travel and be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for safe placement and disposal.
- Utilizing Natural Predators: Cats, snakes, and owls are all natural predators to rodents such as mice. You can utilize fake statues for initial scare tactics to help scare off these pests. A more effective remedy would be owning a house cat and/or putting ammonia in jars in the garage, attic, or any safe space to scare these rodents. Ammonia is in cats’ urine and is a major detractor for these critters, so rodents will not feel safe trying to nest in your home.
Storage Unit Security:
- Cleanliness is Key: Before packing your belongings, give your storage unit a good sweep. Mice are less likely to take up residence in a clean space.
- Pack Tight: Don’t leave empty spaces in your storage unit where mice can hide. Fill boxes completely and stack them tightly together.
- Plastic Fantastic: Cardboard boxes are like a buffet to mice. Instead, pack your belongings in sturdy plastic containers with secure lids.
- Off the Floor: Keep your belongings elevated on pallets or shelves to make them less accessible to mice.
- Natural Repellents: Some people find success with natural mouse repellents like peppermint oil and dryer sheets. Place them around the perimeter of your unit but be aware that these methods may need to be refreshed regularly.
- Glue Traps: Although glue traps may be controversial, they can be a good way to catch rodents along the edges of a structure without baiting them inside a unit. Glue traps also catch insects and other pests if they are positioned by an entry point.
- Check Regularly: Inspect your storage unit periodically for signs of mice, such as droppings or gnaw marks. It is also critical to search for any openings in the structure you are storing in before beginning to strategically pack a unit. If you find any opening in your storage unit, contact your property manager to make a repair before utilizing the storage.
Finding Professional Help:
If you suspect a mice infestation in your home or storage unit, it’s important to call a professional pest control service/discuss your incident to your landlord/property manager. They can identify the entry points and implement a safe and effective solution to eliminate the problem.
By following these tips, you can keep your home and storage unit free of mice and ensure your belongings are safe from these destructive pests.