When it comes to pests, it can be easy to let your guard down as winter gets into full swing. Mosquitoes are no longer biting, bees are no longer stinging, and ants are no longer showing up around homes. Does this mean that all pests have left for the season? Unfortunately, there is at least one furry pest still invading homes here in Elizabeth City. Chilly and on the hunt for a place to spend the colder months, mice are looking for a way into your home this winter. Will you be prepared to stop them?
What Mice Are Looking For Inside Homes
Mice are trying to get into your home to escape the cold. The question is, is that the only reason they want in? The truth is, your home is appealing to mice year-round, even during the warm summer months. This is because it contains everything a mouse could ever want or need to survive. Your pantries, trash cans, and food that has been dropped on the floor provide mice with an endless source of food. Your walls and ceiling voids provide a cozy place to build nests. Your home is a paradise for mice, and if you’re not careful, they will be sharing your living spaces with you this winter.
How You Can Deter Mice & What DIY Tips To Avoid
When it comes to keeping mice out, there is a right way, and there is a wrong way. Here are some steps we recommend for keeping mice out of your Elizabeth City home this winter:
- Invest in a caulking gun and some wire mesh. Use these materials to seal up cracks and openings in your home’s exterior foundation. Keep in mind that a house mouse only needs an opening the width of a nickel to squeeze into your home.
- Buy some metal screening. Use it to seal off vents and put some in the bottom of rain gutters.
- Make sure your chimney is equipped with a rodent-proof cap.
- Keep branches and shrubs trimmed back several feet from the walls of your home.
- Clean clutter and debris from your yard.
- Store firewood at least 30 feet from your home’s exterior if possible.
- Make sure your indoor and outdoor trashcans have tight-fitting lids.
- Store leftover food inside sealable plastic, glass, or metal containers, and inside the refrigerator if possible.
- Keep your home clean. Make sure not to miss under large appliances, furniture, and other easily forgotten areas.
Here are some strategies you might find online, that we do NOT recommend:
- Using natural smells like peppermint, pepper, and clover. Although these smells are unappealing to mice, they are not foolproof solutions. If a mouse is cold and hungry enough, it won’t matter what unpleasant smells are in the air.
- Using ammonia. Just like natural smells, mice do not like the scent of ammonia. However, constantly using ammonia around your home to deter mice is not a practical solution. Plus, many people, especially pets and children, can react negatively to the constant smell of ammonia in the air or from coming in contact with it.
- Using electronic beeping sounds. Some internet sources will lead you to believe that using electronic devices that emit a beeping sound will keep mice out of your home. But mice are quick to learn that the sound is no harm to them. It may work for a week, but it is not a long-term solution by any means.
What To Do If Mice Get Inside
Our hope is that your home remains mouse-free all winter long. If furry invaders do manage to get past your defenses, we have an answer here at Albemarle Termite & Pest Control. With over 75 years of experience dealing with mice and other pests, you can trust that we are your best choice for the job. Reach out to us today to find out what professional top-tier pest control services look like for your Elizabeth City home.