Five Things to Know to Prevent Mice from Entering Your Home This Winter

Prevent Mice From Entering Your Home

1. Food, Water, and Shelter

All animals, including mice, need food, water, and shelter to survive. Finding and eliminating these three essentials will significantly reduce your chances of dealing with mice this winter. Conduct an extremely thorough inspection of your home to identify and eliminate access to these necessities.

Start by cleaning up to ensure no food is accessible or left out. Store food in airtight containers and keep countertops and floors free of crumbs and spills. Pay special attention to pet food, birdseed, and other potential food sources that might be overlooked.

Next, inspect your home for any gaps or holes that could allow mice to enter. This can be challenging, as mice can squeeze through incredibly small openings, sometimes as small as a dime. You will need to inspect all vents, gaps, and connections where different building materials meet, such as around windows, doors, and the foundation. Don’t forget to check higher areas, as mice can enter your home from ground level to the roof peak. Seal any gaps you find with caulk, steel wool, or other appropriate materials.

Finally, address potential water sources. Fix any leaky pipes, ensure proper drainage around your home, and avoid leaving pet water bowls out overnight. Even small amounts of water can attract mice, so maintaining a dry environment is crucial.

2. Prevent Mice From Following the Yellow Brick Road

While animals such as mice use their eyes, they depend more on their sense of smell. Mice navigate using pheromone trails that they or other mice have left. If you find that mice enter your house every year, even after trapping them, it’s likely because other mice are following these pheromone trails into the gaps from previous years.

To break this cycle, secure all gaps to prevent mice from entering. This involves not just sealing entry points but also addressing any structural vulnerabilities that mice might exploit. Properly disinfecting and conducting an odor control service to remove the pheromone trail is key to success. Use enzymatic cleaners or other specialized products designed to neutralize pheromones and other scents that attract mice. Regularly clean areas where mice have been spotted to ensure that any trails are thoroughly eliminated.

3. Mice and Snakes, Oh My

If you have problems with mice, then you have the potential to have problems with snakes. Certain types of snakes will follow the scent and pheromone trails of mice. If these trails lead into your home, it is possible for snakes to enter. Owning and operating a wildlife control company in North Carolina, we often hear from customers that they have found a snake in their house. Our inspections often reveal that the customer has had a long-term issue with mice.

To mitigate this risk, it’s crucial to address both the mice and the potential for snakes. Seal all entry points to prevent mice from entering and eliminate any existing mice to remove the attraction for snakes. Keep your yard tidy by removing debris, woodpiles, and other potential snake habitats close to your home. Regularly mow your lawn and trim bushes to reduce hiding places for snakes. By creating an environment that is less attractive to mice, you also reduce the risk of attracting snakes.

4. Not All Mice Are Created Equal

Here in North Carolina, we commonly deal with three different types of mice within homes. Most people are familiar with the typical house mouse, often found coming from the crawl space area and making its way into the kitchen. House mice are small, usually grey or light brown, and have large ears and a long tail.

The two other types of mice we often deal with are the white-footed mouse and the deer mouse. Both of these mice are great climbers and often enter homes through roofline gaps. They climb from bushes and trees touching the roof or use siding that provides easy climbing, such as brick or stone. White-footed mice and deer mice are similar in appearance, typically brown with a white underbelly and feet.

Understanding the type of mice you are dealing with can help in formulating an effective strategy for prevention and control. For instance, if you’re dealing with climbing mice, it’s essential to trim back any vegetation that touches your house and consider installing barriers to prevent mice from climbing up walls.

5. Contact a Professional Wildlife Control or Pest Control Company to Prevent Mice

If you need help dealing with a mouse or rodent problem, contacting a professional wildlife or pest control company is a great idea. Their technicians have years of experience and training in identifying areas where mice can enter and how to properly seal these areas. They also have the proper equipment to mitigate any risks.

Professional pest control services can provide a comprehensive assessment of your home, identifying potential entry points and areas of concern that you might overlook. They can also implement effective strategies for trapping and removing mice, as well as long-term solutions to prevent future infestations.

Properly securing your house and cleaning up contaminated areas can be risky and should not be attempted without the proper equipment and understanding of the associated risks. Professionals can handle the safe removal of contaminated materials, ensuring that your home is not only mouse-free but also safe for you and your family.

In conclusion, preventing mice from entering your home this winter requires a multi-faceted approach. By addressing food, water, and shelter, eliminating pheromone trails, understanding the risks of associated wildlife, recognizing the different types of mice, and seeking professional help when needed, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of a mouse infestation and maintain a safe and comfortable home.

Prevent Mice From Entering Your Home this Winter
Pest control & Nuisance Wildlife Removal Services

Contact Freedom Wildlife Solutions & Pest Control Today!

Servicing Johnston, Wake and Harnett Counties North Carolina

Please contact us if you need our Pest Control & Nuisance Wildlife Removal Services service or are dealing with problems caused by a pest or nuisance wildlife species and you want them solved. You can contact us through our contact page or by calling (919) 584-8650.

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