Just like human beings, mice are always on the move in search of greener pastures. Whether for warmth during the cold season, for easy food, or, for cover from predators, these annoying, compulsory tenants would always find a reason to invade your innermost privacies and encroach on your space.
Apart from the fact that these little creatures can be very destructive, they can also poop and pee all over your food storage, leaving you prone to myriads of diseases.
The rainy season is almost here, which would have them looking to migrate into houses, to escape the wetness and cold.
Read on as we give you tips on how to secure your space and ward off these unwanted visitors.
Seal all possible entry points
Mice are very determined creatures and can go to extreme lengths to get their way. They can squeeze themselves right into the tiniest gap or holes in the wall, roof, doors, or windows.
To keep them outside – just where they belong, ensure that all possible entrance points are patched or filled; from cracks on the wall or roof to holes in pipe joints, and gaps underneath the doors and around your window frames.
You can also make use of barbed wires to reinforce these gateways. If you view these tasks as too daunting or challenging for you then you can employ the services of professionals to help carry them out for you.
Use mouse repellants
What mice might lack in vision, they make up for with their near-perfect olfactory senses. They rely more on their noses to lead them to grubs and also avert dangers which leaves them easily prone to certain odors and scents.
Get creative by making repellants of cotton wools, soaked in essential trusted essential oils like peppermints, lavender, eucalyptus, clove, and sage.
Drop these cotton balls at possible entry points or mouse pathways and lairs in the house to irritate them and ward them off.
You can also make wrappings of peppermints or cloves in cheese clothes and drop them around the house too. It works.
Store foods in tight containers
One major reason why mice sneak into houses is to get access to easy food. It takes lesser effort to fill their bellies in houses than in the fields and there is little or no competition at all.
Making it as impossible as possible for them to get to your food stash or leftovers would make your house unappealing to them and would have them look for greener pastures.
Storing your raw food supplies in metal or tightly sealed plastic containers would make it impossible for them to get to them. Also, ensure to clean up droplets of grains whenever you go to get food from your storage to avoid them having those to resort to.
Leftovers should also be carefully preserved while used dishes should be washed as soon as possible.
Use tight-lid garbage can
Keeping your food stash out of the reach of mice would only be effective if your trash cans are well-kept and clean too. Juicy garbage with lots of goodies is an invitation to mice and cockroaches.
Always make sure to take out your trash regularly to avoid it building up and spilling over. Trash cans with airtight lids are preferable, as they make it practically impossible for rodents to squeeze into them.
You can also put a heavy stone on the lid to further reduce all chances of the furry little guys penetrating.
Keeping your garbage can some healthy meters away from your house would be a smart move.
Keep your surroundings clean
Keeping a mice-free house starts right from the outside. Taking care of the bigger picture would make it easier for you to effectively keep your space rid of pests.
Ensure your lawns and gardens are mowed short and kept clean to avoid them harboring mice, which can increase the chances of them getting into your home.
Dispose of or burn off garden waste to avoid giving mice space to breed and multiply. Yards and compound stores should also be properly arranged and kept clean to eliminate possible hiding places.
Conclusion
There is a general belief that having a cat at home automatically keeps mice out. While there could be some truth to this, it is however not guaranteed, as not all cats are natural hunters.
Also, most domesticated cats are well-fed anyways so they have no motivation to chase and hunt.
While the presence of a cat could help scare away mice, it is important to have other backup options to increase the chances of keeping the house clean.
The above tips are guaranteed to help achieve just that.
