Mice and rats are a common problem in many homes. They can be found anywhere, from your kitchen to your attic.
Rats and mice can be a major problem in any home, and they can cause a lot of damage as they search for food and shelter.
But the good news is that there are several ways you can take care of these pests-whether it’s by using repellents or setting traps!
By taking some simple steps to rodent-proof your home, you can keep these pests out and protect your family and property.
How do you keep rodents out of your house?
Mice and rats can be a big problem for everyone, but there are ways to keep them away from you and your home:
1. Remove all attractants
Rodents are attracted to areas that provide plenty of food and shelter. Remove as many of these as possible to make your home less appealing to mice and rats.
Remove things that are placed close to the building foundations from the exterior of buildings.
Plants should be trimmed and thinned, rubbish should be removed, and certain plants should be removed. Provide no convenient hiding areas around your home!
Reduce attractants inside if rodents have already entered your home. Food should be stored in secure drawers or cupboards, or in the refrigerator, in glass, metal, or plastic containers.
Rethink where and how you feed your furry family members because pet food might be a rodent banquet.
2. Find the points of entrance.
If you live in an apartment, take a walk around the outside of your building and inspect your balcony.
Because rodents are superb climbers, look up to the roofline. Are there any gaps, open vents, or other potential entrance points?
Examine the interior of your home for possible rodent entry points.
Remove heavy appliances from the wall, remove boxes and furniture from the walls, and open cabinets.
Examine carefully where pipes or wires pass through drywall, as this is a typical entry place.
Look for holes, rodent droppings, and any signs of gnawed wood or wire.
3. Remove and repair.
To rodent-proof your home, you’ll need to seal off all of the entry points you found.
Use rodent-proofing products such as heavy-gauge wire screening to cover holes, metal mesh to stuff around pipes, and expanding foam sealant to spray overtop of metal mesh and fill other gaps and cracks.
In walls, foundations, sheds, crawl spaces, and under porches, seal any potential access holes or gaps.
4. Keep your house clean.
One way to help keep rodents out of your house is to keep it clean.
Make sure you sweep and vacuum regularly, and take out the trash often.
You should also keep your kitchen clean, and make sure there aren’t any food scraps or crumbs on the floor.
How to rodent-proof your attic?
Follow these tips to prevent rats and mice from invading your attic:
- To keep rodents and birds out of your attic or roof ventilation, keep it screened off.
- Set traps or repellents in this area to catch or dissuade rats.
- Any food-containing seasonal storage should be adequately sealed.
- To discourage rodents from gnawing through boxes and seeking nesting material, ultrasonic repellents should be strategically placed.
- Keep food off the countertops.
- Glasses of water should not be left out overnight.
How to rodent-proof your kitchen?
To avoid rats and mice from your kitchen, read the instructions:
- Keep snap traps prepared to catch this problem before it happens because dishwasher insulation provides nesting material for rodents.
- Make sure there is no food residue in this area.
- All openings in cupboards, sinks, refrigerators, and stoves should be sealed.
- Food should be well-packaged and stored, with no fruits or vegetables left out.
- Don’t leave any water source.
- Close the windows and doors near the kitchen.
How to rodent-proof your garage?
Read the recommendations to stop rats and mice on your garage:
- Inspection and replacement of the rubber seal at the bottom of the door should be done regularly.
- Examine the door frame for any cracks or holes that need to be caulked.
- Reduce the number of edibles you keep in your garage or shed (birdseed, plant seeds, pet food, etc).
- Metal or plastic storage containers can be used to store any food items.
- To keep rats out of these places, use an ultrasonic repellent.
- Place snap traps beside your trash cans along the wall.
How to rodent-proof your basement?
Read these tips to make sure rats and mice stay out of your basement:
- Look for any fractures or gaps in the basement walls and foundation.
- To keep rodents out, make sure you thoroughly repair them as soon as they form.
- Ultrasonic repellents will keep rodents out if you can’t locate the source of the openings.
- Look for spots of moisture in the basement and either fix them or clean them up regularly.
How to rodent-proof the outside of your house?
Follow the instructions that we recommend to prevent rodents from invading outside your home:
- Mow the lawn regularly to avoid hiding places.
- Trim overgrown plants until you can see the ground beneath them.
- Clean up the seeds that have fallen from the bird feeders.
- Gather any fruit that has fallen from your yard’s trees.
- Remove any rubbish, such as rock heaps and outdated equipment, from the area.
- Firewood should be kept off the ground and away from the home.
- Keep your gardens and gardening equipment in good shape so that rats have no reason to visit.
To summarize, whether you’re now fighting a rodent infestation or wish to avoid one in the future, rodent proofing is critical to keeping your house safe. Rodent populations will continue to grow in settings where food and shelter are readily available.
You may limit or remove the conditions that favor rodent infestations by correctly storing common attractants, cleaning your indoor and outdoor spaces, and blocking off access routes to your house.
However, if you try all the instructions and more rats or mice keep coming into your house, it is best to hire an extermination company.
The professionals at Rodent Exterminator guarantee you the best extermination, cleaning, and decontamination services to leave your home completely rodent-free.
Call us 213-431-0890 before it’s too late!
