Guarding the Fort: 5 Ways to Protect your Home from Mice

There you were… just minding your own business – when out of nowhere a grey mouse the size of Texas shoots across the kitchen floor and nearly gives you a coronary. At this point you do one of three things. You a) run screaming into the night, b) reach for a weapon or c) torch the place. Since none of these things are very effective and some sound illegal, here our five ways to guard the fort and keep these pesky critters at bay.

Love Birds from a Distance

Who doesn’t love a nice colorful little Blue Jay on their morning window? While we all love feeding the backyard birds (with the exclusion of crows), birdfeeders do more than feed dainty little spring birds. They feed mice and rats. The most important step of rodent control is prevention is to keep birdfeeders away from your house. This will draw them in and you don’t want them anywhere near your crawl space!

Keep it Clean

Let’s face it. Unless your mother in law is on her way over… your house could use a good cleaning or four. Keeping your house clean is an important step in effective rodent control. Food draws mice in and if you make your home comfy for them – they might never leave. Keep piles of clothes from the floor and take out the trash promptly. Seal food and sweep crumbs… whatever you do to tidy up just keep doing it.

Go Homeopathic

Over the counter products can be harmful to children and pets. They should be used as a last ditch resort when kids and pets are a concern. Instead, try sprinkling basil leaves around your house outdoors. Mice hate the smell of mint too. That must have been why there wasn’t a creature, not even a mouse, stirring on Christmas eve… they hate candy canes.

Seal Entry Ways

If mice are in your house they have not teleported contrary to popular belief. They have found a way in. Look for holes in floors, walls and plumbing. Popular entry points are behind the dryer or holes in the boards by the sink. Seal these areas with steel wool. Mice can’t chew through it.

Become a Cat Lover

You may not be too keen on having a cat indoors. They pee. They poop. They make you sneeze… but you have to ask yourself this question. Would you rather have a peeing, pooping cat that makes you sneeze or a million mice plotting to take over the world from the comfort of your closet? Yep… get a cat.

Checking It Twice

It can be a real hassle trying to plan for mice when you don’t even have any to begin with. But in life almost everything works best when you plan for it… with the exclusion of that time you planned to sneak your girlfriend into your bedroom window and your mom grounded you for life. Bad plan.

When it comes to mice, it’s one of those instances planning is good. Mouse proof your home then check your house twice. It’s better to spend a few hours gearing up for an invasion than several months of screaming “mouse” from atop the bed.