No More Mice: Our Top 4 Tips for Keeping Mice Away During Winter
Here in the Regina / Saskatoon, we typically think of summer, and fall as the worst time for bugs. Summer is especially bad, of course, but we’ll often encounter ants, and all sorts of other pests during the spring and fall, too. When winter rolls around, though, we look forward to a break from biting insects. But does this mean that we don’t have to worry about home pests during the wintertime?
Far from it. In fact, mice and other rodents become the biggest threat during the cooler season. As the temperatures drop outdoors, mice begin to look for warm, safe places to build nests that are in close proximity to sources of food and water. Unfortunately, your attic, basement, and walls fit the bill as very attractive options.
The last thing you want is an infestation of mice. So, how do you keep mice out of your home during the winter time? Keep reading for our top 4 tips.
- Winterize Your House
Winterizing your home is essential to keep out wintertime pests. But what exactly does it mean to winterize your house?
Essentially, winterizing involves checking the seals around windows, doors, and other points of entry to ensure that there aren’t any gaps that critters can enter through. This is a time consuming process, as you’ll need to check weather stripping, cracks, and other spots that are potentially open to the outside. If you find any openings larger than a quarter inch, be sure to seal them. Mice can fit through incredibly small spaces!
- Clean Up Your Kitchen
Keeping your kitchen clean is important for preventing all sorts of pests, and mice are no exception. Be sure to sweep and mop your kitchen floors, wipe up counters after preparing meals, and clean up any bits of food in your sink. It’s also essential to ensure that your dried goods are stored in sealed containers. Be sure that your pet food is, too, as mice can be drawn to half-open bags of dog or cat food.
- Don’t Neglect Your Yard
It’s easy to ignore yard work during the winter. No one wants to go outside and work in the yard on a cold, windy, rainy day. But keeping your yard free from clutter and debris is essential to cutting down on the rodent population.
Leaves or other plant debris piled up against your home will invite mice to burrow, leading them straight into your house. Low hanging branches can also invite mice into your attic. The tidier your yard is, the fewer mice there will be — and the less likely it will be that you’ll end up with mice in your home.
- Declutter!
In the same vein as tidying up your yard, it’s important to declutter around the outside of your home as much as possible.
If you have firewood, excess landscaping bricks or paving stones, or other miscellaneous items near your home, ensure that you store them some distance from your foundation. Mice tend to hide under wood piles and the like. The further these items are from your house, the less likely mice are to make the transition from wood pile to basement (and on to your kitchen cupboards and drawers).
Already Have A Rodent Infestation?
Following these tips will help keep mice away all winter long. The sooner your act, the less likely you are to end up with a pest problem.
But what if you’re already dealing with a rodent infestation? If you’ve found signs of mice in and around your home, don’t go at it alone: call in the professionals. Safetech Pest Control has the knowledge and experience to take care of your mouse problem right away. Contact us today to learn more.
