Spring is when nature awakens. The weather gets warmer, plants are reborn, and animals come out of hibernation. It’s a beautiful time of year in many places around the world.
With spring, however, comes pest control. Bugs and rodents multiply in the spring, then move into homes. The following article details how you can keep them out. If you need help, contact the professionals at Mouse Control Whitby or near you. The most important things you need to remember are to keep food out of reach, and to make your home as impenetrable as possible.
Do some spring cleaning
Spring cleaning is excellent for pest control, home maintenance, and mental health. So, start the pest-proofing process by deep cleaning. Vacuum thoroughly underneath appliances and all those areas that are hard to reach. Then, mop the floors and clean every surface. This will remove crumbs and help to get rid of the smell of food, which attracts critters into the house.
Put food in sealed containers
Once you have cleaned up the house, put all your pantry goods into sealed containers. Use glass or thick plastics with lids that are airtight. Mice will have a harder time smelling your food, so they won’t move into the house. If there are mice in your home, they won’t be able to reach your food and they’ll look elsewhere.
Seal windows and doors
Mice often get into houses by crawling under the doors or through broken window frames. Add weatherstripping to the bottoms of your doors and check that your window screens are in good shape. Seal any cracks you find in their frames with a silicone caulking. Larger gaps can be fixed with wire mesh or pieces of wood.
Seal cracks and gaps
If you can fit a pen, you can fit a mouse. Check the perimeter of your home for openings that could fit a mouse and seal them. Check the foundation, the deck, weep vents, wall vents, and openings around utility lines. When mouse-proofing, use a quarter inch, galvanized steel mesh. The galvanized steel will last for years, and mice won’t be able to chew through it.
Tidy up the yard
Mice come from outside. If you can keep their exterior populations under control, you will be less likely to have them in the house. Keep the grass short and move things like firewood away from the walls of the house. Tree branches should not hang over the roof and vines should be under control. Pick up fallen fruit and acorns in the fall.
Get rid of the bird feeder
Bird feeders are magnets for mice, squirrels, and other wildlife. If you can live without it, put the bird feeder away for the summer. Or switch to a suet feeder that you can hang far away from the house. Try hanging the bird feeder from some fishing line so that squirrels can’t reach it.
Hire an exterminator
Did you know that exterminators offer pest-proofing services in addition to pest removal? They can perform an inspection for you and take care of every vulnerability they find. Exterminators are experts at keeping mice out. They have the tools, training, and experience to get the job done right. What’s even better is that many companies offer warranties with their service. So if mice chew through their work, they’ll come back and fix the problem.
