How Do I Get Rid of Rodents in My Home?
Mice and rats are never welcome house guests, but their adaptability and low dietary needs make it easy for them to become your new uninvited roommates. A small hole in the wall or door is all a mouse needs to enter your home. What’s more, if there is food available inside they have absolutely no reason to leave.
As a pest control company in Greensboro, NC, we know that it can be hard to completely rodent-proof your home, but making your home as inhospitable as possible to these critters can go a long way in preventing an infestation. Learn more about rodents in North Carolina!
Here are some easy ways to make sure that mice and rats aren’t making themselves at home in your home.
Keep a Clean and Uncluttered House
Rodents eat as little as 15-20 grams of food a day, so even just a tiny crumb left over after dinner can keep a mouse alive and well in your house. Wiping down counters after meals and not leaving dirty dishes out can go a long way to cutting down on possible food sources. It’s also important to keep clutter in your home to a minimum. Mice and rats like to nest and hide in clutter, so keeping floors and other surfaces clean and visible makes it harder for mice to feel secure in your home. Keep this in mind for storage areas where rodents usually reside -- such as basements, attics, and large closets.
Seal up Food and Keep It out of Reach
Mice aren't picky when it comes to food so it’s important to keep opened food containers, garbage receptacles, and even pet food sealed up tightly. Feeding pets only at meal times when they are likely to clean house on their meals is a good way to make sure mice and rats aren't finding bounties of food in easy access locations.
Seal Entry Points in Your Home
Open doors and windows are the easiest access point for rodents. Keeping them shut at all times and installing screens in the ones you want to keep open can go a long way in keeping all kinds of pests outside. It’s also important to check your doors and windows for small holes. Mice can enter your home through an opening as small as a ¼”, so walking around the outside of your house and patching up any visible holes will close off easy entry points.
Keep Your Outside in Tip Top Shape
Even in homes with well-protected pantries, heading outside for a quick snack and then returning to a crawl-space for warmth is a good life for a mouse or rat. Make sure outdoor food sources are kept to a minimum by harvesting from your garden often, sweeping up fallen birdseed, and making sure that trash cans containing food waste are well-sealed and not easily accessible. It’s also a good idea to keep your lawn short and weed free. Taller grasses help mice hide from predators when they are on the hunt for food, so mowing often will make late-night snacks a riskier endeavor for them.
Already Have an Infestation? Here’s Your Options
Preventing rodents is great if you have the foresight to even think to do it. But like most people, until we’re faced with a rodent infestation, the idea of one might not ever cross your mind. So, what do you do when you find a rodent in your home? Well, first things first, there’s hardly ever just one rodent -- which means you likely have a full-blown infestation. You have a few options to get rid of them:
- Use rodent traps
- Use rodent bait
- Hire a professional
Let the Professionals Handle It
If you need some help eliminating rodents in the Triad area, we can help. Because rodents are such elusive creatures, they can be hard to completely control on your own. Not to mention, rodents are extremely unsanitary and can carry dangerous diseases -- so the second you spot one, you want to get rid of them as soon as possible. With over eight decades worth of experience dealing with pests, the experts at Terminix Triad are equipped to help you tackle your rodent problem fast. And with a 100% service guarantee, you can be sure that we’ll get the job done right the first time.