Mice In Your House This Winter

It sure has been a strange winter, hasn’t it? It seems as though we have cold temperatures with snow and ice one day, and balmy spring-like temperatures and rain the next. The winds can’t decide what season it is either. They blow and howl and gust one day and quiet to almost non-existence the next. To you it may seem as if winter hasn’t even truly arrived yet. Perhaps it won’t even rear its ugly head this year, you wonder in hopeful expectation. But, I can assure you that winter is here and is bound to bring all that biting wind, slushy snow, or dreaded black ice in full force sooner or later.

Not all of ‘mother nature’ is as messed up as the weather this year, though. Mice and other rodents haven’t been fooled one bit by the bipolar winter season we have experienced thus far. While this weather has afforded them extra time to prepare, those that haven’t taken shelter yet know that their days are limited to find suitable accommodations to ride out the fury of the storms to come. It really doesn’t matter to mice if this season brings snow, sleet, ice, or rain because none of these conditions are enjoyable for them to live in.

You may not think that spending a few months with mice nestled in your wall voids escaping the weather is a big deal. After all, it somehow can seem almost humane to allow them to stay warm and dry. Besides, a little bleach and warm water will clean up those few mouse droppings you saw in the corner of your counter-top near the toaster, right? That may be true, but where there is one dropping you can be assured that there are many more that you just haven’t found yet; and have you thought about the fact that those droppings along with their urine and saliva contain harmful and even deadly pathogens that can be transmitted to humans? Let’s just assume that you could somehow be the dropping guru and find every last trace of it and bleach it away. You still can’t reach into your wall voids and clean all that nesting mess up. Besides, it is quite certain that you would not and could not see every little drop of saliva or urine; and, on top of that, have you considered the diseases that can be spread by the ticks, fleas, and mites that rodents carry? You know! Diseases like the Plague!! (Yes, it still exists today!)

You really do need to be proactive and sure up the exterior of your house and keep the area inside your home as unpleasant as possible for mice. In an attempt to prevent rodents and other pests from using your wall voids as their winter retreat, there are a few simple steps that you can take that include:

• Ventilate attics, crawlspaces, and basements to eliminate moisture and consider a dehumidifier for excess moisture.
• Seal cracks and holes – especially where utilities and pipes enter your home. Mice can enter in through a hole as small as a dime!
• Replace weather stripping around doors and windows so mice cannot squeeze in.
• Repair or replace screens on doors and windows. Even the smallest tear can allow mice to gain entrance.
• Store food in air tight containers or in the refrigerator. You don’t want mice to think that your kitchen or pantry is a buffet.
• Remove trash and garbage regularly and store in cans with tight sealing lids.
• Eliminate moisture from leaking pipes, air conditioning units etc. A water source is a huge attractant for rodents.
• Set up an affordable pest control plan with a trusted professional.

If you see mice in or around your property or find the signs that they are there, give us a call. Here at Action Pest Control we have the experience, equipment, and training to quickly and effectively eliminate mice – and their germs and messes – from your home. When you choose from one of our year-round plans, you can rest assured that the worry over pests like mice and the diseases they spread will be a concern of the past. Take Action & Get Action!