You may find Mickey Mouse cute, but that’s no reason to invite his brothers and friends into your home. Rodent infestations plague over one-third of Americans – so, no, you aren’t alone. Rats and mice not only destroy your furniture and electrical wires but also carry deadly diseases like salmonella. They can also contaminate exposed food and make you sick.
Mice and rats are smart creatures, and you need smart ways to get rid of them. So here’s a brief guide on how to control mice and rats.
How to Spot a Rat Infestation?
The sure sign of rodent infestation is the furry animals running around your house. But there are a few vital signs which also indicate the presence of rats or mice-
- Rodent Droppings
- Live or deal rodents
- Tiny footprints on dust
- Hole and burrows in walls or floors
- Chewing marks on wires or furniture
- Noises from behind the walls
Once you spot any sign of infestation, it’s time to tackle the problem.
How to Get Rid of Mice and Rats?
Now, the thing with pests is to know what to do. It’s like when your dog has fleas, and you need to know how to deal with them. Use the right strategies. Here are a few of them.
- Mouse or Rat Snap Traps
Mouse or rat snap traps are one of the easiest and effective ways of catching rodents. You can use the classic wooden mouse traps. Snap traps are also ideal for catching mice and rats.
Baiting the rodents with their favourite food makes it easy to catch them. You can use peanut butter, chocolate, oatmeal, hazelnut spread and more to lure the rodents into the trap.
- Mechanical Traps and Live Traps
You can use these to catch mice without using any poison. Here is what happens – with a mechanical trap, you use glue boards, which can catch many mice at once. These live traps can be set up with food bait to attract them.
- Bait Stations
Bait stations are concealed packages which contain poisoned bait. They are designed in a way that only rodents can reach the bait and die after consuming the poison.
Bait stations are useful when you have little children or pets in your house. You can effectively get rid of mice while ensuring safety for other members of your family.
- Exterior Rat Station
During summers, you have a mouse problem inside or outside your home, using a rat station is what you should be looking for. You need to hire a professional though, but it will be worth the investment as your home will remain rodent free through the year.
How to Keep Rat and Mice Away from Your Home
Rodents come to your house looking for food, water and shelter. You can adopt some preventive measures and make your home less attractive to rodents.
- Get Rid of Entry Points
Mice and rats can squeeze in through small holes about the size of one-quarter of an inch. So finding their entry points and sealing them is a good way to prevent rodent infestations.
Look for cracks, openings and hole in and around your house. If you can fit a pencil in the crack, then it’s large enough for a mouse to enter.
Use steel wool and caulking to seal the openings. Don’t use plastic, wood, rubber or anything that the rodents can chew through. Look for gaps below doors and windows and check out the insulation.
If you find any entry points, go ahead and seal them.
- Make Your Home Less Appealing to Rodents
Remove anything that can attract rodents to your home. Clean food crumbs, leftovers and other food sources that can attract rats. Keep your food in airtight containers and inside cabinets or fridge.
Make sure that your garbage cans are secured. Remove any clutter or debris where rodents can hide or nest. Cut down weed and shrubs in your garden or backyard. Also, store your firewood away from your home.
Are Your Still Facing Mice Problems?
If the above ways don’t solve your mice problem, it’s time to call in the professionals.
BBPP ensures rat and mice control services ensuring a rodent-free home or property!