During the winter, mice are looking for any opportunity to get into your house for a warm place to stay and perhaps a nice meal. Unfortunately, making themselves at home often involves chewing through wiring and insulation, leaving droppings, and sometimes even spreading disease. It’s important to call a pest control company if you suspect a current infestation, but there are also some steps you can take to prevent one from occurring.

Do:

Seal entry points.

Mice can sneak in through even the tiniest cracks around your home’s exterior. In addition to keeping doors and windows closed, you should also search around these areas for drafts. It there’s a small gap, fill it with caulk or weatherstripping or have that spot repaired.

Remove clutter.

Mice love to hide in tiny crevices, both inside and outside. Around your home’s exterior, pick up trash or brush from the ground and trim back your landscaping so it doesn’t offer an ideal nesting place right next to an entry point. Inside, pick up clutter like extra newspapers and boxes that mice could use to hide in.

Don’t:

Leave food out.

In addition to warmth, the smell of food is one of the main driving factors that cause mice to seek shelter in homes. If you leave a buffet out during and after holiday parties or fail to pick up crumbs around your kitchen and dining areas, mice are going to find a way inside and then keep coming back for more.

Stack firewood against your home.

Lots of families like to warm up near the fireplace throughout winter. However, firewood is an ideal spot for mice since it provides shelter. To keep them from getting into your woodpile, store it on a platform that’s elevated off the ground. You should also avoid stacking it against your home.

 

If you do end up with mice in your home, call for pest control service right away. All Service in New Braunfels, TX, also offers animal removal, duct cleaning, and chimney sweeping to homeowners throughout the Seguin, San Marcos, and Schertz areas. The team has the skills and expertise necessary to combat a variety of different pests and make your home a more comfortable place to live. Visit the company’s website to see a full list of their offerings. To schedule a visit, call (830) 626-2847.