Introduction

If you have been having a mouse problem, investing in any effective pest control method will be your top priority.

The reason is that you want to get rid of these pesky creatures as soon as possible so that they don’t destroy what is left of your storage, especially in winter which is the coldest season of the year.

In this article, you will find out 8 incredible ways to prevent mice and other rodents from your house or storage in winter.

8 Effective Tips on How Ensure Rodent Control In Winter

Here are eight tips you could consider that might work in deterring mice during this period.

Seal Cracks and Crevices in Walls

One of the things you have to do as a part of yard maintenance and way to ensure mouse control is to seal cracks and crevices in walls.

These little creatures always look for crawl spaces to gain easy access into your home or storage, and once they do, there is no going back.

Since they hardly find food on their own in the winter months, they depend on other sources and that includes your storage. However, by sealing cracks and openings in the walls, you can prevent these unwanted invaders.

Ensure Proper Food Storage

One of the most effective ways of preventing house mice during cold seasons is to properly store food.

A mouse would only come near your food or property if it finds something to chew or eat; if it doesn’t, it moves to another location.

Thus, it is important to invest in proper storage. You should also make sure to clear droppings or residues on kitchen cabinets, countertops, and other surfaces that could attract them – they have a good sense of smell.

Utilize a Bush Strip

One other way humans prevent mice from entering their houses is by utilizing a bush strip. If there is anything that discourages them, it is a bush strip used to block small gaps at the door. It is safer and more effective to use adhesive strips than screw types.

Invest in Mouse Traps

There is something about mice and some other rodents. It is that they first come solo and then invite others or reproduce quickly and stealthily until they are many, and only after then, you might discover you have a rodent problem. It all starts with one mouse and if you don’t do anything quickly, you might have a lot to deal with.

One way to catch that one mouse or a few more coming is by investing in mouse traps.

A live trap is designed to lure and hold them until you can move them from that location to another – you can use peanut butter as a lure/bait. It is so much safer and easier to use inhumane/poison traps because that way, you won’t have to deal with the smell or the mess from their death.

Humane Mouse Trap

Get Rid of Clutter

In winter, what mice and other pests look for more than anything else is food and shelter. They find a way to hide in homes (mostly in the attic) or overgrown vegetation to get all they need.

However, one of the things that make them thrive in homes is the presence of clutter – junk, pieces of old newspapers, piles of laundry, clustered boxes, etc. If all of these things are not properly organized, you’ve only made an open invitation to these rodents in your house.

Block Possible Entry Points

Like sealing wall crevices, another way to protect your home from mice is to block all entry points that you can find – it could be holes (the size of a dime) in the doors or walls.

Mice are also excellent climbers so you should make sure to limit their access to certain openings, including where pipes enter the house or yard.

Get a Pet Cat or Dog

Another interesting way to keep mice and pests away is to get a pet cat or dog. They are predators that are capable of driving them off your property regardless of where they might be hiding to stay warm during this period, including dryer vents.

Practice Land Scaping

Also, in a bid to deter mice from your home, you should take yard maintenance seriously. It mostly involves getting rid of or trimming overgrown vegetation close to the house which may temporarily breed mice that may eventually find their way to your attic, basement, or garage.

What do mice hate the most?

Mice have a strong sense of smell, even more than humans, making it possible for them to find food supply easily. However, one scent they hate the most and is likely to repel them is clove oil.

Among-st other things include cinnamon, vinegar, tea bags, mint toothpaste, cayenne pepper, steel wool, ammonia, peppermint oil, and dryer sheets.

These substances are likely to keep them from coming around the house all year round.

What can you put around your house to keep mice from coming in?

Mice are repelled by different scents as mentioned already.

However, one that you could put around that would keep them from coming in is peppermint. It saves you the cost of buying a trap and baits like cheese, peanut butter.

Is it common to have mice in your house in the winter?

There is a very good chance you will find mice in your home during the winter months because they need a place to survive that would make them warm and also everything they need including food.

Mice are not like other pests or animals that hibernate during winter; they always find a way to survive these periods.

And if you are not careful, they gain access into the home by different means, getting comfortable and feeding off your resources.

Thus, it is common to have them in the house in cold seasons.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Signs of Rodent Problem?

There are different ways you can tell if you have a mice problem in your family home or not. Here are the signs to look for:

• Frequent rodent droppings around food packages in different areas of the home, especially the kitchen.
• Using dry goods and shredded paper as nesting materials
• Irregular chewing of packaged food
• Holes and gaps as entry point areas

What Do Mice Eat?

Regarding diet, mice chew grains, fruits, and seeds (including bird seed), even though they are omnivores. However, they are capable of destroying and damaging crops at the point of feeding themselves.

They are also not only attracted to cheese; carbohydrates are also one of their favorites.

How to Keep Pet Food Away from Mice?

Pets are not also safe from these rodents because their meals are also attacked. Mice are capable of chewing pet food if kept in plastic bags. The only way to prevent them from going after pet meals is to store feed in airtight containers or glass containers.

Can Peppermint Oil Repel All Rodents?

If there is anything that repels mice the most, it is definitely peppermint. They hate the scent of peppermint. Based on expert advice, it is the best way of getting rid of these creatures – even better than traps.

All you just have to do is add a few drops of the oil on cotton balls and strategically place these balls at different locations where you can see a sign of a mouse problem in your family home.

Conclusion

Winter months are definitely the periods where you will find an increase in the mice population because they constantly look for a space where they can survive the weather.

However, the good news is: you can prevent them from infesting your home by deploying the various methods described above, such as using steel wool, Thanos humane live trap, and most importantly, peppermint. Keep your home safe and you have nothing to worry about!