Nothing dampens the Christmas spirit like getting out the holiday decorations and finding that mice have damaged them. It is common for homeowners to call for mice removal during the winter when they need shelter from the cold. Here are some ways that you can keep your decorations safe, now and for years to come.

1. Store All Decorations in Airtight Containers

Keeping your Christmas decorations organized helps you to find them when you need them. It also helps to cut down on clutter, which provides places for mice to hide.

Why can’t you keep your decorations stored in cardboard boxes or plastic bags? Why do you need airtight containers? Mice have very strong front teeth and an instinctual urge to gnaw to keep them filed down. They are also relentless in their pursuit of food and shelter. Cardboard and plastic bags present no barrier to them; they can chew through like it was nothing and make their nests among your Christmas decorations.

Airtight containers are also a good idea because they stay closed at the top, making stacking and organizing them easier. They also help guard against pests such as spiders and insects. They prevent the growth of mold and mildew, which can provide food for mice in addition to posing health risks on their own. To prevent fungal growth, make sure that decorations, especially outdoor decorations, are completely dry before you put them away.

If you have ornaments that are particularly fragile, you may want to wrap them up before putting them in storage as an extra layer of defense.

2. Be Extra Careful of Your Christmas Lights

Mice gnaw on things because their front teeth never stop growing and they have to keep them filed down. In particular, mice seek out hard objects to gnaw on. Electrical cords and wires, which are made out of conductive metals, are favorites for mice to gnaw on. This is especially true if the insulation around the wire is made of plant-based material.

If you keep your Christmas lights stored in airtight containers, you shouldn’t have any problem with mice chewing on them when they’re in storage. Nevertheless, before you put them back up, you should inspect the wires for damage and plug them in to see if they are working.

You should also take Christmas lights down within a reasonable amount of time after the holidays. If you leave the lights up all year, mice have more opportunities to chew on them.

3. Don’t Use Edible Decorations, or Dispose of Them After the Holiday

In some families, it is traditional to make holiday decorations by stringing popcorn or cranberries. Unfortunately, these are also two foods that mice love. Hanging edible garlands may attract mice to your tree. You may want to switch to decorations that are less attractive to mice and more difficult for them to chew on.

Nevertheless, letting go of beloved family traditions can be difficult. If you aren’t willing to stop using edible decorations on your Christmas tree, at least dispose of them when the holiday is over. If you pack them with your other ornaments, you may attract mice, which may damage your other ornaments while the rodents are enjoying their belated holiday feast.

Trust Skedaddle for Mice Removal and Holiday Lights

To prevent mouse damage, it is important to remove Christmas lights soon after the holiday, yet installing and removing them can be a chore. We provide a service called Christmas Lights by Skedaddle to make things easier and safer for you. We work with you to design your Christmas light display before installing them, we maintain them if something happens to damage the display, and then we take them down and store them for you in a timely manner. Find out more about this service, and call us if you need wildlife control in Madison.