Rodents inside your home can cause a variety of issues, including fire hazards, damage to internal structures and health risks. The best way to keep your house and family safe is to prevent mice, rats and squirrels from entering in the first place. According to mice removal Pickering professionals, these tips can keep your residence rodent-free.

Store Food Properly

Wildlife of all types are constantly on the lookout for food. Humans are inadvertently great food sources because we keep an abundance in pantries, refrigerators and cupboards. Since mice can chew through flexible plastic, cardboard and even wood, homeowners should think twice about how they store groceries.

Glass or thick plastic containers with air-tight lids are the best ways to rat-proof your food. This is especially important if the item has a strong smell, as rodents are attracted to the scent. For this reason, you should also get rid of spoiled items immediately. Finally, keeping food in cupboards or other closed storage is also a good idea, as it creates a second barrier between wildlife and your snacks.

Seal Potential Entry Points

Rodents can fit through incredibly small spaces, so it’s essential to have your property inspected annually. Professionals can spot gaps in your house’s siding and plug them in to prevent a mouse invasion.

Rats may also enter your home through seemingly innocuous openings, such as laundry vents and AC condensers. The latter is particularly dangerous since it gives rodents access to your ductwork, which can spread excrement particles throughout your house, making all the rooms smell and exposing residents to pathogens.

Since you need these openings to use your appliances safely, it’s crucial to contact a professional about these issues. Experts can place caps, mesh and other materials that keep rodents out while allowing airflow through.

Clean Daily

What keeps mice away? Surprisingly, the answer may be as simple as daily cleaning. Rodents love food crumbs, so it’s important to sweep the floor and wipe down counters after you cook. If you eat in other parts of your home, vacuum to pick up lingering crumbs.

Dirty dishes are another source of food residue, so try to wash them daily. Doing so will also help you avoid attracting flies, roaches and other bugs.

Secure Garbage Cans

What you see as garbage is a feast for rodents. Rats, mice and even larger wildlife often try to enter trash bins to consume the rotting food inside. Fortunately, you can discourage them with the following steps:

• Choose containers with locking lids
• Place bins in locked enclosures
• Take out the trash for pickup every week

If you can, place bins away from your house. That way, mice that do approach the containers won’t search for more inside your home.

Repair Rooftops

Did you know mice and rats can enter your attic through the roof? They may drop onto the rooftop via overhanging branches or climb vines and bushes along the walls. To prevent these issues, trim foliage regularly.

You should also schedule roof inspections annually to address damage before it becomes a potential entry point. If you have a chimney, consider installing caps to keep rats from entering that way.

Keep Floors Free of Clutter

Finally, eliminate clutter inside your home. Mice and rats like dark, close spaces for nesting, and piles of cardboard boxes, books and even laundry offer the perfect environment. Rodents also gravitate toward stacks of wood and heaps of leaves, so clear these from your backyard. If you must have a wood pile, place it far away from the house.

When you don’t know how to get rid of mice, it’s time to call the experts. Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control removes rodents and other wildlife and even cleans up nests. To arrange an inspection, give us a call or contact us online.