Kathleen Walters
These annoying creatures will, absolutely, make your house a mess, and chew through wires to ruin your home’s wiring. Learning how to keep mice out of your house starts with blocking their sneaky paths. They like to nest in garden junk or slip through gaps, anywhere, aiming for warmth. An easy fall cleanup trashes their hideouts fast.
It is important to understand mouse control methods to stop rodents before they invade. Pick mouse deterrent tricks that match your setup, guarding garden beds or compost piles. Blocking their hideouts will stop rodents from causing chaos. If you want a rodent-free home, it is time to act.
How to keep mice out of your house depends on your property. Sealed gaps and clean yards block mice and deter rats from crashing indoors. Combine barriers with traps, and your home stays protected.
Seal Up All Entry Points
Mice and rats can easily squeeze through holes as small as a dime to invade your home. They chew wood, wires, or food bags, leaving a giant trail of damage. Sealing your home from rodents in fall will stop them before they even settle in. Check every nook, and use tough products to block their paths.
Where to Look
- Door and window gaps let mice slip through, especially in older homes.
- Foundation or siding holes, even tiny ones, are rodent highways to your house.
- Pipes, vents, and cables often have gaps where rats sneak inside.
- Garden sheds, compost bins, and greenhouses can harbor mice if cracks go unchecked.
Helpful Products
These products from Amazon can be delivered straight to you!
- Chew-resistant caulk: Suits sealing small gaps, stopping mice from chewing through. Try Loctite Tite Foam for durable fills.
- Steel wool fillers: Stuff steel wool in tight spaces to block rats with chew-proof strands. Xcluder Rodent Barrier Kit works well and comes with protective gloves, a fit tool, and shears to cut the steel wool.
- Metal mesh: Mesh will easily cover vents and keep rodents out of larger holes or gaps that can't be filled. This roll of Hardware Cloth is tough and is 100 feet long (30.5 m) so you can keep mice out of all spaces.
- Weather stripping: Perfect for sealing around door gaps to stop mouse entry and also prevent cold drafts blowing in. Frost King Rubber Strip fits most doors.
Keep Outdoor Areas Clean and Uninviting
Rodents love messy yards with food and shelter waiting. Fallen fruit or pet food draws mice, while dense plants hide them. A good fall garden clean-up makes it a no-go zone for rats. Clear debris and secure bins to keep mice out of your house in fall.
What to Do
- Harvest fruits and veggies fast, so mice don’t snack on them.
- Pick up fallen apples or spilled birdseed which attracts rats and other pests.
- Trim dense ground cover near your foundation to expose rodent hideouts.
- Seal compost bins tight to stop mice from snacking and nesting in scraps.
Helpful Products
Here are some more helpful items on Amazon.
- Rodent-proof compost bin: This Back Porch ComposTumbler is sturdy and has a secure latch that will prevent rodents from raiding your scraps.
- Metal storage container: Locks tight, securing pet food or birdseed. The Simplehuman Pet Food Can is reliable and looks great too.
- Quick pick up: The Garden Weasel large nut gatherer rolls over walnuts, apples, and other fallen fruits and nuts in your yard to pick them up without having to bend over or break a sweat.
Use Natural and Electronic Deterrents
Mouse deterrents mess with rodents’ senses or scare them off your property. Sprays, sounds, or vibrations make your garden less inviting. These tools work in fall to stop mice before they head indoors. Combine them for a solid defense without harsh chemicals.
Types of Deterrents
These products from Amazon offer useful and humane ways to repel mice and rats.
- Ultrasonic animal repellent: Deter mice and rats with this solar ultrasonic animal repellent that uses specific frequencies and light to send pests running.
- Peppermint oil spray: Spray around garden beds, doorways, or other entry points to shoo rats and mice. Mighty Mint Rodent Repellent is effective and natural.
- Predator urine granules: Sprinkle around the edges of your yard. This product mimics the scent of foxes to scare mice. Shake-Away Fox Urine Granules does the job.
Set Traps Strategically – Especially in Fall
Despite your best efforts to seal your home from rodents, there might still be a few pest intrusions. If mice make it inside your house, there are traps that will suit your needs. No matter which type you choose, you should check them daily. These tools that can be found on Amazon will do the trick.
- Snap trap: Use along walls where mice run to quickly kill them. Victor Metal Pedal Trap is cheap and reliable.
- Live trap: Not interested in hurting the mice? the Victor 'Tin Cat' live mouse trap is humane and allows you to easily release the mice outside of your home.
- Bait station: Mice will eat the poison and wander outside before expiring. The Tomcat Bait Station is secure, but I still would not recommend using this method of mouse control if you have children or pets.
Now is the time to start thinking about how to keep mice out of your house. Hopefully, these tips and products will help keep your home rodent free all year.
