When it comes to
having a mouse problem, there is nothing worse than feeling like you just can’t
seem to get rid of the darn things! Maybe you put a trap out and catch one, but
still hear another scurrying around. Maybe you have had traps out for a few
weeks, and haven’t been able to catch any, despite finding their evidence left
behind and under your furniture. Or maybe you have caught a few with mouse
poison, but still feel like you haven’t quite gotten to the root of the problem.
Whatever your situation, when it comes to removing mice from your home, it’s
not a laughing matter or something to take lightly. Let’s get serious about
mice extermination in your East York home.
What brings mice into
my home?
While there can
ultimately be several reasons why mice arrive in your home, presenting the need
for mouse control and removal, it typically comes down to two main reasons:
What
Mice Eat
Mice spend their time looking for and eating food. It
is their primary goal for most of their life, and it’s safe to say it’s what
gets them out of bed and running around every day. And while you may not leave
large quantities of food out on display on your counter or table, with mice
being so driven to find food, they are really good at the task at hand. They
will find food in the most unexpected of places and will get access to food
that you may otherwise assume is not that easily accessible. For example, mice
will gnaw through packages, chew through walls or boxes, and squeeze themselves
into small spaces, corners, and crevices; all in the name of a few crumbs. And
if you have ever thought to yourself "the mice couldn’t fit in there to get
that food,” or, "this is sealed well enough to keep the mice out,” think again!
Quite simply, they are just really good at their job.
Where
Mice Live
Part of what allows them to do their food-finding job so
efficiently is that they situate themselves in the right environment. Mice are
like humans – they like things to be at a comfortable temperature, have shelter
and a place to make their nest, and generally choose a desirable environment that
meets theses criterion to set up their home. While they can live in dingier, darker places
(think dumps, dumpsters, and basements), when given the chance, they will
choose the optimal environment – and in most cases a human home fits their
needs perfectly!
How can mice live in
my home?
Even when you are committed
and diligent about cleaning up messes around the house, putting away leftover food,
and tying up packages and bags, once the mice are in, they will find a way to
stay. It doesn’t take much food to sustain them, and just the crumbs they can
find to eat under your fridge and couch will work when they need it to. In
addition, the mice will forage in other areas and may just use your home as a
base because it is warm, and they have made a comfortable place to sleep. Yes,
the mice have probably made a nest in your house which they just keep coming
back to. And you can be sure there is more than one mouse and they are living
there happily ever after.
How can I prevent mice
from getting into my home?
Now that you know
the circumstances under which mice prefer to arrive in your house and take up residence, the big thing is
turning to prevention, and finding an effective means of mouse control for your
East York home. While it is unlikely that you will never have mice in your life, you can play a big part in mostly
preventing the invasion of mice into your home. Here are some things to focus
on:
Accessibility
In addition to access to food, it is important to
consider physical access into to your home. Mice are very clever and will
easily find a way to a more desirable environment when presented with the
opportunity. In other words, when it is cold outside and they find a hole in
your gutter to climb through into your warm house, they won’t hesitate to do
so. Remember that mice can squeeze through small cracks and holes: perform
regular checks of your roof, foundation, and home exterior to keep these access
points at bay.
Food
Source
Remember also, that once the mouse gets in, it will
find food and stay, necessitating the need for you to turn to mice removal
practices for your East York property. One of the best things you can do, prevention
wise, is minimize the food can find. Do not leave food out on the counter or
table – place it in the fridge or in hard plastic containers in the pantry. Mice
can chew through boxes, packages, and bags, which most food products are sold
in, so start packing these things into large containers for storage. In addition,
be sure to keep things clean: sweep and vacuum regularly, put food packaging in
the garbage and keep the garbage from getting too full. Do not leave dirty
dishes lying around or leave an unnecessary mess in your kitchen. Anything that
gives the mouse even a hint of food will keep it around for the next serving of
dinner it can find, and pretty soon you will have a multiple-mouse situation on
your hands.
How can I get rid of
mice in my home?
With all this in
mind, it’s important to recognize that the thing about mice is that they don’t
travel alone. If you see one mouse, assume there are two, and that pretty soon
you will have a whole family. Mice reproduce incredibly fast and can take over
quickly if left unchecked. While you can try at-home methods, such as setting a
mouse trap or putting down poison, the best way to eliminate mice from your
home is to call in a professional extermination service. Mice removal in your
East York home may be a lengthy process requiring some serious mouse hunting
skills to get to the root of how they are entering, and there is no better team to call than Power Pest Control. We’ll show up ready to fight
the invaders, not to mention do it in a completely tailored way to address your
problem and your needs. Those mice aren’t going away on their own, so call us
up and let’s get started!