If you are a homeowner with a mouse problem, your first question is likely: How do you get rid of mice and keep mice away?
No one wants to see their home or belongings damaged by mice. As mice build their nests you may find gnaw marks, scratches and other damage, particularly near food sources. But beyond their destructive habits, mice are hazard to your health. Urine, droppings, nesting materials and mice themselves can transmit diseases to you and your family.
It is important to eliminate rodents and clean up after them safely. Steel wool is one of the most effective ways to keep mice out of your home. Let’s take a look at how this simple household item can help you keep rodents at bay.
We’ll also cover the steps you should take to get rid of mice and keep them from coming back.
Step 1: Remove Mice
The best way to get rid of mice is a method that eliminates the rodents as quickly and safely as possible. Mouse droppings are the best indicator that you have a problem. Our article, The Top 8 DIY Ways to Get Rid of Mice, offers some great strategies to remove rodents.
If you have a significant infestation, DIY methods may not be enough to get eliminate all of the mice. Integrity Pest Management can help you eliminate rodents from your home and yard. Our professional team can assess your particular issue and develop a plan to safely remove the mice from your home.
Step 2: Identify Points of Entry
The second step is to prevent mice from entering your home. Mice can squeeze into incredibly small spaces, so it’s important to identify the gaps or holes in your home that need to be addressed. Mice can squeeze through a hole the size of a nickel and rats can squeeze through a gap the size of a silver dollar.
Look both inside and outside your home.
Look inside near:
- Kitchen cabinets, refrigerators and stoves
- Closets, basements, pantries
- Fireplaces and doors
- Pipes, sinks, washing machines, hot water heaters and furnaces.
- Floor vents and dryer vents.
- Attics, basements, garages and crawl spaces
Look outside near:
- Roof, rafters, gables, and eaves
- Windows and doors
- Around the foundation
- Attic vents and crawl space vents
- Holes for electrical, plumbing, cable, and gas lines
It might be helpful to make a list as you go room by room or area by area. This ensures that nothing is missed.
Step 3: Gather Supplies
Next, you should gather enough supplies to address all of the holes and gaps you’ve identified.
You’ll Need:
- Steel wool (Grade Medium)
- Silicone Caulking
You can find steel wool and caulking at local hardware or home improvement stores. A package often costs less than $5. Medium grade, stainless steel wool works best.
It can be used around heating pipes without the risk of burning or catching fire. Steel wool also continues to ventilate, which can be important where a seam or crack is necessary but needs to be sealed against rodents.
Step 4: Fill Holes
With your materials in hand, you can get to work. Pack the hole tightly with steel wool. Then, put caulk around the hole to hold and seal the wool in place. Mice may eat some of the steel wool, which may kill them as it works to deter them.
Sealing the hole will prevent the mice from entering your home and potentially dying in your walls. You can also completely cover the exposed steel wool with caulking to prevent mice from ingesting the wool.
Step 5: Eliminate Food Sources & Inspect Your Home Regularly
Once all of your holes and gaps are filled, you should be all set. However, it is still important to minimize the food sources that can attract rodents. Keep food in thick plastic, metal or ceramic containers with tight lids.
Mine was in a bag – I found crumbs all over the shelf below! It looked quite interesting, to be fair. We found one mouse in the dog food bag … 🙄 pic.twitter.com/EYnA0W5EAx
— Tracey Ball (@traceyjball285) March 21, 2020
Secure pet food and put away pet water and food bowls at night.
Use thick metal or plastic garbage cans with secure lids for waste.
Mice tend to seek shelter each year as cooler temperatures arrive and food becomes more scarce.
Set a reminder on your phone or make a note in your calendar to inspect your home each fall. Look both inside and outside your home for new holes or holes that need additional steel wool.
The best way to get rid of mice is to prevent them from ever coming inside in the first place. Steel wool is a safe, easy and inexpensive way to keep unwanted rodents out of your home.
Still Having Problems? Call Professional Exterminators
Integrity Pest Management is here to help with all of your pest and rodent issues. We have more than 20 years of experience treating termites, bed bugs, mice and other pest problems. Our Integrated Pest Management approach can help keep your home free of unwanted rodents. Give us a call or complete the form below.
