How to Avoid Mice and Rat Infestations in Your Home
Why control mice and rats?
Mice and rats, whether dead or alive, spread disease. They contaminate our food with urine and droppings, start fires by gnawing on electrical wires, and gnaw on keepsakes and valuable possessions.
How to Identify a Rodent Problem
Rodents are generally most active at night. They leave telltale signs, including the following:
- Rub and Gnaw Marks
- Burrows and Tracks
- Droppings
How to Get Rid of Rats
Rats are like people. They need a place to live and food to eat. If you remove their shelter and food, rats CAN be eliminated. Here's how:
- Remove Their Sources of Food
- Place bird food in a feeder, not on the ground.
- Clean up spillage daily.
- Use metal trash cans or approved plastic ones with tight-fitting lids.
- Keep trash cans covered.
- Clean up fallen fruits and nuts from the ground.
- Remove pet food dishes and leftovers promptly after feeding.
- Clean up animal waste frequently.
- Eliminate Places for Them to Take Shelter
- A dilapidated shed or automobile is an invitation to rats. Repair or remove them.
- Rats can jump up to three feet and can climb wires and pipes very well. Be sure to seal any openings to the house, even above ground level. This includes the garage, openings in the foundations, and the basement floor drain. Keep doors and windows screened with half-inch mesh hardware cloth.
- Store lumber, firewood or other materials well off the ground.
- Repair any breaks in the sewer line that connects your home with the main sewer system.
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