7 Expert Rodent Proofing Tips for a Mouse-Free House

A small mouse is standing on a rock.

Are you sprucing up your home with some much-needed renovations? Now’s the time to work on rodent proofing your home and here’s how to do it.

One of the constant challenges of owning a home is combating the entry of rodents. Mice, rats, and other creatures are infamous for making their way into homes, eating food, spreading disease, and causing deterioration. 

The question is: How do you keep these rodents out of your home? There are a number of strategies you can utilize, some of which we’re going to review below. Without further ado, here are seven rodent proofing tips to keep your house mouse-free. 

1. Patch Up Utility Entries

Rodents make their way into homes through a number of different channels. Generally, if there’s a hole or crack in existence, rodents will exploit it. 

That being said, some of the most common entry spots for rodents are the spots in which utility lines enter the house. These utility lines include everything from water pipes to electrical wires to gas lines and the like. 

When rodent-proofing your home, you need to pay close attention to these areas, ensuring that they’re sealed entirely. If they’re not, you need to take action, patching them with items such as steel wool, cement, or metal sheeting. 

2. Pack Food Containers Tightly

Rodents make their way into homes for two different reasons: shelter and food. Food is particularly enticing to rats and mice, as it appeals to their senses and allows them to thrive. As such, if you want to keep rodents out, you need to do what you can to keep the food in your house contained. 

Related:
How to Sell Your House for Cash in 5 Easy Steps

The ideal way to contain food is to pack it away as tightly as possible. For instance, you should store cereals, mixes, and other such items in airtight metal containers as opposed to loosely-wrapped plastic bags. Doing so will conceal the scent of the food, giving rodents no reason to believe that it even exists. 

The less you reveal the existence of food in your house, the less appealing your home will be to rodents. Be deliberate in keeping your foods sealed and covered, and you’ll reap the benefits of a rodent-free home. 

3. Keep Trash Covered

It’s important to remember that food not only exists in cupboards and drawers but in the trash as well. In fact, it’s the trash which often attracts rodents, as it emits the pungent aroma of still-edible food scraps. For this reason, you need to do what you can to keep your trash can covered. 

Our advice is to invest in a trash can with a retractable top. This way, it will close automatically after you’ve used it. 

You’ll also want to be consistent in the way that you dispose of your trash. Don’t allow garbage to pile up past the peak of your trash can. Once it’s filled to the top, tie up the bag immediately, and place it somewhere outside of your house. 

4. Keep Hedges Trimmed

Rodents are not forceful creatures. Due to their small stature, they must prioritize cunningness over brute strength in order to survive. As such, they are constantly looking for places to hide. 

When it comes to making their way into homes, rodents find that some of the best hiding places are in hedges. Hedges are thick, difficult to see through, and in close proximity to home entryways, making them the ideal hiding places for rodents that are trying to sneak in. 

Related:
Do you need new gutters? The five essential signs you shouldn't overlook

The question is: how do you prevent rodents from hiding in your hedges? One option is to remove your hedges entirely. The other option is to trim them regularly and hope that rodents reject them as suitable hiding places. 

5. Keep the Roof in Shape

Did you know that rodents can climb? Well, they can, and they’re pretty good at it, too. In fact, if you look closely, you’ll see that one of the most common ways for rodents to enter a home is through the roof. 

Rodents hone in on deteriorated portions of roofing, squeezing through gaps the size of nickels (and sometimes even smaller). And because roofs see so little attention from homeowners, these gaps are almost always present. 

This is why — along with a number of other reasons — it’s important for you to perform regular maintenance on your roof. Regular maintenance will ensure that gaps are sealed, thus ensuring that rodents can’t get into your home. 

6. Refrain from Leaving Out Pet Food

One of the things that complicate rodent prevention is the existence of pets. Why is this? Because dogs, cats, and other pets need food but don’t always eat it as soon as it’s laid out. 

As such, pet food tends to stay uncovered for long periods of time throughout the day, essentially inviting rodents to come in and get it. 

So, how do you get around this problem? Put simply, you refrain from leaving the food out. Give your pets a designated time period during which they can eat it, and then cover it so that it’s not accessible. 

Related:
5 Mandatory Home Maintenance Items to Perform Annually

Eventually, your pets will learn that when it’s time to eat, they must eat. Concurrently, you will stave off any and all rodents that might be trying to grab a quick bite. 

7. Clean Frequently

Our last tip is to clean your house frequently. In particular, make sure that the kitchen is clean, ridding it of any and all crumbs. 

See, mice and rats don’t need a lot to fill their stomachs. Even the smallest crumb is beneficial to them. So, the ability to eliminate crumbs from your home is key in staving off rodent infestations. 

If this doesn’t work, you should consider calling a professional pest control company. You can learn more about these companies here. 

Rodent Proofing is Imperative

If you want to maintain the interior of your home, you have to prioritize rodent proofing. Utilizing the strategies discussed above will help to cease the entry of rodents, preserving your food, your health, and your peace of mind. 

Looking for other homecare tips? Livinator can help. Our website covers everything from home design to gardening to furniture and more. 

Start improving your home by reading some of our other articles now! 

Scroll to Top