An infestation of rodents, that is, rats and mice, is terrible news. Rats and mice start infesting houses at the beginning of winter to look for cozy and warm places. So if you wish to take preemptive measures, you should take steps before the arrival of winter.
However, if some rats or mice have found their way into your house, it can be quite difficult to get rid of them. If you are unable to control the rodents all by yourself, then you can contact a professional rodent control agency. However, you can try controlling the infestation by yourself and here are a few quick tips for dealing with unwelcome guests like rats and mice.
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Some Steps To Take To Deal With Rodents In Your House
Check For Signs Of Infestation
If you are witnessing a rodent infestation for the very first time, it may be quite late before you realize that there is a full-fledged rodent infestation in the house. So you should always keep your eyes and ears open to spot early signs of having rats and mice in your house.
If you notice scratches on the walls of your house or on the sides of your furniture, then it may be an indicator of the presence of rodents. Likewise, if you hear a screeching sound at night every time you switch off the light, then it may be caused by rats.
If you find half-chewed-up pieces of food or food packets that have been punctured and destroyed, you can be sure that mice may be the culprit. And finally, when the population of rodents increases to a great extent, you will be able to spot rats running across your living room or kitchen at night.
It is always better to spot a rodent attack before it is too late, as these animals breed very fast, and within a short span of time, you will have several mice roaming around in your house.
Make Places Inhospitable For The Rats
Rats enter your house during winter because your house is more comfortable in comparison to the cold and chilly weather outside. However, if you make your house inhospitable to rodents, then you may leave your premises at once.
One way of driving out rats is to fill empty spaces with materials like steel wool. Rats and mice have teeth that are ever-growing, and hence they are compelled to continuously chew on something. If you stuff the open spaces in your house with steel wool, the rats may leave your house at once. This is because steel wool is a coarse material, and hence it is difficult to chew.
Alternatively, you can place essential oils or peppermint-soaked cotton swabs in areas where the mice visit. Apart from peppermint, apple cider also acts as a potent repellent for mice, so if you can get hold of apple cider and a spray bottle, you can use that for controlling mice as well.
All you have to do is mix the apple cider with water and pour it into a spray bottle and spray the solution in all places that have shown possible signs of infestation.
Most rodents are not very good at tolerating strong smells like those of peppermint, and they vacate the premises if they encounter any strong and repulsive odors.
Try To Plug All Possible Routes Of Entry
It might be very difficult to plug all possible gaps and crevices in your house, but if you wish to prevent a full-fledged invasion of rats and mice, you must meticulously search for cracks and holes.
If the hole is large, contact a mason and get the repair work done. Alternatively, if the cracks are small, you can use ducting tape to cover those areas. Always keep in mind that rodents are not only small in size, but they are also extremely flexible. So even if there is a small hole or a gap, you should get it fixed and block all paths of entry.
Restrict Access To Food
Rodents enter a house for primarily two reasons: one is the ability to nest in a warm place, and the second is the abundant availability of food. So you must stop easy access to food whenever possible.
So every time you store any biscuits or any munchies, you must store them in containers that are difficult to chew and bore a hole. You should never keep food in the open for very long. So if you have the habit of leaving half-eaten pizzas in the open, you will not only encourage mice to grow, but you will also fall ill if you eat a pizza that has been licked or chewed by a rat.
Set Up A Trap
Setting up a trap is not easy because most mice are smart, and they can escape without getting caught. So you can take expert help in setting up a trap and use some delicious food items like a piece of cake or peanut butter to trap the mice.
Take Help From The Experts
If all the above-mentioned strategies fail, then you must consult a professional rodent management agency. Professionals can help you set effective traps that do not kill the animal. They can also help you drive out an entire population of mice if need be.
Conclusion
Rodents are difficult to get rid of because they are very good at concealing themselves. They are quicker than you, and they breed very fast. So even before you can set an effective trap, a pair of rats may have multiplied into ten or twelve animals.
However, getting rid of mice and rats is a necessity as they spread dangerous diseases and spoil furniture. If you use any agent that gives out toxic fumes, you may end up harming your pets or affecting the health of your young children. So if you cannot control the infestation all by yourself, it is prudent to consult a professional agency.