Keeping Mice Out of Your Seattle Home this Winter

It’s cold outside, and it isn’t only you and your pets who are clamoring to get inside. You have probably discovered you have some unwelcome critters seeking refuge in your home as well. Mice don’t like the cold any more than we do and tend to become nuisances around this time of year. Nobody particularly loves living in the same house with mice. You can take action to get rid of them without hiring pest control. Keep in mind; when there is one mouse, there are several more hidden that you cannot see. Head on into Greenwood Hardware to pick up the few things you need to evict the mice from your house.

• Mice can fit through holes the size of a quarter. Do an inspection around the outside of your house to look for any holes. Fill the holes with caulk, copper mesh or galvanized flashing. Steel wool held in place with caulking is also an effective way to keep mice out. Copper wool is a better option if you can get it.
• Glue boards are an option to catch any mice that are in the house. They are a little more convenient to use than traps.
• Mousetraps are a tried and true remedy, but they can snap at any moment. You will need to bait the traps often as well.
• Bait boxes are another option and are safe for use around your family pets and children. The poison bait is trapped inside the box. Think of it as a roach motel. The mice go in, but they don’t go out.

You can help make your home less inviting by making sure you keep all food sealed. Don’t leave things out on the counter or let the kids hide their crackers under their beds. You want to remove any sources of food, including the dog and cat food in the garage or pantry. Place the food inside sealed rubber totes to keep the mice from chewing through the bags.

Don’t be ashamed by mice in your house! Even the biggest, fanciest houses deal with rodents. You can stop the mice from inviting more of their family members to live in your house by following the above tips. You will find everything you need at Greenwood Hardware to make your house less inviting for rodents. Come on in, or contact us online.