HOW TO GET RID OF MICE IN THE GARAGE
Mice and rats are pests most commonly found in garages in all seasons. Why? Because your garage offers the perfect amount of shelter, and is close to your home where they'll find additional shelter, food sources and water.
There are some things that you can do to keep rats and mice our of your garage and make sure they don't come back.
Why do Mice Love Garages?
A garage is full of anything from tools, cardboard boxes, newspapers, summer toys, bicycles and more, which makes it the perfect place for any mouse or rat to hide. If you keep bird seed or dog food in your garage, it can create an open buffet for any rodent in the area looking for food and shelter. If your garage is connected to your home, than your garage offers easy access through wall voids, vents, entry points and even small cracks and gaps. When a rat or mouse has access to a home, it now has another place where it can live comfortably and breed.
How to Get Rid of Mice in Garage
Seal Cracks & Maintain the Garage Door Seal
Mice can squeeze through a crack or hole the size of a nickel. Sealing any cracks in your foundation, doors or walls is the most effective way to humanely deal with mice and rats in tthe garage.
Check your garage door seal regularly for signs of damage or any possible issue that could be preventing it from closing tightly. It is also ideal to keep the area directly under the door clear and unobstructed so that the door seal can firmly connect and create a tight seal. This is really important in the winter months where more people store their cars in their garage. Snow will naturally build up at the garage door entry, but snow and ice is often brought in through tires. Be sure to regularly remove that snow (even the little left over from tire tracks) as that will prevent the garage seal from firmly sealing, which exposes your garage (and home) to rodents seeking hospitable winter refuge.
Avoid Storing Food
An effective way to keep mice out of your garage is to avoid storing bird seed and pet food that can attract them. These items are usually packaged in plastic bags that can be easily chewed through. It is best to keep any food indoors in a sealed plastic container.
Use Tightly Sealed Lids on Trash, Recycling & Compost Bins
Your trash can and will be a delightful meal for mice and rats, as well as an ongoing reliable food source if it's regularly stored inside your garage. Using tightly sealed lids on your garbage can, recycling bins and compost bin is an effective way to help deter rodents from living in your garage. Another tip is to be extra diligent when rinsing and cleaning items for recycling as many people use the box-style bins with no lids or blue bags. The less food residue the better!
Natural Deterrents
How to keep mice out of the garage using natural methods: Peppermint is known to keep mice and rodents away from certain areas. Sprinkle some peppermint essential oil on cotton balls or plant a peppermint plant and put them in areas where you suspect mice entering your garage.
Avoid Poisonous Baits
We recommend against using poisonous baits to eradicate any mice in the garage, as it’s usually a high traffic area for family and pets which might put them in danger. Although mothballs are known to keep mice away, they are also very toxic and without supervision can end up in a child or dogs mouth, causing serious illness, or in some cases death.
Rodent Pest Control for Your Garage & Home
Whether you have extensive recurring mouse or rat problems in your home or garage or you suspect an infestation of mice in garage (or rats), we strongly recommend that you act quickly. Mice and rats produce large litters in short periods of time. The longer you wait, the more timely, costly, and challenging it can be to resolve the rodent control issue. Another reason to act fast on getting rodent control help is because rats and mice are both carriers of disease and they cause damage by chewing). A rat for example, who have invaded a garage can and will chew through a vehicle's wires.
The rodent experts here at Environmental Pest Control are always here to help, so if you need professional mouse control service or professional rat control service, do give us a call.
