When people think of ways to keep rodents out of their homes, they often think of making sure no crumbs are lying around or sealing up cracks in a wall. While these are great tips to keep animals out, people often overlook other things that may attract them. For example, cardboard boxes are one item that many people have stored in their homes that can attract mice and other rodents. Discover why boxes and other seemingly safe materials in your house can draw them in and leave you searching for rodent pest control services.

Cardboard Boxes

Some people like to keep the original packaging for their electronics and appliances, and others use cardboard boxes to store important papers or off-season clothing. As handy as these boxes may be, it is time to upgrade them with sealable plastic bins. Corrugated cardboard is easily chewed by a mouse’s sharp teeth and fluffed into what it considers an excellent nesting material. If it finds paper or soft clothing inside, then it is even more likely to continue gnawing.

Clutter

Mice love warm environments filled with nesting materials, food, and water. If it is difficult to walk through your home without tripping over piles of books and dirty laundry, then mice see your house as a perfect place to raise a family  If you already have mice, then it is too late to clean up and hope to get rid of them. Keeping a tidy home, however, can prevent them from entering in the first place. 

Pet Food

Not everyone feeds their cats and dogs on a strict schedule, and some opt instead to leave a bowl of food out for pets to eat whenever they want. While this may be the most convenient way to do things at your house, consider the fact that you may be feeding more animals than you realized. Mice especially love to steal kibbles and hide them close to their nests to snack on later.

Dirty Dishes

After a late dinner, it is tempting to let the dishes go until morning instead of washing them right away. However, this is exactly what mice are hoping you will do. Human food left on plates is like a banquet set out just for rodents. It doesn’t matter if you set them on a tall counter or even in the sink because mice are excellent climbers and can jump 33 cm from the floor.

Tall Grass 

In the wild, mice eat seeds from tall grasses. In residential areas, however, the main draw of grass and weeds around the base of a home is that the plants act as a protective cover. Vegetation provides an area of safety where mice can scurry along unnoticed as they search for pencil-sized openings into your home. It also conceals these openings from your view and makes it more difficult to seal them.

Undriveable Vehicles

A car on blocks in your driveway or garage may provide relaxation on weekends, or it may be a source of frustration as you wait to get it fixed. Whatever that vehicle means to you, it is an open door to mice in search of a home. A car is a safe place where they can stay warm and dry. It is full of nesting materials in the form of seat cushions and wire insulation and depending on how clean it is, crumbs and other sources of food.

Truly Nolen of Niagara, Canada

Thousands of Canadians trust Truly Nolen to keep their homes pest-free. Our friendly technicians can determine where mice are entering and come up with a plan to remove them and keep them out for good. Fill out our online form to schedule a home inspection today.