Fort Worth's Handy Guide To Effective DIY Rodent Control

When mice or rats get into a home, they can cause structural damage, allow moisture to leak in, and create conditions that lead to mold problems. They chew on stored items, damage interior building materials, and leave their excrement everywhere they go. They soak areas of infestation with urine, chew on wires, and spread parasites like ticks and fleas to every floor of a home. It is never good to allow rodents to live in your home. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet to get rodents out and keep them out. It takes hard work. Here is a quick guide to help you better understand what you're up against.

Step 1: Address The Rodents In Your Home

All rodents are not created equal. Some are harder to get rid of than others. If you happen to have a mouse or rat species in your home that can be deterred or driven out, these tips can help you get rid of them:

• Store your pantry and kitchen foods in sealed containers. Rodents can chew through cardboard, paper, and plastic packaging. Sealed containers keep food smells in so rodents don't realize there is food available. Since mice and rats are strongly food motivated, they might go somewhere else to find an easy meal.
• Keep the interior of your home clean. It doesn't take much food to feed a little mouse. Vacuum regularly, clean food off the kitchen floor, clean under the toaster, and get rid of other potential food sources.
• Store your kitchen trash in a sealed container and remove your trash weekly.
• Store fruit in your refrigerator instead of on your counter or table.

When driving rodents out, you must also consider moisture issues. Inspect your home and fix any faucets, showerheads, or pipes that are leaking. Droplets of water are more than enough for a small mouse.

Step 2: Seal Your Exterior

If you're able to convince the rodents in your home to live somewhere else, the next step is to make it difficult for them to change their minds. When they decide to come back and give your home another go, let them find things sealed up tight.

• Seal gaps around foundation penetrations, such as wire conduits, loose wires, and plumbing.
• Seal cracks in your foundation or basement walls.
• Replace weatherstripping, door sweeps, and screens that are not in good repair, or that offer a gap for a rodent to utilize.
• Repair any broken glass panes.
• Fill in holes that have been created by wood-destroying pests. A caulking gun is a great tool to create a temporary patch.

Step 3: Make Your Exterior Less Inviting

There are many conditions that can attract rodents to your exterior. The more of these you have, the more rodent activity you're going to have. This inevitably leads to issues with rodents inside your home.

Food — Rodents eat birdseed off the ground, organic matter out of unprotected trash receptacles, pet food, and other food sources in your yard. Urban rodents can take to eating the feces of domesticated canines. If you have a dog, be sure to keep your lawn clean.

Water — Puddles are watering holes for rodents. Mice and rats will be attracted to your home if there are conditions that cause standing water.

Cover — Rodents hide under and inside objects in your yard. Remove clutter to get rid of potential hiding places. They'll also feel more comfortable in your landscaping if it is dense. Trim bushes and plants to make your landscaping feel more open.

Step 4: Remove Access

When mice and rats explore your exterior, your goal should be to make it as difficult as possible for the rodents to find an access point. Some rodent species are excellent climbers. Use these tips to prevent them from finding a way onto your roof where there are likely to be many vulnerabilities:

• Trim tree branches away from your roofline.
• Protect your downspouts so rodents can't work their way up to your roof.
• Remove lattice and other exterior structures that rodents can use to scale your walls.
• Put spikes on wires that attach to your home to prevent rodents from running across.