No matter the time of year, mice infestations are a possibility for Baltimore homeowners. In fairness, this possibility is higher during the colder months when mice seek warmth and shelter from the cold. While their needs are understandable, that doesn’t mean they’re welcome inside, which is why it’s important to know the trick to keeping mice out of your Baltimore home.

Before we learn how to keep mice out, we need to first identify their features. House mice are the most common home-invading pests around. You can recognize the mice easily by their small, fur-covered rounded bodies. Also, they are usually grey in color with large rounded ears and a long thin tail.

Why Are Mice A Problem?

Mice may look cute compared to creepy crawlers and other invaders, but they’re bad news for homeowners in multiple ways. For starters, mice cause a variety of property damage. They have a constant need to chew, which translates to holes in the wall, chewed up cords, and holes in your belongings. Add in sharp their claws, and you also have to worry about scratches.

Besides property damage, mice also transmit a full complement of diseases. Some common illnesses associated with mice include salmonella, hantavirus, plague, and allergies in children. Also, they carry ticks and fleas, which only adds to the number of diseases possible with mice infestations.

These problems are serious enough, but there is one thing about them that makes them truly unpleasant for Baltimore homeowners. Mice reproduce rapidly. This means that instead of a handful of mice, you almost always are dealing with dozens of mice at any given time.

Finally, mice are known to slip through holes and cracks as small as a dime. One little hole can lead to multiple mice coming inside and making themselves at home. It’s nearly impossible to get them out without professional assistance. Instead, prevention is the key to remaining mouse free in your home.

Mouse Prevention Tips

The good news is that with a bit of effort and focus, preventing a mouse infestation is actually pretty simple. The earlier you start your prevention effort the better off you’ll be in the fight to remain mouse-free. Start with the following tips:

  • Food Storage: Mice love your food and will gladly eat it and get into your pantry. it’s vital to store the food in sealed metal or plastic containers that they can’t chew through. Also, they’re not picky, which means you’ll need to eliminate any crumbs under ovens, in cupboards, and under refrigerators.
  • Doors: If you add brush strips to the bottom of your doors, this can minimize the total number of available entry points. In older homes, this is nearly a mandatory requirement due to different building standards.
  • Pipes: Sometimes holes occur around pipes. In this case, the hole needs to be sealed with coarse grade stainless steel wire wool and caulking to keep them from getting in through this route.
  • Perimeter: Check the perimeter regularly and seal up any holes and cracks with steel wool and silicone caulk. If they can’t get through, then they can’t get inside in the first place.
  • Water sources: Mice need nearby water to thrive. If they can’t access water easily, they’ll be less inclined to stay. Find these water sources and remove them from consideration.

Take Care Of The Mice With Pest Czar

Mice infestations are inconvenient for anyone no matter how early the problem is detected. At Pest Czar, we work with you to identify the proper course of action and deliver a treatment guaranteed to provide the results you need the first time so you can enjoy the peace and comfort of your home as you should. Call us today at Pest Czar for a free quote!