Rodents are not only an unnerving sight to see in your home, but they can also be quite dangerous.  Mice and rats can chew through papers, boxes and even electrical wiring.  Electrical damage by rodents has been known to and cause fires in your home and could even cause serious injury to your family members.  In addition to the destruction and annoying messes in your home, rodents can also contaminate your food (which is why poison free is the way to go) and spread diseases that cause many serious health risks.

While rats and mice can be very difficult to eliminate, depending on your location and severity of the problem, with the help of Azex Pest Solutions and a few tips and tricks throughout the year, the rodent population can be significantly reduced and possibly even eliminated in and around your home.

Here are 10 poison free tips to keep rodents away all year long:

Block all Entry Points

One of the most effective preventative measures that you can take to keep your home rodent free is to carefully inspect the foundation, walls and other entry points for cracks, holes and other means of entry.  Especially in the Fall/Winter, rodents are looking for places to escape the cold, and even the smallest crack could be the perfect “open door” they need to move into your home. Make sure weather seals along the edges of your garage doors are in good shape, repair any cracks or damage to the foundation of your home and ensure that all doors and windows are tightly closed.

Don’t Feed The Unwanted Pests

Seeds and ground grains included in most bird-food mixes are a perfect treat for rodents.  If you notice squirrels gathering around your bird feeders, you can be sure that other rodents are partaking as well.  Keep feeders far from your home or remove them to reduce the rodent’s draw to your home.

Seal Up The Garbage

Your garbage bins should be tightly closed at all times.  Even bins in the garage can cause rodent to flock toward your home and actively search for ways into the “buffet” for free food inside your garbage bin.  Keep garbage cans tightly sealed with airtight lids.

Keep Your Landscaping Clean and Tidy

Dense shrubs and bushes that butt right up against your home provide the perfect hiding place for mice and rats.  It also gives them full coverage while they search your foundation for holes and cracks by which to enter.  Trim landscaping at least a few feet away from your home and make sure the soil level is low enough that mice cannot squeeze their way behind the siding.

Keep Dry Foods In Sealed Containers
Flour, sugar, coffee, rice and other dry food items should always be kept in tightly sealed plastic containers and placed on high shelves or in the refrigerator.  Rodents and other insects and pests LOVE these dry ingredients and will move in quickly where food is readily available.

Keep Floors and Countertops Clean

If you have a rodent problem, keeping a clean and tidy home is crucial to eliminating the problem.  Even the casual crumb or spilled food can be a significant attraction to pests.  This also includes pet food that is uneaten, which is another good reason to go poison free.

Close the Door

This may seem like a fairly obvious tip, but a wide-open door is a big invitation to all pests, especially when they are already looking for a way out of the cold.  Keep patio screens, and basement windows closed at all times and never leave your garage door open overnight or into the night.

Get A Cat or Dog

It is often seen that areas, where dogs and cats reside, have less rodent activity.  As long as you don’t leave your pet’s food out where rodents can get to it, having a pet may discourage rats and mice from spending too much time around your home.

Set a Few Traps

We recommend this as a mostly diagnostic measure, keep a few mice/rat traps around your home where you sometimes see rodents.  If you are catching many rats or mice at a time, then you know that you have an untreated area somewhere in your home.  While some people keep poison traps around the home, we discourage this idea as it can be hazardous to pets and children.  There are also many versions of live traps that can be purchased if you are looking for a humane way to get rid of mice/rats.

These 10 tips, along with routine inspections and treatments by your AZEX Pest Solutions technician will significantly help in keeping your home pest free 24/7/365!  Schedule an inspection and treatment by calling 877-445-2847.