During winter on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, everyone’s just trying to keep warm. This is true for local residents as well as pests, particularly rodents. Mice can enter your home through cracks or holes that are only ¼ inch wide. At Southern Pest Control, we have a group of skilled rodent exterminators who can get rid of any size or type of infestation. But if you were able to keep rodents out in the first place, wouldn’t that be better? While DIY pest control is not as effective as professional pest control, if you’re not ready to call an exterminator yet, here are some methods you can try to help keep your holidays pest-free. 

Non-toxic, DIY Rodent Repellents

Here are four common methods for keeping mice and rats away using items you might already have around the house:

Peppermint oil: Mice don’t generally like the strong aroma of peppermint. In order to prevent them from entering, you can put a few drops of the oil on cotton balls, and then scatter them around any potential access points. Even better, you can plant mint along the perimeter of your property to act as a barrier!

Another odor mice dislike is apple cider vinegar. To preserve the repellent effect, mix it with vinegar and spray it once a month along the perimeter of your home and around potential access points.

Steel wool: Mice can chew through many materials thanks to their strong incisors. But research has revealed that they’re unable to bite through steel wool. If you use it to cover potential access points, it will prevent them from entering your home.

Mice hate the scent of fabric softener sheets. Put one of the sheets inside any openings you find that you think could be entry points. 

Ways to Keep Rodents Out

The attractant that drives a mouse infestation is whether or not your home makes an appealing habitat for nearby rodents. Mice want what any mammal wants when it’s cold out: food, shelter, and warmth. If you have them, they’ll try to get in any way they can. Let’s look at the methods you can use to keep rodents from getting in to your property:

• Check your home’s inside frequently for evidence of mice, especially dark corners like attics, basements, and crawl spaces.
• Locate every potential point of access on the exterior of your house and seal or close it.
• Keep food covered, sealed, and stored.
• Remove as much clutter as possible from your home, both inside and outside.

Mice won’t want to stay for very long if there isn’t easy access to food or a quiet, dark location to nest. Plus, taking these actions will also make your home tidier and more comfortable to live in.

If DIY Approaches Fail

Even if you follow all these steps, rodents might find their way into your home. If they do, all of us at Southern Pest Control have your back. Since 1975, we’ve provided reliable, effective extermination services to homes and businesses on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. You don’t have to live with bothersome ants, unsettling spiders, or scurrying rats and mice. We can help rid your home of rodents or any other pests. Just give us a call!