5 Simple Ways to Get Rid of Mice and Rats in Your Home

Mice and rats both are annoying little critters to live with. They are known for making a mess in the kitchen and other places and destroying your property in time, but did you know that they can also cause major health issues if not taken care off? These rodents carry diseases like the hantavirus, rat-bite fever, salmonellosis and other infectious illnesses. That is why it is crucial to get rid of these pests in your home or business as soon as possible. Here are five effective simple steps to getting rid of mice and rats:

Seal all cracks in the foundation of your home, including doors and windows.

The first step to getting rid of mice and rats is sealing all exterior entry points. Check the foundation, soffit, vents, attic and basement, as well as around pipes and wires coming into the house. Repair and caulks any damaged holes and cracks in the structure foundation using a caulking gun. Make sure to seal up all open spaces that are larger than ¼ inch diameter with steel wool, caulk or other materials such as steel wool to cover weep holes that rodents cannot chew through to enter within. Call Maximum and Have David Specialized Mice Exclusion Handyman Give You An Estimate!!!

Eliminate any food sources that could be enticing rats or mice.

It would be best to eliminate any food sources that could be enticing rodents into your home. If there are no crumbs or water to entice the rodent, it will find another place to go. Make sure all food is stored in airtight containers, clean up any spills on floors and countertops immediately, store pet food in a sealed container and take out the trash regularly as well as don’t store any garbage in the outside garage room, its best to use metal garbage bins instead plastic.

You should also limit access to water sources by making sure that all sinks are dry (wipe them down after use), you do not have leaky pipes under cabinets and you remove standing water from around the house by cleaning up spills on floors, fixing leaky pipes or caulking areas where water can seep into walls.

The next thing that needs to be considered when trying to get rid of rats or mice is trapping or poisoning. There are three types of traps and killing available: 1- Snap traps 2- Glue sticky traps 3- Poison baits. Snap traps are effective killing one rat at a time, but if there are many rodents in your home, then they may not be enough and its best to use baiting especially the stuff that pest control companies uses, because it works fast.

Get rid of clutter and clean up areas where rodents like to nest.

Now that you’ve taken these steps, it’s time to start cleaning up your home. You should aim to remove any clutter or piles of materials that rodents use as nesting grounds, including:

• Paper products like newspapers, magazines and cardboard boxes
• Plastic bags or other packaging
• Clothing items like sweaters and towels

As you’re removing potential nesting grounds for rodents, take the time to clean up food storage areas. This means keeping your pantry and cupboards organized and free of crumbs. Your fridge can also be a great place for mice to nest if stored foods are not sealed appropriately. When it’s trash day, make sure you have taken out the garbage. Otherwise, mice will have easy access to leftover food in open trash cans. Again make sure to buy metal bins better.

Use mouse traps and certified ministry approved bait to catch the rodents.

If it’s possible to catch multiple pests at once when using a variety of traps and baiting, why not go for it? Especially if they’re some type of vermin that are likely to try and run from you and/or come back for more bait. Rats are one such example of a determined pest that might need more than one attempt to trap. However, there is something important to consider:

Be careful about mixing different types of rodent poison into the same bowl as rat traps. Not only could this cause problem from the poisons mixing together (which can potentially create new toxic substances), but also because mice and rats have different tastes. Mice like sweet foods like peanut butter or candy, while rats prefer more savory flavors like cheese or bacon bits. If you don’t have enough room in your home to separate out these two types of baits, then just make sure they aren’t touching each other so they aren’t tempted by both foods at once!

Call Maximum certified insured and bonded exterminators if you have a serious ongoing problem with rodents

If you’ve tried every method trick in the book or watched many YouTube related to pest control videos to help solve your existing issue, and you’re still seeing signs of an infestation, you may need to call in a pest control Service Company for quick reinforcements. The rodents have multiplied, and they’ve grown immune to your home made methods of extermination. It’s time for a real exterminator.

Finding the right exterminator is almost as important as finding the right doctor-you’ll be letting this person into your private home, after all. When searching for one that meets your needs, look for professional certifications pest control technician. It’s always best to hire someone who is ministry licensed, bonded and insured.

As soon as you’ve located a couple of viable options, it’s time to contrast prices! Don’t hire with money less option as the only factor-a cheap exterminator may use dangerous chemicals without proper ventilation, or might not even be able to get rid of your problem at all. However, there’s no reason why you can’t find an excellent exterminator at an affordable price if you shop around.

Rodents only need one quarter-inch space to get into a home, so seal them all up!

• You can use caulk to fill in small openings around doors, windows and pipes. Caulk is best for sealing gaps that are less than a quarter-inch wide. If a gap is wider than a quarter-inch, you’ll want to use expanding foam or steel wool to block certain gaps.
• Expanding foam comes in a spray can and expands as it dries—perfect for filling larger areas. Make sure the foam fully expands before letting it dry, though.
• For large gaps between walls or at the base of your house, you’ll want to use hardware cloth—a metal mesh that lets you cover an area but still allows airflow. This is especially important if you have crawl spaces beneath your home that need protection from rodents (and other pests). Just remember: Before covering any hole with hardware cloth, make sure there aren’t any rodents already inside!

Many rodents live in colonies and frequently nest in the walls or ceilings of homes or buildings. If you have rats, mice or other pests, contact the exterminators at Maximum Pest Control Services in Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton, Mississauga and Milton Ontario by calling (905) 582-5502 or (289) 396-5426 to get rid of these pesky creatures out of your home or business preventing any future problems. They will help you solve all rodents issue and find out where are all the gaps outside that let them enter within as well as help close them, guaranteeing their job, so they don’t revisit back again. Contact MaximumPestControlServices in your area, they are only a phone call away!