Top Tips to Keep Mice Out of Your Garage This Winter
Mice can be a real nuisance in attached garages, especially during the winter when warm, safe hiding places are at a premium. As a leading garage door company in Parker and Broomfield, we have seen more than our fair share of infestations and often help our customers take preventative action to keep these pests at bay. If you would like to minimize the chances of an infestation in your garage this winter, today’s blog post contains all the information you need. Written by our Broomfield garage door installation team, it includes a wealth of useful tips on how to deal with mice in Colorado garages.
Stop Mice in Their Tracks: Advice from Our Broomfield Garage Door Installation Experts
If you don’t want the hassle and expense of dealing with an infestation this winter, we recommend taking the following preventative measures to keep your garage mice-free until spring comes around:
Seal All Cracks, Crevices and Holes
The first and most important step to take when mouse-proofing a garage is to inspect every inch of the walls, looking for cracks, crevices and holes. Mice can squeeze through surprisingly small gaps (sometimes a gap as narrow as a quarter of an inch wide is big enough for them to gain access) so it is crucial to be thorough when performing your inspection. Once you have identified all gaps that could be large enough for a mouse to squeeze through, you should seal them. Caulk, water-based elastomeric sealant or spray foam can be used for this task. Don’t forget to check all around your garage door as well: if there are noticeable gaps between the door and the door frame, you can use weather stripping to seal them. If you are not sure how to do this or you encounter any holes in the door itself, please feel free to contact our garage door repair team in Parker or Broomfield.
Lay Traps
Even the most careful inspection and sealing may not be enough to deter really determined mice so we also recommend laying traps in areas where you have previously found mouse droppings or seen live mice in your garage. If you do not wish to kill them, you can purchase humane traps from local hardware stores or online retailers. Any mice that you trap can then be released a safe distance from your home (and other homes in the area).
Use Scents to Deter Potential Invaders
Mice have many natural predators and for this reason they are very careful about the spaces they choose to enter. If, for example, mice can detect the scent of a predator in your garage, they are very unlikely to try and come in. You can use this fact to your advantage by placing objects with such scents in your garage. If you have dogs or cats in your home, one of their favorite playthings placed in a strategic location could be enough of a deterrent to keep the mice away this winter. You can also use your own natural scent as a deterrent: simply visit your garage more often throughout the colder months of the year and encourage other members of your household to do the same. If you have any garage door repair jobs to perform, winter could be a great time to get them out of the way. In addition to fixing the door, you’ll be able to deter mice from entering.
Other scents that are known to repel mice include peppermint, cloves, eucalyptus, lavender or cinnamon. You can use essential oils with these ingredients to discourage mice from entering your garage. Alternatively, you can raid your spice and fresh herbs cabinet for supplies if you decide to use one or more of these scents as a natural deterrent.
Declutter
Mice, like many pests, are attracted to spaces with plenty of hiding places. If your garage is full of old cardboard boxes and packing materials, for example, you are far more likely to have a problem with mice this winter. On the other hand, if there are no natural hiding places in your garage, mice will be less likely to try and make a new home in it. With this in mind, we recommend decluttering to minimize the possibility of an infestation. Make three piles when decluttering your garage: one for things that can go to a local recycling center, one for normal trash, and another for items you wish to keep. Once you have finished doing this, you can get rid of the trash (both recyclable and normal), then find a new home for everything that you wish to keep.
Store All Food in Airtight Containers
Mice will naturally be attracted to any area where they can find food and water. And with their excellent sense of smell, they can easily detect spaces in which foodstuffs are stored so we recommend keeping all such supplies in airtight containers. Also, be sure to mop up any standing water on a regular basis so as not to encourage mice and other pests to make a new home in your garage when the weather turns cold.
Make a Home for Your Cats in the Garage
If you have cats in your house and there is somewhere nice and warm in the garage for them to sleep, you may like to try placing some comfortable bedding in there, to encourage them to start frequenting the space more regularly. There are few deterrents more effective than cats if you want to ensure your garage remains mouse-free this winter.
Hire Local Rodent Control Experts
If, after taking all of the above measures, you still find yourself faced with a mouse problem this winter, we recommend contacting your local rodent/pest control specialists and asking them to visit your property. In addition to dealing with any existing infestations, they will also be able to give you advice on further preventative measures that you may be able to take.
If you need to fix your garage door in order to prevent mice from getting in, please feel free to call our garage door repair team or to send us an email if you prefer. We also offer a professional garage door installation service in Parker and Broomfield so don’t hesitate to get in touch if your existing door is beyond repair.
For those in other areas of the country, we suggest that you search for “your location + garage door company” to find contact details for local specialists. Wherever you are, there is sure to be a reputable team in the area that can help.