how to get rid of bed bugs mice
If you don’t want mice in your house, the best thing to do is stop
feeding them. You don’t get wild animals in your house unless you are
providing them with 3 things: food, water and access.
Food: What are they eating? Don’t leave food or dirty dishes around.
Keep all food sealed in mouse resistant containers all the time. Is
your cat a “grazer” with his bowl filled and sitting on the floor all
night? This can be a food source for mice, either switch the cat to a
feeding schedual so that the food is sealed up when the family is not
around (scaring off the mice) or put the food somewhere that mice can’t
easily get to. If you have small children… well, keeping your floors
free of food is going to be a challenge, the best you can do is vacume
each night before going to bed.
Water: Where are the getting a drink? Since you have a cat, you must
leave a water bowl out, the cat needs water–at night try moving the
water bowl up onto the kitchen table or some other place that the cat
can get to easily but mice can’t. Other water sources are dripping taps
and condensation on pipes and windows, so check your windows and all
your water pipes and fixtures. If any of them are wet check with your
local home improvement depot for solutions. (It’s a good idea to fix
these things anyway, they can afect utility bills or encourage the
growth of molds.) Mice can only go a day, possibly two, without a
drink, on the other hand, they only need a little water each day so
any chronically moist surface may be all they need.
Access: How are bed bugs getting in? Once you stop supplying them with
food and water, your house becomes much less attractive to them. In a
cold climate your house provides a warm shelter, but that is about it,
they will have to leave the house to find food and water. Don’t let
them back in. Find any holes and seal them, or stuff them with steel
wool. Check your basement for cracks. Check your exterior ventilation
covers, if they are damaged, replace them. Local home improvement shops
or home inspectors may be able to give you specific advice about “rodent
profing” your house.