Every fall in Omaha, as temperatures drop, mice look for a warm place to spend the winter, and your house is exactly what they have in mind. A mouse can squeeze through a gap the width of a pencil. Here's how to keep them out and clear them if they're already in.
Seal the entry points
Extermination without exclusion is a treadmill. Walk the foundation and seal gaps around utility lines, dryer vents, garage door corners, and where the siding meets the foundation. Steel wool and sealant stop most entries. This is where a pest control pro earns their fee: they find the gaps you'll miss and seal them properly.
Set traps in the right places
Snap traps along walls where you see droppings work better than bait stations for an active problem. Skip the poison indoors, a mouse that dies in a wall is a smell you'll regret.
Cut off food and shelter
- Store pantry food and pet food in sealed containers
- Clear clutter in the garage and basement where they nest
- Keep firewood away from the house
- Check that attic and crawlspace insulation isn't nested in, damaged insulation often needs replacing after an infestation
If you're hearing scratching in the walls or ceiling, or finding droppings faster than you can clean them, it's past DIY. A pro handles trapping, exclusion and cleanup as one job.
Get ahead of it in early fall and you may avoid the problem entirely. Once it's cold, the mice are already house-hunting.