How to deal with a rodent infestation.
Wild rats and mice are notorious for carrying disease, chewing their way into homes, and contaminating food supplies. In some situations, they could even chew through electrical wires and create a fire hazard or damage vehicles. If you want to keep your household safe, then you need to learn how to deal with a rodent infestation, not to mention avoiding them in the first place.
Let’s take a look that’s some simple do’s and don’ts that you should follow when preventing and dealing with a rodent infestation.
DO Perform Regular Inspections
The first thing you should keep in mind when trying to avoid or deal with a rodent infestation is that regular inspections are required. Whether you live in an area where rodents are common or not, it doesn’t hurt to take a look around every once in a while and check for any signs. This includes searching your attic for droppings or items that have been chewed on.
DON’T Leave Food on Counters
Rodents are constantly looking for something to eat and will zero in on food sources in your home. Make sure you don’t leave any food out on your counters or tables. If you have any leftovers, store them in high-quality, tightly sealed plastic containers to keep them fresh and prevent odors from escaping.
DO Call an Expert Right Away
Although there are do-it-yourself methods to get rid of mice and rats, this can prove to be a long, arduous process. If you suspect a rodent infestation in your home, call a professional to take a look around. Once an inspection is complete, they’ll present you with an extermination plan that will typically involve safer, organic elimination methods.
DON’T Neglect Your Landscape
Not only do rodents look for food and water sources; they’re also attracted to places with a lot of vegetation. If your landscape is overgrown or close to the edge of your house, this could give them the perfect cover to make their way inside. To stop this from happening, keep your landscape properly trimmed.
DO Consider Getting a Cat
If you’re looking for a way to get rid of mice and rats, why not turn to the original solution for rodent control? Of course, we’re talking about getting a pet cat, because they’re natural hunters and most of them are very effective in finding and killing rodents. Even if the cat isn’t a great mouser, their scent alone will keep many of these pests at bay.
DON’T Clutter Up Your Home
Rodents are very good at hiding and will look around for places that will enable them to stay out of sight. If you have a lot of clutter around your home, you may discover them behind stacks of boxes and other such items, especially in your attic or basement. Perform a little house cleaning every once in awhile and the rodents will have fewer places to hide.
DO Seal Off Entry Points
Like other pests, rats and mice use vulnerable entry points such as cracks and gaps to enter your home, often found around your foundation or along the edges or doors and windows. You can help rodent-proof your house by sealing off these problem areas. Depending on the size, you’ll want to use either caulk, spray foam, or weather-stripping for the job.
DON’T Ignore Standing Water
Standing water outside your home can attract many different pests such as bugs and rodents. You can avoid this by removing these water sources on a regular basis. This is especially important after it’s rained because your backyard and front yard may be susceptible to puddles. Also, if decide to put in a water structure, don’t install it too close to the home.
DO Put Out Rodent Traps
If you want to control the number of rodents in your home before a professional arrives, then you should pick up a few traps from your local store. Snap traps are a very common method for eliminating rats and mice, but many homeowners prefer organic methods. If this is a concern, pick up a few live traps that will capture the rodents and allow you to release them in a humane manner.
DON’T Forget the Dangers
When dealing with rodents, you always need to be aware of the dangers. Both mice and rats are notorious for contaminating food supplies, not to mention chewing through wires and causing a fire hazard. Also, when cleaning up rodent droppings, always use an N95 face mask because they may carry the hantavirus.
Contact ProHealth Pest Control for Help with a Rodent Infestation
ProHealth Pest Control offers organic, residential and commercial pest control services to get rid of rodents, bed bugs, termites, ants, arachnids, mosquitoes, wasps, and other problems. If you’re experiencing a rodent infestation or need any other pest control services, reach out by calling (727) 308-2543 today to schedule a free consultation.
