Instructions
Place potential food sources out of reach of rodents. Anything that rodents can eat will be sought out, particularly in the winter. Keep trash secured in a rodent proof container. A large trashcan made of a thick plastic or metal should deter most rodents.
Keep clutter out of your yard and porch. Having a lot of items in the yard will provide rats with a place to hide and breed. Keep the grass trimmed and keep decorative outdoor items to a minimum to deter rodents from hiding there.
Seal the openings of the building. Most rodents can contort themselves into extremely small openings. An opening even ¼ inch wide is wide enough to let a mouse in. Go around the outside of the building and look for any openings near the ground. Use caulk or a silicon sealant in these openings to keep rodents out.
Use rodent bait to kill any rodents that are close enough to cause an infestation. If you suspect that you have a rodent, or two, or you’ve seen them outdoors trying to get in, using rodent bait will kill the rodents before they have a chance to infest the building. Most baits are small bags that are filled with poison. They have an attractive smell that will entice the rodent to bite through the bag and taste the poison. These are highly toxic to humans, however, and should be placed behind heavy furniture or in other places that a child can’t reach.
Feed pets indoors whenever possible. Regularly feeding pets outdoors will eventually attract rodents. As soon as they learn that there is a ready food supply there, it may be difficult to get them to leave. If you must feed a pet outdoors, feed only enough for the pet’s meal and take away any food left over. This will leave nothing behind to attract rodents.
How to Avoid a Rodent Infestation
Rodent infestations can case disease as well as destroy property. Keeping rodents away from human settlements has been an ongoing battle for thousands of years, but there are several ways to win this battle and keep the rodents out for good.