Mice are nocturnal little mammals that are famous for invading pantries. Pantries are often filled with dried goods like cereal, flour, beans, and rice in loose packages that mice can easily get into. To a mouse, a pantry with an open bag of cereal is like an all-you-can-eat buffet. The little critter will hide in its nest during the day and come out at night to feed in the pantry. Thankfully, there are lots of things you can do to get rid of mice and keep them out of the pantry. If you need help, reach out to Mouse Control Toronto.
There are 13 species of mice in Canada, but only 2 are known to be major pests: the house mouse and the deer mouse. While the house mouse measures between 12 and 20cm, tail included, the deer mouse is somewhere between 8 and 17cm long. The most notable difference between them, however, is their colour. The house mouse is light grey while the deer mouse has a distinctly brown back and white belly. Both species commonly enter human homes by crawling through cracked foundations, gaps under doors, or gaps between vinyl sliding. Once inside, mice will nest in quiet, enclosed areas with easy access to food, such as kitchen wall voids.
The first thing you can do to keep mice out of the pantry is to store your food in tightly sealed containers. Invest in some jars and containers that will not allow any mice to chew or squeeze through. Then, tidy up the pantry to remove crumbs and reduce clutter – mice love to hide. To make the kitchen less attractive to mice, be sure to vacuum and clean surfaces regularly. Take the garbage out every night and avoid leaving any food out overnight, like pet food. You should also fix all leaky faucets to restrict the mice’s access to water.
Once you’ve made the kitchen and pantry less attractive, it is recommended that you make the home as impenetrable as possible. Examine the pantry, kitchen, basement, and garage for any gaps or cracks that mice could crawl through, then seal them up appropriately. You can seal cracks with silicone caulking and block holes with steel wool. Weak spots on the outer structure of the home can be strengthened with galvanized steel mesh. If there is a door to your kitchen, consider adding a floor sweep. Weatherstripping should be installed on the garage door to stop any mice from crawling in.
Remember that if mice are currently present in your home, it will take more than mouse-proofing to keep them out of the pantry. You will need to get rid of the mice themselves. Persistent trapping may work for you, but the best thing you can do to get rid of them is to get the help of an exterminator. Our technicians use safe and effective rodenticides to eliminate the mice as quickly and easily as possible. Call Mouse Control today for quality mouse removal and pest-proofing: 647-496-0492.
