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Mice infestation may result in emotional and health problems. But how can mice in garage have such a considerable impact? Well, for one, rodents carry diseases, parasites and they’re unsanitary. Not to forget that they chew through the electrical wires.

Mice mostly move into homes during the winter season. One area that attracts them is the garage since they’re effortless to get into. Also, garages provide them with shelter and warmth.

If you don’t get rid of them, your house will be highly infested with rodents. You may be wondering, “Really? How is that even possible?” It’s a well-known fact that mice do not hibernate. Therefore, they will actively be mating, nesting, gnawing, and gnawing during their stay at your house. You get the idea, right?

Fortunately, you can effectively keep mice out of your garage! And they are several ways of doing this. For instance, you can trap them or poison them. But, some of these methods are less humane and dangerous for children and pets.

So, which is the best method of keeping mice out of your garage? Let’s dive right in and find out!

I found rats and mice getting comfortable in my garage, nesting, and breeding. I believe the warmth and food attract those rodents.
Most common reasons of rodent infestation in garage include:

Nesting materials

Garages are full of numerous nesting materials. Some of these materials are; leaves, cotton, debris, and paper, among other elements.

Clutter

This provides mice with several places for hiding away from their predators.

Warmth

During winter, mice look for warmth and shelter, making the garage an ideal place for mice.

Access to pet food, birdseed, and other edibles:

Most people keep dog food in their garages. Since mice are also looking for food, such products attract them.
The most common type of mouse that infests in people’s homes is the house mouse. House mice have various colors such as black, gray, white, tan, and brown. They’ve beady pink/ black eyes and a pointed nose. Other notable features are small rounded ears and a long tail.

But, your house can also be infested by another type of mouse known as the deer mouse. Characteristics of a deer mouse include;

– Finer hair and a shorter tail
– White feet and underbelly
– Tawny brown or gray coloring
– Don’t grow beyond 30cm long.
Pests can get into your garage through the door, air conditioners, or like in my case, they did through the access hole. Knowing how mice get into your garage is very important. This will help you to determine the necessary steps you should take to make it rodent-proof.

Through the garage door

This is the simplest way for mice to enter your garage. Therefore, ensure that mice can’t get into your garage through the door.

Air conditioners

Mice can also enter the garage through the air conditioner. Especially if it’s connections are poorly sealed. This is because mice tend to squeeze themselves through small gaps.

Access holes

Another possible rodent’s entryway is through the vents or plumbing access holes.
Signs like rodent droppings, unpleasant urine odor, and gnawed wiring/ insulation indicate rodent infestation.

But, do you know that some signs can help you notice them before they do any activity? Yeah, that’s right! Something like mice noise is a handy sign. Some of these sounds may include;

Squeaking – Mice tend to communicate through squeaks and chirps.
Gnawing – Mice are always chewing. Therefore, if you hear gnawing in your house, you probably have some unwanted visitors.
Scratching – this indicates that the rodents are either digging, climbing, or crawling.
Scurrying – you can hear the mice scurrying as they move around in your house.
Some homeowners believe that mice only invade garages during the cold season. So, they think they can control them by reducing the heat of their garages. But, this will not work since mice will just make comfortable nests using nesting materials. Therefore, rodents can survive in both hot and cold garages.
The most common way of catching mice in the garage is by using mouse traps. Some of these traps include;

Bait traps

Before you set up a bait trap, there are certain things you should consider.
First, determine the access point and the hiding area of the mice. One clear sign of their hiding spots and entryways is their droppings.

Put the bait in an area that the rodents frequent, such as near their nesting area, in corners or along the walls. Use effective baits like chocolate or peanut butter.

Check the mouse trap regularly to determine if the rodent has consumed the bait.
If your bait trap is humane, release the live mice into the fields away from your house. Humane rodent traps are an ideal option for households with children and pets.

Traditional traps

Conventional traps provide double coverage to your garage. You can put them in the corners, rafters, and under shelves. Check the traps regularly and dispose of the body quickly. Since these traps are less humane, ensure that pets or kids can’t access them.

Natural solutions

Apart from traps, you can catch the mice using various natural methods. This might include;

Having a mouser cat in your yard

Put mothballs in the corners of the garage. Mice hate the smell of mothballs, and they will certainly move out of your garage.

Applying peppermint oil

Peppermint oil in the rodent’s entryways and hiding places will keep rodents out of your garage since they hate its smell.
You can use either poison or traps to kill a mice.

Poison

This control method has proven to be very effective. When the mouse eats the poison, it goes to die somewhere else. However, if your pet eats the poisoned mouse in the garage, it may also die. Therefore, you should be very cautious with this technique.

Traps

Another way of killing mice is by using mouse traps like glue traps and spring traps. Remember: when disposing of the rodent’s body, avoid getting into contact with it since rodents carry diseases and parasites.
To have a mice proof garage, seal up the holes, and de-clutter the garage after removing the critters. Put birdseed, fertilizers, and foodstuffs in tightly sealed bags.

Then spray peppermint around your garage. The peppermint deterrent is environmentally-friendly. Ensure that you spray this product regularly since its smell deteriorates with time.

Since rodents love to nest and hide in dark areas, de-cluttering the garage will prevent rodents from coming into the garage.

Additionally, ensure that you remove all the food sources. If there are edible foodstuffs in the garage, mice will continue coming back. Instead, store your food in the cabinets and refrigerator using air-tight containers.

Repair the garage door

Install a rodent-proof garage door seal. This will prevent the mice from gnawing or chewing their way into the garage. Additionally, you can use rubber or vinyl sweeps to eliminate the gap under the garage door. You can either use replacement vinyl or thresholds.

Patch holes in the garage

If you notice a hole in the garage, patch it with a wood or patching compound and caulk. This ensures that mice stay put of the garage after you clear them out.
A mouse can pass through a tiny opening. Therefore, ensure that you seal even the small holes. Additionally, tighten the seals around the drains, pipes, and vents.

Use Mouse repellents

Spraying a repellent can also prevent new rodent infestations. But, if you don’t like using chemicals or mouse repellents, use an eco-friendly solution. For instance, you can use an ultrasonic rodent repellent to prevent more infestations.

They produce high frequency, short-wavelength waves that people cannot hear. Contrarily, these sounds irritate mice. It is thus forcing them to move to another location.
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As you’ve seen, there are various strategies for dealing with mice in your garage. This can either be using traps, repellent, or prevention.

We recommend that you start by trying humane methods. But if the mice problem is out of hand, you can use the inhumane techniques like poisons and traps. However, you can choose any method depending on the rodent infestation in your garage.

After getting rid of mice in garage, successfully continue inspecting your garage frequently. This will significantly protect you from dealing with mice infestation in the future. Rodents in attic can cause significant damage. Check our guide on taking control of your attic here.

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