MICE
It is Fall again. This is move-in time for mice. Many young mice were born in wood piles or under sheds. But with the weather getting colder they are thinking warmer is better. What better place to get warm than in your heated home? They want to come in and they will not be asking.
There are three ways to deny them entry:
1. POST SIGNS.
Yup! I suppose you could post small signs around your home declaring “stay away!” I have found, however, that few mice can read. Fewer obey signage. Go ahead if you want, but don’t expect compliance.
2. POISONS.
There are incredibly effective ways to poison the little critters. They will eat just about anything. Scientists have found that mice will eat candle wax, bar soap, toothpaste, Preparation H, and even Old Spice deodorant sticks. So, some nice grain-based rodenticide is a no-brainer…they WILL eat it.
In fact, I recommend making or buying some tamper-proof bait stations and setting them outside along your foundation every Fall. Collect, sanitize, and repair them just after Christmas so you’ll have them ready for next Fall. I have found the safest baits for this are “block-style” baits. Pellet baits can fall out of a station if it is tipped and poison non-target animals. Most block baits have a hole in the middle which allows the bait to be secured by a metal post, nail, or wire. I have my preferences for which active ingredients. Primarily, the poison should be slow-acting so the mouse won’t become sick before eating a deadly dose. Don’t use baits if you have chickens or other friendly animals in your yard as they could eat the dead mice and even their poisoned poop.
3. PREVENTIONS.
So much better than signage! So much cheaper than eradicating mice that have already gained entry. When mice CAN’T get in they WON’T get in. Well, that is overstating it a bit. Mice CAN get in if they work hard enough. But most mice are lazy and want an easy way in. What do I mean they CAN? Simply, mice are great climbers. I’ve seen them climb siding (even vinyl) to make nests above porch ceilings. I’ve seen them climb trees that were touching roofs or gutters to zip into some attic. I’ve seen them climb siding and scramble into gaps around windows. They even can run the wires.
Most of the time mice just travel on the ground next to your foundation and use their whiskers to sense where air is moving out of your house. That’s where they enter. 99% of mouse entry points are within 2 feet from soil grade. So, it will be a gap in the cement block foundation. It will be where there is a gap in the sill plate under the siding. It will be where the builders forgot to seal where the steps into the garage meet the foundation (do check that!). It will be around that poorly-designed crawl space entry door. It will be the old crawl space vent that no longer has a hardy screen or the basement window that got broken by a mower-thrown stone. It will be any of a hundred other gaps or holes (like uncovered dryer vents).
Any gap larger than 2” should be sealed permanently with cement patch, replacement glass, new vent covers, or pressure-treated plywood. Smaller than 2” should be filled with brass wool (it doesn’t rust and they won’t chew it) then caulked to make it air-proof (will save you heating/cooling costs).
You may have to lie on your back and look up under the siding. You will need a strong flashlight, hand mirror, gloves (so you can feel for gaps and safely handle the brass wool), brass wool, a flat-head screwdriver (to push the wool into gaps), and a caulk gun. Look up under the siding for holes (corners are often the culprit areas). Seal the bottom of vinyl siding corner pieces with a bit of brass wool and a little caulk. Double check vent covers (it only takes a hole in the screening smaller than a quarter to permit entry). Make sure your furnace and dryer vents are properly secured. Next, if you have an attached garage, check foundations/walls. Oh, and if the garage cement blocks have open tops, glue a thin board or piece of plywood (cut to size) over them.
Cost? The first year will be the most expensive. If you miss a hole, you’ll know (when you see a mouse in your house). A $4 tube of caulk and $11 for some brass wool will solve most problems. But every problem point you solve will be doing double duty. You will be keeping rodents out AND you will be saving money on heating/cooling. You’ll get your money back over time.
You’re not done yet.
Remove things which would draw rodents to your home, like poorly sealed trash bins and bird feeders near the house. Check your garage … do you have grass seed or bird seed in bags instead of sealed containers? What about that seed or berry producing bush that is too close to the house? OK, and I know you want your firewood and your tarped lumber close to the house, but DON’T put it there. Clutter is an invitation: “Come live here.” Trim back overgrown bushes (don’t let them get so big they obstruct your view of the neighbor’s garage). Bushes and tree limbs should extend no closer than 18” from your siding or roof. Please! Please! Do not dump layer after layer of mulch next to your foundation! The mulch within 18” of the foundation should be no deeper than 2” (maximum). Under the shrubs it is OK to be deeper. Mice can and do make homes and tunnels in that stuff.
How much time does it take to rodent-proof a home? Usually a few hours on a Fall Saturday. Then an hour once a year for a check up. That will keep you from hearing the pitter-patter of little feet scurrying across the ceiling above your bed at 3 a.m. How much does it cost? Usually less than $50. That’s CHEAP! I’ve met people who spent far more on snap traps and Lysol (and still had mice).
Don’t wait UNTIL you have a problem. Post signs or buy Poisons, but mostly do Preventions.
Copyright 2025 Donald Whelpley
[PLEASE NOTE that Don is always open to discussing the thoughts and opinions he shares here and welcomes comments as shared in the comment section. He doesn’t use other social media platforms and won’t see whatever you’d like to share with him if you post it elsewhere.
ALSO, Don is always open to offer his thoughts on various topics. If you have a specific request, you can let him know in a comment; he reads – and replies to – them all. ~ Sherry]
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