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For many homeowners, mouse pest control is a major concern. Generally, when people hear the word rodent, the image of a mouse or maybe even a rat immediately jumps to mind.

The truth is, the rodent family includes a large number of mammals, some of whom have much less negative connotations associated with them, though that does not make them any less of a nuisance.

The main, identifying characteristic of all rodents is that they have a pair of continuously growing incisors in both their lower and upper jaws. These teeth must constantly be “manicured” short by gnawing and chewing on things.

Homes across the country are experiencing problems with mouse control. Mice are small mammals that tend to like to live in the walls, floors, and ceilings of homes. They gnaw away at the exterior until they have created a hole that is large enough for them to crawl in through.

Once they have entered your home, they will go about making a nest, where they are sheltered from the elements and can keep warm in the winter. Mice are small, so they can enter a crack as small as ¼ inch wide, which can make it very hard to keep them out.

Once a mouse is in your home, they pose a sanitation problem as they destroy household goods, and leave mouse urine and droppings throughout your home.

The best method of mouse control is to avoid having mice enter your house, to begin with. At least yearly, you should check the foundation of your home for cracks and crevices.

If you find any, you should make sure to fill them immediately, so that you can avoid having any mice get into them. If you have chimneys or fans on the outside of your home, make sure that you cover them with mesh, to prevent the mice from being able to enter your home.

Mice are proficient climbers and jumpers. Some can jump as high as 12″ off the ground and then can climb much higher, so make sure that any door or window is also covered with a tight-fitting metal screen.

Another important way to improve mouse control is to keep a clean and uncluttered home. As mentioned before, mice are tiny creatures and can live off of nothing more than crumbs.

Make sure that you keep all of your food sealed tightly in mouse-proof containers and cabinets, and that you secure all of your garbage in mouse-proof receptacles.

Clean up any crumbs that remain on your counter, your table or your floor immediately, so as not to give mice an opportunity to eat them. A hungry mouse will eventually leave if there is no source of food.

Sometimes even taking all of the best mouse pest control precautions may not be enough, and you may find that you have a small furry boarder holed up in your home. If you discover that you do have mice, set traps for them at once and then, get them out.