25 Genius Hacks for Mouse-Proofing Your Home

Whether you live in a big city or small town, mice often seem to be a fact of life. And while these little critters may be cuter than your average cockroach, having them sneak their way into your home is hardly without risk. In fact, according to the CDC, mice and rats are the carriers of more than 35 diseases, and have been linked to the spread of everything from Lyme disease to plague.

However, just because you have these pests in your house now doesn't mean you have to suffer them forever. And better yet, calling an exterminator to spray your home with toxic rodenticides is far from the only way to get rid of them. With these genius hacks for mouse-proofing your home, you'll be free of these freeloaders in no time. And for more ways to protect against pests, start with the 20 Ways to Eliminate Bed Bugs Forever!

If you want to keep mice out of your house, bring on the steel wool. Unlike insulation, paper, or even drywall, mice can't chew through steel wool, and even if they did, they'd be dead before they made it into your pantry. Stuff any holes where mice could be entering with steel wool and you'll keep them from sneaking in. And when you want to keep your whole house safer, start with the 15 Best Ways to Protect Your Home!

Want to keep mice from taking up residence at your place? Try turning on some lights. Mice are generally nocturnal animals, and may be less inclined to pop up in well-lit areas. In fact, some exterminators suggest strobe lights as a means of deterring an infestation. And to find out what happens when you get other pests come calling, This Is What Happens to Your Body When a Mosquito Bites You!

Make your home smell fresh and scare away mice in one fell swoop by spritzing some peppermint oil around your home. However, while peppermint may help deter pests, use it with caution if you have other pets, as it may cause respiratory issues in dogs and cats. And when you want to make your house cleaner from top to bottom, This Is the Safest Way to Clean Your Floors!ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

A little antifreeze in a dish could be the key to keeping those creepy critters from coming back. Antifreeze has a sweet taste, so mice are attracted to it, but it ultimately poisons them if they ingest it. Just make sure to use this method with caution if you have pets or little ones at home, as it can be fatal to them, too.

If you have a hole in your home that steel wool won't fill, place a brick in front of it instead. While mice can chew through similarly-sturdy objects, like books, bricks are just heavy and dense enough to prevent then from getting in.

The same cleaner you use to make your glass shine can help you get those sneaky mice out of your home for good. Ammonia can help deter mice, so place small amounts of it near potential entry points to make mice move on.

Mice can and will get into virtually any food in soft packaging, so if you're concerned about an infestation, it's time to get some hard-to-chew-through containers instead. This doesn't mean your average Tupperware will cut it, though: glass containers with sealed lids are the best way to keep them out. And for more essentials, start by purchasing the 40 Items Every Man Over 40 Should Have in His Home!

Mice can squeeze into virtually any space, so to keep them out, use a little silicone caulk to seal up any potential entry points. And for more ways to fix up your place, start learn the 20 Home Maintenance Tips Everyone Should Know!

Those strongly-scented moth deterrents can scare away mice, too. Just set out a few moth balls near where mice could be getting into your home and they'll stay away for good.

Take away any spots where mice could be hiding around the outside of your home by lightening up your landscaping. Planting hedges right against your house give mice a good place to hide, but setting them back may help keep infestations at bay.

Chimneys are an easy way for mice to get into your home. Fortunately, chimney screens can keep them out for good.

Gutters are essentially a system of highways by which mice can access your home. Fortunately, installing gutter guards can help keep them out of your gutters and your house while reducing the amount of clean up when leaves start falling.

A little hot sauce can go a long way when it comes to deterring mice. Mice are turned off by hot sauce's spicy scent, so set some in dishes near potential entry points to keep them from coming in.

Fix your home's foundation now and you'll not only keep your house safe, you'll keep out mice, too. Mice can sneak in through those foundation gaps, so make sure to fill them when the appear and you'll keep the pests out.

A nicely-scented home and mouse prevention can go hand-in-hand. Dryer sheets are said to be an effective mouse deterrent, and, at the very least, they'll leave your home smelling fresh.

Gaps at the bottom of your doors provide mice easy access to your home. Fortunately, this problem can be fixed easily with a little adhesive-backed weather stripping and a few seconds of your time.

Don't treat your garage like a makeshift pantry. Garages are often an entry point for mice, and making them a veritable buffet can lead to a full-blown infestation. Keep your food indoors and you might keep the mice out.

While blasting AC/DC can keep anyone from wanting to come into your house, a little high-frequency noise is all it takes to keep pests out. Pick up a high-frequency pest control device and watch those mice scram.

This antibacterial oil might just be the easiest way to keep mice from coming in. Tea tree oil's strong scent is reportedly offensive to mice, to spritz some around potential entry points to keep them from calling your place home.

Those open areas where pipes come into your cabinets are an easy access point for mice. Fortunately, sealing them off with caulk or steel wool is easy and can help prevent an infestation.

Make your home smell like the holidays and keep the mice out by setting out some cloves. The scent of cloves reportedly turns mice off, so sprinkle them anywhere they could be getting inside.

Soda's not good for any of us, mice included. The sugar in soda attracts mice, but the carbonation in it can kill them.

Those utility lines running into your house may be providing an entry point for mice. Make sure that there are no major gaps in your siding where your utility lines are installed or fill them with mouse-proof materials and you'll be closer to a mouse-free home in no time.

That strongly-scented air freshener isn't as pleasing as mice as it is to you. Spritz some around potential entry points and say "see ya!" to those mouse menaces.

They say you can't build a better mouse trap, and that's likely true. When in doubt, a little cheese or peanut butter on a mouse trap can help get rid of that mouse problem for good. And for more ways to make every space safer, start by eliminating the 50 Deadliest Items in Your Home!

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