How to Keep Mice and Rats Out of Your Home

When temperatures drop or food becomes scarce outdoors, rodents look for warmth, shelter, and easy access to food. Once they find an opening, they can quickly settle into walls, attics, and basements, causing property damage and contamination. Mice and rats are highly adaptable and reproduce quickly, so prevention is the smartest approach. The key to keeping them out is understanding what attracts them, where they enter, and how to remove the conditions that let them thrive.

1. Seal All Entry Points

Rodents can squeeze through incredibly small openings. A mouse can fit through a gap about the size of a pencil eraser, and a rat can pass through a hole roughly half an inch wide. Because of this, even tiny cracks in your foundation or small gaps around pipes can serve as open invitations for rodents.

Start with a full inspection of your home, both inside and out. Focus on these key areas:

• Foundation and exterior walls: Look for cracks, gaps, and holes along the perimeter of your home.
• Doors and windows: Check for worn weather stripping or visible light coming through edges.
• Utility openings: Examine spots where pipes, wires, or cables enter the home.
• Roof and attic spaces: Inspect eaves, soffits, and vents for gaps or loose materials.
• Interior areas: Check under sinks, behind kitchen appliances, in basement corners, and inside closets.

Once you’ve located problem areas, use durable materials that rodents can’t chew through to block and seal each opening:

• For small gaps, pack steel wool tightly and seal over it with caulk or expanding foam.
• For larger holes, use hardware cloth, metal sheeting, lath screen, cement, or plaster cut to fit snugly around openings.
• Install door sweeps or thresholds under exterior doors to close off gaps at the base.
• Repair or replace damaged screens on doors and windows.
• Cover vents and chimneys with ¼-inch hardware cloth to allow airflow while blocking entry.

Sealing gaps not only closes visible holes, it removes the scent and airflow cues that help rodents locate entry points in the first place. When those signals are cut off, the home becomes harder for rodents to identify as a potential shelter, which lowers the chance of new activity.

2. Eliminate Food and Water Sources

Rodents rely on nearby food and water sources to survive. Homes that provide consistent access to either will naturally attract their activity.

To remove attractants inside your home:

• Store food securely. Keep grains, cereal, pet food, and snacks in heavy plastic, metal, or glass containers with tight-fitting lids. Packaging such as cardboard or thin plastic bags can be gnawed through in minutes.
• Maintain clean surfaces. Wipe counters, stovetops, and floors after cooking to remove crumbs and grease that signal food availability.
• Handle dishes quickly. Washing them the same day eliminates both food residue and standing water in the sink.
• Control household trash. Use sturdy containers with tight lids and empty them often so odors do not spread through the kitchen.

To remove attractants outside your home:

• Clean cooking and eating areas. Scrub barbecue grills and outdoor surfaces after each use to remove grease and food remnants.
• Relocate potential attractants. Place compost bins, bird feeders, and pet feeding areas well away from exterior walls so rodents are not drawn toward entry points.
• Remove fallen produce. Pick ripe fruit promptly and compost or discard anything that’s fallen to the ground.
• Eliminate moisture sources. Repair dripping spigots, leaky irrigation lines, and clogged gutters that create damp soil or puddles. Rodents require steady water access, and even small leaks can sustain them.

When you securely store food and control moisture, rodents lose both the resources and the scent cues that would otherwise draw them toward your home.

3. Remove Nesting Sites and Shelter

Even when food is limited, rodents may stay if they can find quiet, protected areas to nest. They prefer locations that are undisturbed, dark, and close to walls or other cover. Removing those hiding spots—both indoors and outdoors—takes away the conditions that allow them to settle and breed.

What to do inside your home to reduce nesting areas:

• Organize storage. Keep boxes and bins on shelves rather than the floor so you can see beneath and around them during cleaning or inspection.
• Use sealed containers. Replace cardboard boxes with plastic storage bins that can’t be chewed through or used as nesting material.
• Clean hidden areas. Move appliances occasionally to vacuum behind and underneath them, and check attics, basements, and under-sink spaces for droppings or shredded paper that could indicate activity.
• Declutter unused areas. Limit excess storage in closets, basements, and garages. Fewer piles of belongings mean fewer protected corners for nesting.

What to do outside your home to reduce nesting areas:

• Store firewood correctly. Keep woodpiles at least 100 feet from your home and raise them at least one foot off the ground to reduce ground contact where rodents build burrows.
• Maintain vegetation. Trim grass short around the foundation and keep shrubs pruned. Rodents prefer dense cover, so open ground around the perimeter removes their protective routes.
• Prune overhanging branches. Cut back trees at least four feet from the roofline to prevent rodents from using branches as pathways to attics or vents.
• Remove outdoor clutter. Discard or relocate unused lumber, tires, planters, and equipment that can shelter nests.

A clean, well-maintained yard and organized storage areas make your home less attractive to rodents and help you notice early warning signs such as droppings, burrow holes, or gnaw marks. 

4. Eliminate Rodents That Are Already Inside Your Home

Rodents can contaminate food, damage insulation and wiring, and spread bacteria throughout your home. The faster you respond, the easier it is to control the problem before it grows.

• Start with traps. Snap traps are the most reliable and humane method for small infestations. Place them along walls or in dark corners where you’ve seen droppings or rub marks, spacing them about six to ten feet apart. Check daily and reset until no new activity appears.
• Skip ultrasonic devices. Despite advertising claims, research shows they don’t effectively repel rodents.
• Use baits cautiously. Reserve rodenticides for serious infestations, and always place them in tamper-resistant bait stations to protect children, pets, and wildlife. Follow product labels carefully and avoid scattering bait openly, which can endanger non-target animals.
• Call a professional if needed. If you’re still seeing droppings or hearing activity after trapping for several days, the infestation may extend into walls, attics, or crawl spaces. A licensed pest control expert can locate hidden nests and entry points and apply professional-grade products that typically achieve longer-lasting results than DIY methods. Professional inspections also help identify the conditions that allowed rodents in, preventing future recurrences.

5. Professional Pest Control: Your Strongest Defense Against Rodents

Even with careful sealing, cleaning, and maintenance, rodents can still find their way inside your home. Professional pest control is the most reliable way to help protect your home long-term and reduce the likelihood of mice and rats returning.

Why homeowners choose Moxie:

• Thorough inspections inside and out to pinpoint what’s driving the activity and where rodents are entering.
• Field Experts trained daily to apply treatments carefully and precisely, targeting pests where they live and breed.
• Family- and pet-friendly methods applied responsibly and in line with industry best practices.
• Unlimited warranty services between visits for year-round plan customers—reach out anytime you notice pest activity.
• Instant online quotes to help you get started quickly.
• Quick, easy scheduling for your convenience.
• Neighborly service from a team that’s passionate about helping you feel at home in your home.

Learn more about our year-round pest control services and review all of the pest control locations we serve. You can also explore expert tips and resources in our pest control information center to stay ahead of future pest problems.