Are You Inviting Mice To Your Holiday Parties?

November and December must be the most popular time for folks to get together. After all, isn’t the holiday season all about family and friends? Every year my family and I all get together on Christmas Eve. Every brother, sister, spouse, and their children come from near and far to spend a few hours laughing together over dinner. My house is the place of choice and I can tell you it is very crowded that night. I’m guessing that that scene repeats itself all over the United States.

Imagine the devastation you would feel if you were getting ready for such a gathering or even had family coming from out of town to stay with you for the holidays, and you were to open your cupboard to retrieve the ingredients to make your famous cobbler and found mice droppings next to the flour - or worse, inside the bag. Imagine checking your food stores and realizing that the $200 you just spent to fill your pantry was a waste due to the chew marks piercing through the bags and boxes. Nothing can ruin a festive atmosphere quicker than the risk of salmonella; just one of the diseases that mice can bring to the party before you even know that they have come to it.

Once you are at that point, there is nothing to do but to call a professional to handle the problem. An infestation of mice or other rodents can get out of hand very quickly. It isn’t worth the risk to try to handle it yourself, and these wily creatures are adept at escape and hiding.

There are ways that you can help protect your home from invasion. When you get ready to decorate for the holidays and you are bringing the decorations in out of the garage, make sure that you have checked the boxes thoroughly for any signs of mice. You do not want to inadvertently move a family or rodents in. You also want to make sure that any wood that you have stacked for a cozy fire are placed well away from the front door. Mice hide there waiting for the opportunity to head into a warm room through an open door.

Mice, like all household pests, need two things: food and water. You want to make sure that any leaky pipes are fixed so you do not attract them. You should also make it a point to put any food stores in plastic containers when you bring them home. Make sure the inside of your cupboards are wiped clean when you spill something. Also, your counter tops should be clean and crumb free. Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink and make sure your sink is dry when not in use. Make a point to sweep the floors and take out the trash daily, if possible. Clean and clutter free kitchens are not an attractive option for mice.

If you have done your best to do all these things and still suspect that you have mice living in your home, give us a call at All-American Pest Control. Our professional technicians are always ready to come and inspect your home for mice as well as other pests who might ruin the holiday spirit in your home. Our team can quickly assess the problem and eliminate it in time for Christmas cookies. We want you to enjoy your holiday season without one more thing to make this busy time of year more stressful. Give us a call today.