How to prevent Mice coming to diner in your house
How to prevent mice in a room?
Make it as difficult as possible for mice and other vermin to find nesting places and food:
- Do not leave food scraps and crumbs on the table and counter. Also sweep or vacuum crumbs on the floor.
- Store food in tightly closed and sturdy containers such as glass jars or plastic boxes.
- Dispose of kitchen waste immediately in properly sealable waste pails or containers.
- Seal holes, cracks and crevices.
Tips
It is important that all tenants apply these rules, not only in the communal kitchen, but also in their own room and in the rest of the building. Make good agreements with each other.
Inform the landlord about your approach to prevent vermin. The landlord may want to provide properly lockable waste bins. If this is not the case, closed bins are a shared responsibility of all tenants.
Source: https://www.kuleuven.be/stuvo/kot/huurders/leven/ongedierte#voorkomen
What can you as a tenant do to prevent mice?
The most important thing is to make sure that mice are not attracted to food. Mice are not picky eaters. In addition, they gain weight with only 3 grams of food per day. Some practical tips:
- Store your food in sealed metal or glass jars or hard plastic storage boxes
- Don’t leave food scraps around
- Don’t leave the dirty dishes
- Immediately dispose of your waste in a dustbin with a closed lid
- Clean regularly and do not forget to sweep under the (refrigerator) cabinet and stove, where crumbs and other small food scraps often end up
What is the best way to control mice?
Prevention is the best pesticide. If there is no food to be found, mice will disappear on their own.
If you suspect that only one or a few mice are present in your home, you can place mousetraps without poison. This is the healthiest and safest way to control mice.
If you are dealing with a real infestation, mousetraps will only limit the number of mice, but not completely solve the problem. In these cases you will have to use rodenticides (rodenticides). These agents kill the mice 2 to 6 days after they have eaten a lethal dose. Because the mice do not immediately show symptoms, it is easier for them to continue eating the bait until they have ingested a lethal dose. The dead mice dry out and do not start to smell.
The pesticides can be toxic to other animals and people, so you should always use them with great caution! It is best to place them in special mouse bait boxes.
