Dealing with a rodent infestation can be a nightmare. First, just noticing that you have a rodent problem can make it hard to feel at ease in your home. Just knowing that those little critters are rooting around in your trash, contaminating your food supply and spreading bacteria whenever you turn your back is enough to raise any homeowner’s anxiety level. Getting rid of them can be equally as overwhelming. Buying traps, especially if you have no experience with rodents, can be tricky if you don’t know which ones are right for your situation. Picking a good pest control company can be hard as well, with all the choice you have in a suburban area like Bakersfield. On top of all that, you’re always trying to keep your children and pet safe from harmful chemicals that pest control companies might have used in the past. So what should you do? Well, the best thing you can do to avoid all of these problems is prevent rodents from infesting your home in the first place. Here are the two main aspects Bakersfield residents can tackle to keep their homes safe from rodents.

Make Your Home Less Appealing

Of course, we’re not talking about making your home any less welcoming or charming to humans. When I say “make your home less appealing”, I mean to rodents, and pests in general. If rodents find your home attractive, there’s a reason for it, and there are tactics you can employ to make it less of a draw to them. The first thing you’ll want to do is clean your home of any possible food sources. Make sure your kitchen and dining surfaces are clean and try to isolate food to those two areas. Keeping food out of your bedrooms will make it much easier to handle this problem, since you’ll know the issues are isolated. Keep any food in airtight containers, including trash. You might even think about buying a new trash can, if yours doesn’t have a lid that secures tightly.

Another thing you can do is clear any water supplies from your home. Rodents are always looking for a new place to get fresh water, so make sure your home isn’t one of them. Fix any leaky faucets you might have and clear the dog’s water bowl several times a day. Don’t leave dishes full of water soaking for very long in the sink.

Close Off Entrances

Although you’re probably not leaving your front door wide open and welcoming the rodents inside, it doesn’t take much to allow them in. Check your walls for any small holes or cracks and fill them with caulking. You’d be surprised how tiny a hole a mouse can fit through, so even if it looks too small to matter, fill it in. Make sure your windows and doors fit snugly into their frames and don’t leave any gaps between the pane and frame. You’ll also want to patch any ripped screens. If there are multiple holes or rips it might even be a good idea to replace it.

If you’re already dealing with an infestation, call your local pest control company before investing in any DIY solutions. To get more information about keeping your house a pest-free zone, read our free eBook “How to Keep Your Home Pest-Free in 10 Easy Steps”.