DIY Rodent Control & Prevention Guide (and How Homemade Solutions Might Not Be Enough)

Serving Las Vegas | Henderson | North Las Vegas

Are you constantly dealing with rodent problems? Many homes are repeat targets for infestations.

Living in Clark County NV means dealing with unique pest challenges, and rodents top the list of unwanted visitors. Rats and mice can damage your home and belongings, contaminate food and countertops, and spread diseases through direct and indirect contact. 

As rodent control experts with over 2025 years of experience helping Clark County NV homeowners, we’ve seen countless DIY attempts go wrong. While we understand the temptation to handle it yourself, let us share why professional intervention is necessary and how to protect your home the right way.

Why are rodents so hard to control?

Here’s the truth: rats and mice are survival experts and are incredibly adaptable to our living spaces. In Clark County NV’s desert climate, our homes provide the perfect refuge from extreme temperatures, making them even more determined to get inside.

You also have to consider:

• Rodents multiply faster than most people think. A single pair of mice can produce up to 60 offspring in just three months.
• They’re also clever. They learn to avoid dangers and can squeeze through openings as small as a dime.
• They’re masters at staying hidden, using the smallest gaps in your home’s structure to build elaborate highway systems between their nests and food sources.
• What makes control even tougher is their nocturnal nature. By the time you spot one mouse, there’s likely an entire family living within your walls.

The DIY Approach: Common Methods & Their Limitations

While some methods provide temporary relief, they rarely solve the root problem. 

Store-bought snap traps and glue boards catch a few rodents, but they’re like putting a Band-Aid on a broken pipe. You might eliminate the brave ones venturing into open spaces, but the smart ones learn quickly. They’ll simply find new routes, avoiding your trap locations entirely.

With ultrasonic repellent devices, rodents get used to them within days. Plus, the sound waves don’t penetrate walls where rodents actually live and breed.

Natural deterrents like mothballs, ammonia, and essential oils might make your home smell, but determined rodents will power through. When the choice is between mild discomfort and survival, they choose survival every time.

Common DIY Fails

With cooler temperatures in the evenings, mice may begin to seek shelter in your home. These rodents will not only cause physical damage to your home and belongings, but they are also known to carry harmful diseases, including Salmonella.

Like most people, you may initially want to try do-it-yourself methods to eliminate your pest problem. However, there are many problems that come with these methods. 

Mistake #1: Not Wearing Gloves While Handling Mousetraps and Bait

Mice have a keen sense of smell. If they detect human scent on a mousetrap, they’ll likely avoid it. Wear gloves anytime you are handling a mousetrap and bait.

Mistake #2: Using the Wrong Bait

When many people turn to DIY mouse control, they often turn to cheese as bait. While mice will pretty much eat anything, they’re actually more attracted to grains and fruits. So you may want to try baiting your mousetraps with peanut butter rather than cheese.

Mistake #3: Using Too Much Bait

You want to make sure you are using a small amount of bait. Mice are very clever. If you put a large enough amount of bait on your trap, a mouse can simply swipe some of it without setting off the trap.

Mistake #4: Randomly Placing Mousetraps around the Home

Mousetraps scattered about your home aren’t logical compared to a mouse’s natural habits. Mice travel in straight paths along cabinets and walls. You’ll want to place your mousetraps at 90-degree angles to walls with the traps’ snapper side facing the wall.

Mistake #5: Using Ultrasonic Pest Repellers

Ultrasonic or electronic, pest repellers claim that their high-frequency sound waves will deter pests. While they may appear to work at first, they aren’t a long-term method of keeping pests away. Effective pest control requires getting down to the root cause, including locating access points, sealing them, and treating the home.

Mistake #6: Using Essential Oils, Mothballs, and Other Homemade Concoctions

While mice are very sensitive to scents, these methods don’t produce a strong enough fragrance to keep mice away from your entire home. They may work for a pantry, but keep in mind you will have to reapply these solutions over and over again.

How to Mouse and Rat-Proof Your Home (What Really Works)

The best way to avoid a rodent infestation in your home is prevention. With a little bit of cleaning and caulking, you can help stop these unwanted guests from entering your home. Below are some easy tips for keeping mice, rats, and other rodents out of your home.

1. Block entry points.

Remember, rodents can fit through the smallest of spaces. Mice can fit through holes the size of a dime, while rats can fit through holes the size of a quarter. So inspect the exterior of your home and look for cracks, holes, and other openings in your home that a rodent could use to gain access into your home, then properly seal them. Use masonry repair material for foundation cracks, and silicone-based caulk for gaps in your siding, including where utility lines enter your home. 

Additionally, you’ll want to apply weather stripping to your windows and door sills and a rodent guard if you have a garage.

2. Remove bird feeders.

Seeds, nuts, and grains that are used for most bird feeders are a great treat for rodents, too. You’ll notice this with the rat’s cousin, the squirrel. We recommend you remove bird feeders from your property, but if you must keep one, at least keep it away from your home.

3. Keep trash cans sealed.

Garbage cans kept near your home will attract rodents and other pests, including raccoons. Store your trash cans away from your home and ensure they are tightly sealed with airproof lids.

4. Store food in airtight containers.

In addition to your trash receptacles, you’ll also want to use airtight containers for your dry food products. Rodents can easily chew threw most cardboard boxes and bags that store sugar, flour, and cereal. If you keep these goods in airproof containers, rodents won’t be able to smell them and will have no incentive to infest your home.

5. Practice good housekeeping.

Uneaten food left on the counter or crumbs of food on the floor create an open invitation for rodents to invade your home. Keep your countertops, dining table, and floors clean. Additionally, if you have pets, you’ll want to remove any uneaten food from their bowls as well.

6. Trim back hedges.

Have shrubs or trees near your home? Low shrubs can create an ideal environment for burrowing. Also, keep in mind that some rodents, like Roof Rats, are very skilled climbers. Oftentimes, they’ll jump from branch to branch to gain access onto your roof and into your home.

7. Remove wood piles and debris.

In addition to landscaping, rodents are also attracted to woodpiles, rock piles, and abandoned equipment. Clean up any debris piles you have on your property, and if you keep firewood, we recommend you store it at least two feet off the ground and at least 20 feet away from your home.

Protect Your Clark County NV Home the Right Way

With these tips, you can have a rodent-proof home. However, if you already have a rodent infestation, you’ll want to seek the advice of a certified pest control company. 

True rodent control requires a comprehensive approach that addresses three critical factors: elimination, exclusion, and environmental modification. Pest control technicians understand rodents and their behaviors. They’ll be able to inspect your property and safely eliminate your rodent problem for good.

We at Pest Control Inc can inspect your property thoroughly, identify all entry points, eliminate the entire infestation, and implement prevention strategies that actually work.

Your peace of mind is worth more than another sleepless night wondering what’s scurrying through your walls. Take action and protect your home by calling us today.

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