Top Items in Your Home that Attract Mice

Why do mice like to live in homes? It’s because humans have so many things that mice love and find useful. Often, we have items in our home that are going to attract mice, and we might not even realize it. Below are some of the top items that attract mice, along with some ways to negate the problems.

Mice Love Cereal

Mice love cereal just as much as you do, and this is one of the main things that will attract them to a home. If you have plastic bags and cardboard boxes filled with cereal, it’s not enough to keep them out. They will chew right through it and contaminate your food.

What you should do is get some airtight glass or plastic containers for your cereal, chips, popcorn, rice, beans, and grains. Make sure you clean out the pantry regularly too, as even the little crumbs that hide there will attract mice.

High Fat Items

In addition to grains and oats, mice like items that are high in fat content. This includes things like meat, candy, dried fruit, butter, etc. Again, you will want to use airtight containers, so the mice don’t smell the items and can’t get to them. You shouldn’t leave grease or other food items out on your counter. The same is true of your grill. You should clean it after each use.

Cloth and Paper

Paper products, whether it’s toilet paper, writing paper, wrapping paper, etc. are attractive to mice. It’s not because they want to eat it but because they want to use it as nesting material. They do this with cloth, too. You should keep your paper in airtight containers, and you can use scents like peppermint that mice hate to keep them away.

Water

Mice need water, too. If you have small leaks and drips in your plumbing under the sink, in the basement, etc., it could attract mice. You will want to take care of these leaks as soon as possible. It will reduce the risk of mice, and it will ensure you aren’t losing water to leaks.

Of course, these are just some of the top items that will attract mice to your home. You want to make sure your home is mouse-proof. You might want to talk with the professionals about getting some help to prepare your home. If you already have an infestation of mice, or even if you see just one or two mice, contact exterminators in Chicago to come and deal with the problem.