Got Teenagers? Got Pests? How to Deal

Teenagers are synonymous with messes. They leave their clothes everywhere. All the dishes are in their rooms—usually with crusted food all over the place. They don’t seem to have ever been taught what a trashcan is! For pity’s sake, what’s a parent to do? Especially if you live in an area that’s prone to mice infestation, like the big city or suburbs of Chicago.

The first thing you should do is teach your teenagers what to bring mice into a home and have them do a “report” on what mice can do to a living space as well as the diseases they can bring. We’re not kidding. The best way to get a teenager to shape up is to show them what a mouse could do to their brand new Jordans or their beloved Seven jeans that were piled on the floor in front of their closet.

Then, you might have to take matters into your own hands. Here are five of the best ways to keep mice out of your home.

• Stop up the access points. Make sure that there aren’t any holes in the walls of your residence. Steel wool and caulk are the best things to stop holes, so let your landlord or property manager know if you see holes and need them patched.
• Keep things clean. Crumbs, old food, and the odors of decomposing things are a mouse’s favorite smells. Keep lids on your garbage cans and take them out often. Make sure that dishes go in the dishwasher right away.
• Keep things tidy. This is different than keeping things clean. Make sure that there aren’t any places for mice to hide, such as piles of clothes, items stuffed up against the walls and under beds, and random piles stuffed into cupboards. Mice like to hide, and if they can’t hide, they won’t stay!
• Seal your food. Keep tight lids on everything in your pantry, and secure chip clips tightly onto all bags. Even better, keep bags in airtight containers, too!
• Use a natural repellant. Mice hate peppermint oil, so placing some on cotton balls and leaving these where mice might frequent can help keep them away.

Finally, let your teenagers know how much Mice Mob Exterminators costs! If you find evidence of mice in your home and your teens have left their spaces in a condition that brings mice in… they won’t be getting their monthly allowance for a while.