Natural pest control is preferred by pet owners and parents around the globe. While we all need to ensure that we keep unwanted visitors (think mice) at bay, we don’t want to use cruel traps or poisonous chemicals that can cause harm to either our human or our furry babies. I’m sharing a few easy natural pest control methods you can try in your own home.

Natural Pest Control Tips

Sometimes you just have to vent!

The dryer vent is a common access point for mice. After all, the opening cut to exhaust the dryer heat leaves a large hold in the side of your home. This is like rolling out a “welcome” mat for every mouse around!

Some people try putting old stockings or nylon or fabric over the vent hole. Unfortunately, mice have very sharp teeth that cut right through these materials in just a matter of minutes. They might slow down a lazy mouse, but a determined mouse will be in your home in no time flat.

The solution? Install a dryer vent cap on the end of your dryer vent. These are constructed of hard plastic and let air flow out while the plastic grid keeps the mice safely outside.

Get your mind out of the gutter!

One place often overlooked as an entry point for rodents is the attic. Mice are agile climbers. They can make their way through your gutter system and enter in through the eaves or the attic vents with the ease of an acrobat. Once inside, they can shred and destroy items stored in your attic to create warm and cozy nests and make daily raids on your pantry.

Block mice from the gutters by installing a GutterBrush. This is a long, cylinder-shaped brush that looks like a giant, bristled pipe cleaner. You install by laying it into your gutter. The bristles of the brush allow rain to flow through. However, the bristles fill the gutters so that mice can’t use your gutters as a super-highway into your home.

Down the drain!

Under your kitchen sink and bathroom sink or shower, there are drain lines cut through. There are tiny gaps between the pipes and your home where these openings were cut during installation. The good news is…you have indoor plumbing.  The bad news…mice only need a teeny tiny gap about the size of your pinky finger to push through and they’re in your home.

Sadly, spray foams can be chewed through by the mice over time. This makes them a short-term solution. The best solution for this is plain old steel wool. Stuff gritty steel wool through any and every remaining gap around your plumbing. Mice can’t chew through steel wool as it cuts their mouths and causes them pain. They will leave that area to try to find a new opening at least. The best-case scenario would be if they moved away to your next-door-neighbor’s house instead!

Seal it up!

If your home has older windows, look also for small gaps around the sills and frames. Same goes for your doors. Check for tight closure. If there are any gaps in the window frames, use shims and caulking to tightly close them off. If there’s a gap at the bottom of any of your exterior doors, install a door sweep that seals up nice and tight.

Keep it cool!

Your air conditioning system is another popular entry point that mice love to find. Holes cut for air flow are like an open house for a curious mouse. Most often, a steel mesh insert is used to cover the air channel when your a/c unit is installed.

Over time, these can rust or start to get small holes. Long story short, make sure you’re a/c unit has this mesh panel. If it does, inspect it periodically and replace it once it starts to rust. If it doesn’t, you need to install such a defense against mice asap.

The Takeaway

Mice are curious and acrobatic little critters who are always on the lookout for their next meal. Follow these 5 easy tips for natural pest control to deter them from entering your home.

Guest Author Bio:  Deborah Tayloe is a freelance writer and DIY blogger who is a regular contributor to GutterBrush.  When she’s not writing, you’ll find Deborah working on renovating her 1960s ranch home in North Carolina with her husband.