When the nights get cold, mice start looking for a warm place to spend the winter. A kitchen with easy food and a way in is exactly what they want.
The CDC’s advice comes down to three words: seal up, trap up, clean up. Most of it starts with a few small kitchen habits.
1. Keeping Food in Paper Bags and Cardboard Boxes
Flour, sugar, cereal, crackers and pasta often stay in the bag or box they came in. Mice can chew right through paper and cardboard.
Fix: Store dry food in thick plastic, glass or metal containers with tight lids, as the CDC recommends.
2. Leaving Pet Food Out Overnight
A full pet bowl on the floor all night is an open buffet.
Fix: Pick up pet bowls at night, and keep the bag of pet food in a sealed container.
3. Crumbs Under the Toaster and Stove
Crumbs collect under the toaster, along the back of the counter and in the gap beside the stove. You don’t see them, but a mouse will find them.
Fix: Wipe up spills and crumbs right away. Once a week, move the toaster and sweep beside and under the stove. Wash dishes soon after eating.
4. A Trash Can With No Lid
An open kitchen trash can is one of the easiest meals in the house.
Fix: Use a trash can with a tight-fitting lid, and take the trash out often.
5. Gaps Around Pipes Under the Sink
Look under the kitchen sink where the pipes go into the wall or floor. There is often a gap around them. A mouse can squeeze through a hole about the size of a dime.
Fix: The CDC suggests filling small holes with steel wool and sealing around it with caulk. Larger gaps can be covered with metal sheeting or hardware cloth.
6. Birdseed and Pet Food Stored in the Garage
Big bags of birdseed or dog food in the garage attract mice, and the garage is often one door away from the kitchen.
Fix: Keep birdseed and pet food in metal or thick plastic bins with tight lids, and seal gaps around the garage door.
If You Already See Signs
The CDC recommends snap traps and sealing the holes. Trapping alone doesn’t work if new mice can keep coming in. Clean up droppings safely: don’t sweep or vacuum them. Spray them with a disinfectant or a bleach solution, let it soak, and wipe them up with paper towels while wearing gloves. For a bigger problem, call a licensed pest control company.
Source: CDC rodent control guidance, “Seal Up! Trap Up! Clean Up!”
