Not A Creature Was Stirring, Not Even A Mouse
While we all want a pest-free home this holiday season, it won’t necessarily be the case for everyone. You see, mice and bugs won’t stop infesting homes just because we want to enjoy the holidays without stressing about pest troubles. So how do Maine homeowners ensure that mice and other creatures won’t cause a stir this holiday season? In the spirit of giving, Advanced Pest Solutions has a few ideas to share.
Grab a dime and start pest-proofing
Did you realize mice can slip through openings as small as a dime? Yes, these contortionists have a gift for squeezing their small frames through even smaller holes than most of us would give them credit for. Unfortunately, that means a lot of cracks, gaps, and openings on a home’s exterior are ways inside for opportunistic mice. And of course, insects don’t even need that much room.
In order to keep them out, we recommend sealing every single opening from the foundation to the roof. Installing weather stripping under garage doors and entry doors will also help deter mice as will covering outdoor vents and chimneys with durable wire screening.
Carefully inspect your stored holiday decorations
If you’re like most, there’s a good chance your holiday decorations have been stored undisturbed up in the attic, down in the basement, overhead in the garage, or maybe in a storage closet. While they’re out of sight (and mind), mice and other pests often infest our decorations in order to find nesting material or even pilfer edible ornaments like those made from salt dough to feast upon.
Rather than unpack your decorations in the living room or anywhere else inside your home, we recommend unpacking and inspecting them outside. That way if you find an unwelcome guest among the garland, lights, and decorations you won’t have to worry about them scurrying to the edge of the room and disappearing somewhere inside your home.
If your family uses a live tree and other greenery to decorate this season, be sure to give them a onceover and a good shake to dislodge anything that might be dwelling on or within.
Check your baking ingredients at the grocery store
Sugar cookies, gingerbread men, fudge, peanut brittle, pies, cake- the list of merry treats to bake up this season is practically endless. If you’re one of those households who makes holiday baking a tradition, there’s a good chance you’ll have to hit the grocery store to load up on flour, sugar, and other ingredients. Unfortunately, if you’re not careful, you could bring home more than you intended. There’s a group of pests that often infiltrate stored goods and if used in your baking… well you can imagine.
To prevent bringing pests home from the grocery store, be sure to inspect foodstuff carefully. Avoid packaging that has been dented, opened, or otherwise damaged. You should also check fruits and veggies for bugs.
What to do if you discover pests in your home this month
At Advanced Pest Solutions, we offer home pest control services in Litchfield, Bath, and Lewiston as well as throughout coastal and central Maine that exterminate mice, roaches, and other pests already inside your home. Our ongoing plans also prevent new pest problems from developing, no matter the season. Our Premium Care+ is one of those plans and includes:
Year-round pest protection
Three seasonal services
Interior & exterior treatments
Coverage for 61 household pests including mice, Indian meal moths & cockroaches
For effective pest control services that target both insects and rodents that show up in and around Maine homes, contact Advanced Pest Solutions today to request an estimate!