How to Protect Your House from Rodents in the Backyard and Around Garbage Bins in Plymouth

Rodents are great at finding their way into your home. You have probably seen signs of them near your backyard or around garbage bins in Plymouth. Rats and mice are especially common in neighborhoods with lots of greenery, outdoor food sources, or poorly sealed trash cans. They often look for a way inside once they find a reason to hang around your property. Thus, you should keep them out of your yard. This will help prevent them from getting into your home. 

Rodents are always searching for food, water, and shelter. Backyards and garbage bins are often full of opportunities. Leftover pet food, fallen birdseed, and compost piles are a blessing to them. 

Garbage bins are especially attractive to rats and mice. The smell of food scraps, greasy wrappers, and liquids can draw them from far away. Plus, they can find entry points into your house especially during colder months or heavy rains once they visit your yard regularly. See details about rodent protection below:

Seal Off Outdoor Food Sources

Rodents will not stick around if they cannot find something to eat. To deprive them of the food they need, here are steps you can take:

• Secure your garbage bins. Use bins with tight-fitting lids. Bins with loose or cracked lids should be replaced. Avoid overfilling bins, so they can always be shut completely.
• Take out the trash regularly. You should not let garbage sit in or around your house for too long. Trash that piles up outside can attract rats in just a few hours.
• Feed pets indoors. Pick up any leftovers right away if you feed your pets outside. Do not leave food bowls sitting out overnight.
• Clean up bird seed and fallen fruit. Rodents love to snack on seeds, nuts, and fruit bits. Thus, you should clean the area that has these food sources. 
• Avoid composting meat or dairy. Stick to fruit and veggie scraps for composting. Meat, bones, and dairy attract rats fast and can cause a serious infestation.

Tidy Up Your Yard

Rodents love places to hide. They can hide in tall grass, woodpiles, overgrown bushes, and clutter. A clean, open yard makes them feel exposed and less welcome.

You should keep your lawn short and your landscaping neat. Cut back branches or plants that touch your house because they can be bridges for rodents to reach your roof or windows. Also, keep woodpiles at least 18 inches off the ground and a few feet away from the walls of your home. You should remove old furniture, toys, or storage containers that rodents might use as shelter. Rats and mice often dig tunnels near fences, sheds, or under porches. Fill them with gravel or soil and check for new ones regularly.

Seal Up Entry Points Around the House

Mice can squeeze through holes the size of a dime while rats only need a gap about the size of a quarter. Walk around your home and look for spots where they might sneak in. Make sure there are no gaps or broken seals. Weatherstripping can help block small cracks. Use caulk or steel wool to close up holes or gaps in your home’s exterior. Also, you can use metal mesh to block rodents from entering through attic vents, crawl spaces, or chimneys. Rodents can chew through torn screens on windows or doors.

Set Up Preventive Traps or Barriers

You can take some extra steps to protect your yard and garbage areas if you know your area has a lot of rodent activity. Tamper-resistant bait stations keep poison or traps secure and safe from kids or pets while targeting rats or mice. Place traps along fence lines and near trash bins because they are common travel routes for rodents. Using motion-activated lights or sprinklers can scare off pests and make your yard less inviting at night. You can also install metal kick plates on doors to make it harder for rodents to gnaw their way in.