Don’t Invite Mice into Your Home for Christmas

No one would do this knowingly. That said, we tend to generate more rubbish around the festive season. A turkey carcass goes into the bin alongside various other leftovers we have no use for. If the food waste does not go into a proper sealed bin, designed for that purpose alone, many animals – mice included – will see it as a smorgasbord to dive into.

Be careful with leftovers

We might also be more likely to leave leftovers on the kitchen counter top to cool down before putting them in the fridge or freezer. The scent is attractive – not just to us. If we leave windows ajar or open the back door to let steam out while cooking, a mouse might see that as the perfect opportunity to join you for dinner.

Of course, you probably wouldn’t be aware an interloper had entered your house during the day. Even leaving your back door open and unattended for a few minutes is enough to invite one of them inside. If you get up during the night though, you might spot your uninvited guest wandering around checking out your home. Not a nice thing to wake up to.

Don’t make the outside of your home more attractive to them

There is a bigger chance of getting more mice around outside too, especially if you have a rubbish bin that is overflowing. If you cannot get everything in your bin at this time of year, at least make sure the food waste is put straight into the bin. If the lid doesn’t lock, place a couple of bricks on it to weigh it down. Bags that sit on the ground outside are the ideal invitation for mice to start exploring.

Keeping the ground free of waste is ideal, but it is often not something that is easily done over Christmas. Find out when your rubbish collections are and plan accordingly. Recycle whatever you can and make sure everything is washed and rinsed out properly. This will reduce the chance of mice being attracted by the smell of food and drink.

No one can be immune to mice coming into their home. However, there are various ways we can reduce the odds of being affected. Over the Christmas period, it pays to double our efforts in this sense. Make sure your guests this festive season do not include a few small furry uninvited ones.