There are many great possible uses for a garage space. Whether you plan to use your garage for storage, projects, parking, or a combination, the options are endless. But, of course, none of those options will work out well if you are dealing with little critters that have made their way into the space. So, if you suspect mice have entered your garage or want to ensure that doesn’t happen in the future, this article will be helpful. Read on for your guide on how to keep mice out of your garage. First, we’ll look at why mice become a problem in the first place and what you can do about it.
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Why Do Mice Come Inside?
Perhaps the best way to deal with your mice problem is to first think about why they would want to come into your garage in the first place. After all, if you can make the space less attractive to mice and other critters, they’ll be more likely to keep looking for another area to explore. There are many potential draws to a garage, but the points below highlight the leading reasons why mice like to explore this area.
There is food available
Food is the driving motivator behind the things that most animals do, so you always want to start here. If there is a convenient food source in your garage for the mice to enjoy, they will return repeatedly. Remember, even things that aren’t food for humans can make for an excellent meal for a mouse, so review the contents of your garage and consider all possible “snacks.” If you plan to keep food items in the garage, ensure they are sealed up tightly and not available to critters.
It’s warm
Even if your HVAC system doesn’t warm your garage, it’s likely warmer than the outdoors – especially in the winter. So when the weather gets particularly cold, don’t be surprised if mice try to find a way in to escape those conditions.
Nesting
Mice like to find cozy little places to establish a home, and there are many dark spots in a crowded garage that are just waiting to be explored and used as a resting place.
A Telltale Sign
Besides seeing a mouse, the classic sign that at least one mouse has been frequenting your garage is droppings. Wherever mice go, they will leave at least some poop behind, so don’t look the other way when you see this evidence. If you see droppings in your garage, it’s probably not going to be a one-time event, so you’ll want to quickly come up with a plan to address this issue and keep the mice out moving forward.
Mice-Prevention Measures
Once you know mice are around, you’ll want to work on possible solutions. Of course, we already discussed putting food items away, but that’s a starting point. Here are some of the other ways you can approach this matter.
Seal up the cracks
Sealing cracks is perhaps the most obvious and important step to take. When mice get into your garage, they have an available path to sneak in, even when the door is closed. One good technique to spot openings is to close the door during the day and see if any light is sneaking in. Mice need very little space to squeeze through an opening, so fill up even the most minor gaps to prevent the mice from breaking in.
Reduce clutter
If your garage door is open a lot during the day and evening, you can’t rely on sealing up the space alone to keep mice away. So, you’ll also want to make the garage less appealing by cleaning up the floor and giving mice fewer places to hide and be comfortable.
Eliminate outdoor habitat
This last point is a big one, often overlooked by homeowners. If you have mice coming into your garage, they live nearby. Often, they’ll find outdoor homes in garbage bags, piles of leaves or branches, etc. Keeping a clean property will make it more likely that they’ll find other areas to hang out.
American Carports Has You Covered
We hope you enjoyed this guide on how to keep mice out of your garage! Keeping mice and other critters out of your buildings is always tricky, but it can be accomplished with patience and by trying a few methods listed above.
We hope the ideas above are helpful, and we’d be happy to serve you soon if you are in the market for a new metal garage. Remember to explore our free Build & Price tool when you are ready to start your next project. Thanks for visiting our blog, and we hope to serve you soon!
