As the weather turns colder across Lancashire, mice and rats start looking for somewhere warm and dry to spend the winter, and far too often that somewhere is inside our homes. The good news is that rodents are opportunists, so a home that is harder to enter and offers less food is a home they tend to skip. Here is how to make yours one of them.
How do mice and rats actually get inside?
Rodents do not need much of a gap. A rat can squeeze through an opening of around 15mm, roughly the width of your thumb, and a mouse can get through a gap the size of a pencil, about 6mm. Because of that, the entry points are usually small and easy to miss.
The most common ones we find on jobs around Preston, Blackburn and Burnley are gaps around pipes and cables where they pass through an external wall, air bricks and vents with damaged or missing mesh, worn gaps under external doors, cracked or missing mortar near ground level, and defects in drains. Older terraced and Victorian properties, which we see a lot of locally, tend to have more of these weak points than newer builds.
What attracts rodents indoors in the first place?
Three things: food, water and shelter. Remove or reduce any of them and your home becomes far less appealing. Crumbs on worktops, open food packets, unsecured bins and pet food left down overnight are all easy meals. Standing water, dripping outdoor taps and blocked gutters give them something to drink. Cluttered lofts, sheds and overgrown gardens give them somewhere to nest.
How do I rodent-proof my home?
Work through this checklist before the cold really sets in:
- Seal the gaps. Fill small holes with wire wool bedded in sealant, and use metal mesh or cement for larger ones. Rodents can gnaw through expanding foam alone, so back it with something they cannot chew.
- Protect air bricks and vents with fine steel mesh (around 3mm), and replace any that are broken.
- Fit bristle strips or door sweeps to the bottom of external doors, especially older wooden ones that have warped.
- Cap your drainpipes and check that drain covers are intact, since drains are a classic route for rats.
- Store food properly. Keep food, pet food and birdseed in sealed metal or glass containers off the floor.
- Keep bins closed and positioned away from walls and fences.
- Cut back vegetation. Trim ivy, climbing plants and overgrowth, as rodents use them to reach roofs and lofts.
- Rethink garden bird feeding. Ground-scattered food is one of the biggest draws for rats. Use a proper feeder and clear up spillage.
Do home remedies like peppermint oil work?
You will see a lot online about peppermint oil, spicy sprays and ultrasonic plug-ins. These may briefly discourage a passing rodent, but they do nothing to seal an entry point or remove an established nest, and none of them are a reliable fix once mice or rats are already inside. Treat them as a minor top-up, not a solution.
When should I call a professional?
If you are seeing droppings, hearing scratching, or spotting one rodent (there are almost always more), it is worth acting quickly. A professional will find the entry points you cannot, treat the infestation safely, and proof the property so it does not happen again. That combination of treatment and proofing is what actually breaks the cycle.
Premier Environmental provides fast, discreet rodent control across Blackburn, Preston, Burnley and the surrounding areas. Get in touch for a quote or book an inspection online.
FAQs
- How small a gap can a mouse get through?
A mouse can fit through a gap of around 6mm, about the width of a pencil. Rats need roughly 15mm. - Does one mouse mean an infestation?
Often, yes. Mice breed quickly, and a single sighting usually means others are nesting nearby, so it is best to act early. - Can I keep rodents out without chemicals?
Good proofing and sanitation prevent most problems without any chemicals. Once an infestation is established, professional treatment is usually needed alongside proofing.