Rodents, whether brown rats, black rats or house mice, are one of the most common pest problems in Île-de-France. Their remarkable adaptability, their intelligence and their rapid rate of reproduction make them formidable invaders. Yet a few well-applied preventive measures are enough to considerably reduce the risk of infestation. Here is a complete guide to protecting your home effectively.
The first line of defence against rodents is to block their access to your home. A mouse can squeeze through a hole the size of a ballpoint pen, or about 6 millimetres in diameter. A young rat can get through an opening of 2 centimetres. It is therefore essential to inspect your entire home methodically for the slightest gap. Start with the outside: examine the foundations, the walls, the base of the walls and the area around windows and doors. Check the openings for pipework, electrical cables and gas pipes. Inspect ventilation grilles, cellar vents and expansion joints. Inside, check the spaces around the pipes under sinks, the points where cables pass through walls and the gaps between skirting boards and the floor. Use steel wool combined with filler or cement to seal openings. Avoid using expanding foam on its own, as rodents gnaw through it easily. For ventilation grilles, choose a metal mesh of 6 millimetres maximum. Fit metal or dense rubber door sweeps on all doors leading outside.
Rodents enter homes mainly for two reasons: food and shelter. Removing accessible food sources is therefore a fundamental preventive measure. Transfer all your dry food (cereals, pasta, rice, flour, sugar, biscuits) into airtight glass, metal or hard plastic containers. Cardboard and thin plastic packaging cannot withstand rodents' teeth. Keep fruit in the fridge rather than in a bowl on the worktop. Never leave leftover food out in the open, and clean up crumbs and spills immediately after every meal. Also think about pet food: dog and cat kibble left in a bowl is a real feast for rodents. Feed your pets at set times and remove the bowl after the meal. Store bags of kibble in a closed metal container.
A clean, tidy home is much less attractive to rodents. Empty your bins daily and use bins with airtight lids, both indoors and outdoors. Regularly clean hard-to-reach areas where food residue builds up: under the fridge, behind the cooker, under the toaster, in the kitchen storage drawers. Vacuum up crumbs in corners and along skirting boards. Declutter your home, especially cellars, lofts and garages. Rodents love cluttered spaces, which offer them plenty of hiding places and materials to build their nests. Keep stored items in hard plastic boxes rather than cardboard boxes. Raise items at least 30 centimetres off the floor so you can easily inspect underneath. Finally, repair water leaks promptly: rodents need water to survive, and even a minor leak is a reliable water source that attracts them.
Your garden can become an ideal starting point for an infestation if you do not take a few simple precautions. Trim hedges and shrubs that touch your façade, as rodents use them as a bridge to reach openings higher up. Cut back tree branches that overhang your roof: black rats are excellent climbers and often get into the loft via the gutters and box gutters. Regularly pick up fallen fruit and do not leave food in bird feeders at night. If you have a compost bin, choose a closed model and avoid putting meat or fish scraps in it. Store firewood away from your home (at least 5 metres) and raise it off the ground. Maintain your lawn and clear long grass along the walls, which gives rodents cover as they move around.
Despite all precautions, it is important to know how to spot the first signs of rodents quickly. Droppings are the most common sign: mouse droppings look like black grains of rice (3 to 8 millimetres), while brown rat droppings are larger and oval in shape (up to 20 millimetres). Gnaw marks on food packaging, cables or wood are also telling. Rodents leave greasy traces along their usual routes, forming dark marks on skirting boards and the bottom of walls. Scratching noises in the walls or ceiling, especially at night, should alert you. If you notice any of these signs, do not wait for the problem to get worse. Contact Mr Nuisibles on 01 89 70 79 30 for fast, effective treatment by our certified technicians.
