Top 5 Places Mice & Rats Hide In Midwest Homes – And How To Keep Them Out!

Where to look for rodent activity

Attics
Maybe you use your attic for storage, maybe you’ve converted your attic into usable space, or maybe you’ve never even looked in your attic. Regardless of how it’s used, your attic is at a high risk for a rodent infestation.

Mice and rats can easily get into attics from outside. There are often small openings along the roof, eaves, and soffits that mice and rats can use to access your attic space. They can get onto your roof in a few ways. If tree branches are close to your house, they can be used as bridges to your roof. They may also climb up downspouts to get to your roof line.

Once inside your attic, rodents will hide in a variety of places. They may nest in boxes, in exposed insulation, or corners of the attic.

Basements & Crawl Spaces
Rodents frequently infest basements and crawl spaces. It’s easy to see how rats or mice might get into your crawl space, but you may wonder how they could access a concrete basement. Mice and rats can fit through spaces that are much smaller than themselves.

Mice only need an opening the size of a dime, so if there is a crack in a foundation wall, they might be able to squeeze through it. An open basement window, or a window or bulkhead with a gap around it, can also offer access for rodents.

Basements and crawl spaces offer plenty of secluded areas for rodents to nest. They may be found in storage boxes, enclosed corners, or even up in the joists.

Garages
If you’ve ever left your garage door up for any length of time, mice or rats could have gotten inside. Even with the door closed, rodents can often squeeze underneath if there is any kind of gap between the door and the ground.

Once inside your garage, rodents may nest behind containers, under appliances, or in your vehicles.

Storage Areas
You may have noticed a theme so far. Attics, basements, and garages are all often used for storage. Mice and rats enjoy spending time in areas where there is a lot of clutter because they are less likely to be seen. That makes any other storage areas appealing to them as well.

If you have a dedicated storage room in your house or a shed that you use for storage, there’s a good chance rodents will find it and move into it. Just as in the other areas, they’re most likely to nest in or behind boxes where they can’t easily be seen.

In Wall Voids 
Sometimes, when rodents get into your house, they move into even harder-to-reach areas. Wall voids are a favorite nesting site for mice and rats. These spaces are enclosed and don’t receive any human traffic, which makes them appealing and safe for rodents.

How to keep rodents out of your Midwest home

Whether you live in Des Moines, Kansas City, Omaha, or elsewhere in the Midwest, your house is at risk of a rodent infestation. Knowing how to keep rodents out of your house is essential for the safety of your house and the health of your family. There are several preventative measures you can put in place to avoid a rodent infestation:

• Seal all openings in your house, no matter how small
• Remove clutter, both inside and outside
• Keep your lawn and landscaping trimmed and tidy
• Eliminate food and water sources outside
• Store food in your house in hard-sided containers
• Clean up after each meal
• Get ongoing rodent protection with Miller Guard.

Sign up for a year-round pest control plan with Miller!

Miller Guard is Miller Pest & Termite’s signature home pest control. It provides full pest coverage that includes year-round rodent control. We target rodent entry points to stop them before they get inside, keeping every area of your house, from the attic to the basement and everywhere in between, safe from a rodent infestation.  Check out our plan below, or give us a call to find out how we can protect your home from rodents and other annoying and potentially damaging pests!