If you are the kind of person who loves animals to the point where you could adopt the little rodents in your garage, keep in mind that these little critters are capable of doing a lot of damage. Mice can chew through plastic, wood and also the electric wires of your garage door opener, which could become problematic.
They reproduce pretty fast if they have access to a good hiding spot and to a lot of food. Mice have a gestation period of 19 to 21 days. A female mouse can give birth to 3 to 14 pups in one litter. Those babies are mature at the age of 6 weeks. In a year, those first two mice could have multiplied to as many as 5,082 mice. A mouse infestation is not to be taken lightly.
An exterminator can be very expensive. Before you get to that point, you want to try all possible solutions. We understand. That’s why we’ve listed our best solutions to pest-proof your garage without harming mice or other small animals.
Two things are essential to keep in mind: insulation and organization. These two points fall into several categories; we will come back to them.
If Mice Already Live Your Garage
Have mice already moved into your garage? Before you make it mouse-proof, you’ll need to get them out.
Poison and deadly traps are no option because your kitty and doggie roam freely in the garage?
Or maybe you are an animal lover and don’t want to harm the tiny guests in your house?
Mice are likely to move outside during summer, especially if you cut them off from every source of food inside and show lots of signs of human activity. We found you some pet-friendly options to encourage them to return to nature.
If you believe there is only one mouse, you can try to catch it with a humane mouse trap. This one won’t harm the mouse. Simply put peanut butter at one end and wait for the mouse to be safely trapped inside. We recommend you release it a mile away from your house.
Mice can infiltrate anywhere, even places we don’t expect them to.
If you have a cat you can let in the garage from time to time, it is an excellent way to get rid of mice and let kitty practise its hunting skills.
If you know a few mice already live your garage, you can keep them away from the important things by toying with their senses. Mice have a very keen sense of smell. There are a few things they can’t stand, like white vinegar, peppermint, and others.
Soak cotton balls in peppermint oil and place them abundantly around the garage, everywhere mice are susceptible to hide.
Don’t rely only on this, it is not a permanent solution. Mice will come back eventually. Even after you repel mice, you need to prevent them from getting into your garage again. It is time to pest-proof the room.
Take Down the “Welcome” Sign
The first step in preventing a mouse and other small animals from returning is to create a hostile environment for them. This can be done by cutting them off from a food source and organizing your garage.
- Reduce clutter and keep things organized
The accumulation of objects and debris provides hiding places for them.
- Keep birdseed, dog food or any other food sources in sealed containers.
Mice must be constantly eating. Everything can become food to them: from trash to grass seeds, you are better keeping every potential food sealed in a container.
- Don’t keep trash in the garage
The smell of trash attracts pests like mice into your garage. Ensure you put the trash outside and not leave the trash bin too close to the door.
- If possible, store firewood outside.
Mice and other small animals love to make their nests in that.
- Regularly sweep the floor.
In addition to keeping your garage clean, this will allow you to check the condition of the walls and any crevices that could let them infiltrate. Also check the exterior walls of the garage.
Prevention is better than cure
Now that the previous mice are out and we’ve cut out every tempting source of food for them, it is time to insulate the garage with these few simple steps.
Cut tree branches that could touch the roof.
This will prevent the squirrels from jumping on your roof. As squirrels can jump up to 9 feet horizontally, try to keep the branches as far as you can from the roof.
It is important to insulate your walls to prevent rodents to make their nests in.
Insulate Your Walls
Insulating your walls, whether with mineral wool or foam, will prevent mice and other small animals from nesting there.
We recommend you insulate your walls with polyurethane spray foam. Filling your walls prevents mice from making their nests in them if they are completely filled. Plus, polyurethane foam has different properties than the traditional icynene spray foam.
Spray foam is not a rigid insulator. The rodents could go through it if they wanted to. However, this insulator contains nothing that could be a food source for them, so they have no interest in gnawing it. They could, however, try to use it to build their nests.
Mice have a sweet tooth. Polyurethane foam is quite bitter. If they feel an unpleasant taste in their mouth, the animals will stop gnawing at the material. Some types of polyurethane foam can also contain a special rodent repellent.
Fill the Cracks
Mice and other small animals can’t gnaw steel or aluminum. They can chew through wood, plastic, and other surfaces if we give them enough time and determination. That’s why it is important to check often the wall and floor’s condition.
If you are not too much of a handyman, you can use spray foam to cover the small holes. Just make sure to completely cover the entire hole.
It is not so much the stiffness of the insulation that will stop them (mice for instance are known to chew on electrical wires and strong insulators). What to look for is insulation that will fill all the holes to leave the least possible chance for the mouse to make its nest.
If your garage door has holes in it or is no longer level with the ground, it may be time to change it.
What type of garage door would you need?
Changing your garage door can be a big decision. You must think about the use you want for your garage door, the model that matches your home and so many little details. In this precise case, you will need a door that will resist rodent invasions.
Avoid wooden garage doors, since determined squirrels and mice will quickly pass through. Prioritize metal or aluminum doors in your purchases.
If you can choose a door with good insulation, even better. It will prevent mice from nesting inside the door.
Our doors are made of galvanized steel, which is impossible for mice to chew through. Plus, if you are afraid rodents might find a way through it and make their nest anyway, we have the door for it.
Our R-16 and R-12 construction garage door models, Standard+, Townships Collection, and Acadia 138, are made with polyurethane foam injected at high pressure into the metal structure. This special insulator will prevent mice from making their nests in the door.
We can see here how our insulated our R-16 door, with polyurethane foam.
Our doors are tailor-made for your garage and come with weatherstripping. They will not let any air flow through and will maintain a comfortable temperature in the garage. No more uneven doors that let mice through!
Maybe it’s time to change your garage door!
Then contact a GARAGA dealer in your area.
They are indeed experts in garage doors. They have extensive experience, and they love helping you find the perfect garage door system at the right plus for you.
Find the door of your dreams already? Ask us a quotation by email.
You’d like to shop online a bit first?
You can browse our residential photo gallery. Do you like interactive design apps? If so, grab your smart phone and try our Design Centre. You’ll have fun building your dream door.
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