How to Use Steel Wool to Keep Mice Out of Your House

In New Jersey, your home can become vulnerable to pests throughout any season. However, the frigid winter months seem to bring these vermin in by the droves. Mice are particularly fond of snuggling up in human houses for a long winter’s nap and plenty of snacking. Although mice live outdoors in the wild and have decent fur coats, they aren’t fans of winter’s cold. In fact, they use the warm months to scout out a cozy place to nest and store food. According to research, the average mouse consumes between 10 to 15 times their weight in food each day. Considering that you can have hundreds of invading mice in a colony, that’s a lot of food stashed away in your walls, which can also draw insects and other pests. So let’s talk about being sure those little furballs stay away from your winter sanctuary and learn how to use steel wool to keep mice out of your house.

Nesting & Feeding Habits of Mice

Mice and other small rodents forage through meadows and forests for seeds, nuts, berries, and other delectable bites. It’s a myth that common mice will only live in human abodes. In fact, these miniature rodents are right at home in hollow logs and burrows in fields and woods. When the weather in the Garden State is sunny and warm, most of these critters may stay outdoors where they belong.

Spring, summer, and autumn offer a veritable buffet for New Jersey wildlife. While most members of the rodent order are herbivores, mice are omnivores that enjoy plants and meat. They will gobble anything in their path because of their ravenous appetites. If food is scarce, mice will often attack and eat sick or older mice. It sounds disgusting, but it’s a natural way they avoid predators and overpopulation. These bitsy critters usually store food close to their nests because of convenience. The idea is that the less they must travel, the less vulnerable they will be to predators. Mice are industrious creatures, and they take advantage of warm weather by storing food for the winter.

Although these rodents aren’t as social as bees or ants, they’re not loners. Mice often nest in colonies that can be anywhere from ten to hundreds. They forage and hoard all season to create a common storehouse for the lean winter months. Winters in New Jersey can often be fierce, so these potential pests start their work early. Whether your house in the Garden State is in the city, suburbs, or rural areas, mice infestations can be a serious issue. Human habitats may be more dangerous for these invading rodents, but they offer more food and a nesting room.

Oftentimes, generations of mice stop foraging in the wild and take squatting rights in people’s homes, businesses, garages, or outbuildings. These make warm nesting areas that have a constant food supply. You can learn how to use steel wool to keep mice out of your house as a humane alternative to many DIY options.

How Do Mice Get into Your House?

Mice and rats have survived for millions of years with their unique agility and high intelligence. If a mouse wants to slip into your home to stay a while, all it needs is a small crack or hole. Did you know that the average mouse can push through a hole that is about six to seven millimeters? That’s just over one-fourth of an inch in diameter. If you can stick a pencil into any hole or crevice around the outside of your house, you have an open invitation to a mouse invasion. These tiny pests are crafty, and they will do what it takes to survive. They explore your foundation, doors, and windows, looking for a possible point of entry.

Even if the hole or crevice isn’t big enough, they have expert gnawing skills. Rodents are characterized by their strong jaw muscles and incredibly sharp incisor teeth. They can chew through just about anything around your house, including wood, vinyl, plastic, rubber, or even fine metal screens. This is where how to use steel wool to keep mice out of your house comes into the picture.

When you see one prowling mouse in your place, be assured there are a few you don’t see. Since mice tend to colonize, it won’t be long until you have a severe rodent infestation. Mice may be cute in cartoons or iconic theme parks, but the property damage and health hazards they create can be profound.

Steel Wool is chew-proof

Prevention techniques are the best way to deal with an invasion of mice in your New Jersey home. These sneaky critters go on the hunt for any crack, crevice, or hole in your house they can find. However, the problem remains that these rodents can effectively chew through almost anything you use to block them.

Your answer may be more straightforward than you think. Are you tired of caulking holes and cracks in your foundation and other parts of your house, only to find that the mice chew through them anyway? It helps if you use steel wool to keep mice out of your house before wasting money on spray foam and other concoctions that won’t be effective.

They can also gnaw away at any wood, plastic, or vinyl barriers you install. This is when inexpensive steel wool can be your best friend and is an effective material to keep mice and rats away.

Mice have extremely sharp teeth, but those teeth are no match for steel wool. Its texture and weave are too difficult for them to gnaw through, and it’s also abrasive to their mouth and gums. When these unwanted house guests encounter a space where you figured out how to use steel wool to keep mice out of your house, they’ll go the other way.

DIY Steel Wool Rodent Protection

Not Your Every Day Steel Wool

If you are looking for an affordable material that works great and is easy to install, then figuring out how to use steel wool to get mice out of your house is the answer. While these cleaning products may use steel wool, they also use all sorts of chemicals and powders that make them messy to work in your home.

Medium-grade steel wool is best for sealing holes and is how to use steel wool to keep mice out of your house. Head to your local hardware store to make sure you get something strong enough that mice can’t chew through. You will need the following supplies to complete this job:

• Hefty duty work gloves
• Wire cutters
• Staple gun and staples
• Duct tape
• Medium-grade steel wool (not cleaning steel pads)

How to Use Steel Wool to Keep Mice Out

Don’t be fooled by these little pads and think they’re harmless. The fibers on these wool pads will sliver when they’re manipulated, and they can cut you. Now that you’re ready to learn how to use steel wool to keep mice out of your house, here are some installation tips.

Start by inspecting your doors, windows, foundation, basement, and attic areas for any holes or cracks that are big enough for a mouse to gain entry. Make sure you look around plumbing and where utilities come into the home.

Now, you’re going to start securing the area. Take one block of steel wool and gently pull it apart. You want to create a small screen with the piece, so you need to be careful when you spread it. Additionally, it’s essential to do this over a counter or area to clean it up easily.

Now For The Fun Part

These steel fibers will be sharp and can cut you or a child who comes in contact with them. Start with the first area, spread the steel wool all around the opening, and make sure there’s nothing left uncovered. You should secure it with a stapler or duct tape if you cannot staple it around the area. Make sure that you cover every square inch of any openings.

When it comes to windows and doors, you can stuff the steel wool into the space until it’s filled. To make the look aesthetically appealing, you can use caulk over it.

One of the biggest issues homeowners question is the size of the hole they see doesn’t seem big enough to mess with. However, even the smallest hole can soon turn into a large one. Mice will easily tear through drywall in a matter of seconds with their razor-sharp teeth. So it’s important to take care of small holes before they become a significant problem. Do yourself a favor and use these tips to learn how to use steel wool to keep mice out of your house.

Calling in Professional Help

Mice can be a severe problem, and if you don’t handle things, one random straggler can turn into 50 living with you. Rural areas of New Jersey seem to have more mice infestations than those living in the city, but that doesn’t leave you out of having issues if you live in urban areas.

Steel wool is the perfect cheap fix that is durable and will help assist with mice issues, but it doesn’t mean your problem is solved. Sometimes, it pays to have us come out and assess the area to ensure that you’ve covered all the entry points. Our Kapture Pest Control technicians are experts at spotting entry areas, and we can also educate you on how to take care of a severe rodent issue. Once mice make their way inside, steel wool will only help to stop other mice from joining the others, but it won’t get rid of the ones that have already moved into your house.

When mice take over your home, it’s time to call Kapture for help. Mice are filthy and constantly leave urine and bacteria along with their fecal droppings throughout your home. These droppings can start showing up around your food and disrupting the cleanliness of your home. If you are experiencing issues with mice, reach out to Kapture Pest Control for help.

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