Keeping pests out of a vacation cabin is challenging when you're away for weeks at a time. Mice can be especially troublesome since they cause so much damage when they multiply unchecked. You could come back to your cabin in the spring and be assaulted by musky mouse odors that fill your house. Here are some suggestions for preventing that outcome by controlling mice while you're away.

1. Use A Pest Control Company While You're Away

You can benefit from hiring a pest control company since they can monitor and trap mice while you're away. Talk to the company about the services they can provide in your absence. These might include setting outdoor traps to monitor for rodents and checking the exterior of your house for gnawed areas.

You might also want them to monitor for mice inside your house by looking for droppings and gnaw marks. If signs of mice are found, they can set up traps to catch the mice before the population gets out of hand.

2. Repair Vulnerable Areas Of Your Home

The pest control company may provide exclusion services to block mice from getting inside. In addition to looking for holes and gaps mice can get in, it's also important to look for weak areas around your home, such as rotted wood that mice can gnaw through easily. Start your mice control efforts well before you leave your cabin in the fall so you can have repairs done to rotted fascia boards or window sills before you leave.

3. Keep Bird Food And Grass Seed Sealed

Since you'll be gone for several weeks or months over the winter, you don't have to worry about kitchen food attracting mice. If you plan to keep any type of food at your cabin, such as bird seed or grass seed, be sure to seal it in containers that trap odors so mice won't use the stored food to live on over the winter. Putting the seeds in a metal trash container with a tight lid could be a good idea.

However, mice may still be interested in getting inside your home for shelter. Clutter in your yard can attract mice to your home, and, once they discover your house, they may gnaw until they get inside. Move things like stacked wood, your child's yard toys, and patio furniture away from your house. Store things inside or in a mouse-proof shed so mice aren't attracted to them for shelter.

When you have a cabin near a lake or in the woods, it's only natural to deal with wildlife, including mice. However, you have to draw the line at sharing your home with mice since they carry diseases and are destructive. Instead, seal them out and use a pest control company to provide mice control when you're not going to be around to watch over your property yourself.

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