There’s nothing worse than finding signs of rodents in your garage. Be it droppings, chew marks or stains, dealing with rats or mice can literally cause havoc to your property if left unchecked.
And if you’re storing food supplies in the garage, you’ll unknowingly be inviting rodents to come and feast this season. The last thing you want is an infestation on your hands! We called on an expert to reveal why we shouldn’t store any festive foods in the garage, and top tips to keep rodents out this season.
Don’t store these items in your garage
Often considered an extension of the home, providing valuable storage space, there are some things you should never store in the garage. And the holidays are peak season for stocking up on all your favorite treats.
“By preparing early and spreading the cost, many will buy Christmas food items for parties, meals, and gifts, weeks, sometimes even months, in advance, storing it in their garage or outhouse before the big day,” states Simon Taylor of Garage Experts Lidget Compton.
They can smell and detect scents through packaging, doors and walls.
Simon Taylor, Lidget Compton
“These foods, especially indulgent festive foods, are very attractive to rodents, who are likely to find them in garages as they have a very good sense of smell. They can smell and detect scents through packaging, doors and walls.“
What’s more, rats have their festive favorites, and are more likely to chew on nuts, seeds, chocolate, cheeses and meats. Trouble is, once they're aware of any feeding spots in your garage, they’ll keep coming back for more.
“Rats chew constantly as their teeth are continually growing, and they must chew things to file them down,” adds Taylor. “This means storing food in any areas rats can enter will attract them, and they will not only eat and damage the food you’ve stored, but may damage other items such as cars, lawnmowers, and power tools.”
If you want to keep your holiday feasts intact, you’ll need to put preventative measures in place to stop rodents from entering your garage or property. However, if you suspect rodent activity or infestation, it’s always best to contact your local pest control service for guidance.
3 tips to keep rodents out of your garage
1. Inspect for entry points
First, inspect your garage for holes and possible entry points. Rodents can easily make their way in through holes and gaps, so it’s important to check around the perimeter of your home for any entry points they could come through.
These could include holes or gaps in brickwork, garage foundation, roofs, roof soffits, and areas around the HVAC system. “Pests such as rodents can squeeze through very tight gaps, so any small holes or spaces available could allow them entry,” says Taylor. “This includes under doors, so if your garage door has a rubber sealant, it's important to check this regularly, and if it has perished or shows signs of damage, you should look at getting this replaced.”
“As well as this, plug any gaps in brickwork or doors temporarily with copper mesh, as rodents will struggle to chew through this. However, it is still possible for them to get through this, so make sure you plan for a more permanent solution to keep your valuables inside the garage or garden room safe.”
2. Keep your garage clean and clutter-free
Be sure to secure or remove food sources and specific things that attract rats and mice to your home, such as clutter. Be it a pile of old cardboard boxes or storage boxes, rodents love to hide in clutter.
Always keep the floor and space clean and mess-free to make your garage less appealing to rodents. In addition, never leave individual garbage bags outdoors, in your garage — especially those with any food waste. Again, this will invite rats and mice to feast on the contents, aswell as leave a huge mess for you to clean up!
“To prevent attracting these tiny intruders, try and keep your garage as tidy as possible, with storage solutions such as shelving and boxes,” suggests Taylor. “Wherever you can, keep items off the floor, on high shelving to prevent spaces of clutter. In addition, rodents are also attracted to trash cans, so keep your trash far away from your garage or garden room to prevent them from easily moving from the bins to the garage.”
3. Store firewood off the floor
Similarly, avoid storing firewood, logs, or even old tires on the floor and keep them higher up. While the garage may seem a convenient place for these items, these also provide shelter and a warm haven for rats and mice.
“Even more so than other items, firewood should be kept off the floor of your garage,” adds Taylor. “As it is a natural material, firewood provides a good shelter for rodents and other pests. So they may seek it out as an ideal place to set up camp.
“To avoid this and to prevent damage, store your firewood higher on shelves, or in an outdoor log store, away from expensive items with electrical cables such as cars, lawnmowers or power tools.”
If you do need to keep them in an open area, elevate lumber on stringers to prevent them from touching the ground, and absorbing ground moisture. Then, keep covered with a weather-proof material that protects it from the elements.
For more tips, check out how to rat-proof your yard to keep rodents at bay.
More from Tom's Guide
- I asked pest experts what I need to buy to prevent mice in my home
- Is your neighbor's cluttered yard attracting rodents to your home?
- I asked the experts 7 places mice like to hide and what to look out for
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