Mice & rats
10 min read
Steel Wool for Mice: Does It Keep Them Out?
Yes, if you pack it tight and caulk over it: mice can’t chew through coarse steel wool, but they push past loose plugs and it rusts. Steel wool plus caulk costs about $11.
Category
Prevention & Sealing
Find the gaps pests use to get in, seal them with materials they can’t chew through, and remove the food and shelter that draw them indoors.
Mice & rats
10 min read
How Do Mice Get in the House? How to Keep Them Out
Mice get in through pencil-width gaps (¼ inch) at pipes, doors, vents and the roofline. Seal them with metal mesh plus caulk; a DIY kit runs about $57–71.
Mice
9 min read
What Attracts Mice? Why They Come Into Your House
Food, warmth, nesting spots and a gap about ¼ inch wide. Sealing food, pet food and garbage, moving bird feeders and woodpiles, and closing gaps costs little or nothing.
Silverfish & springtails
10 min read
Dehumidifier for Silverfish: Does It Work, and What Size to Buy
Yes, it helps: silverfish, springtails and house centipedes need damp air. Keep rooms at 30–50% humidity with a $130–150 dehumidifier and a $10 hygrometer, and fix the leak behind it.
Mice
9 min read
How to Keep Mice Out of Your Car and Engine Bay
Keep mice out of your car by clearing food and clutter where you park, driving it often and setting snap traps around it ($14–27). Mothballs and ultrasonic gadgets aren’t reliable.