How to prevent rats and mice getting into your home

To help you out, the experts at Online Bedrooms have shared some tips to help you prevent rodents from taking up residence in your home over the next couple of months.

You might notice more rats and mice are about in January.

Rats and mice tend to look for shelter from the cold winter weather in January so the appearance of the rodents is at its highest in January, according to Safeguard.

If they’re left to fester in our homes, it can lead to chewed electrical wires, property damage and an increased chance of catching diseases that they may be carrying.

If you have rodents in your home, you might notice grease marks, rat droppings or foul smells. (Image: Getty Images)

You might also notice grease marks, rat droppings or foul smells if you’ve got rodents living in your home.

There are some household items that can prevent the appearance of rodents – let’s take a look.

How to prevent rodents from getting into your house

Peppermint oil

Fresh peppermint is not a smell that rats and mice like so dabbing peppermint oil on a cotton pad and wiping it across any entry points can keep them away.

Wipe it on anything from doors to windows to make them think twice about entering your home, the experts at Online Bedrooms explain.

Cinnamon oil

Rodents also don’t like the smell of cinnamon so use this in the same way as the peppermint oil or spray the fragrance around any possible entry points.

Seal entry points

If you’ve got a small hole in a wall, this can become much bigger when a rat or a mouse is lurking around.

Seal holes in walls with steel wool to stop the rodents from getting in.

Garlic

Garlic is another scent that will keep rodents away.

If you’re worried about an infestation, it’s worth placing cloves of garlic near entryways.

Clear any crumbs away

Make sure you keep on top of tying up bin bags and hoovering floors to prevent rodents from coming after food crumbs.

The more crumbs they can find, the more likely they are to appear.

Seal all sugary items

Rats have a sweet tooth and they’ll be attracted to anything sugary around the house so make sure sugar pots are firmly sealed and no sugary food is left lying around.

Call in the professionals

Have you noticed signs of infestation? If you have, it’s worth calling in professionals to safely remove the rodents from your home.

Nic Shacklock, from Online Bedrooms, said: “The last thing anybody wants to do is wake up in the morning and spot a long-tailed rat scurrying across the floor.

“January and early February is when prime rodent season is in full effect, which is why we wanted to offer eight effective, yet harm-free ways to prevent their presence.

“Staple household items like garlic and peppermint are some of the ways to prevent the four-legged rodents.

“Sealing entry points and keeping all sugary items tightly sealed is also effective in deterring them from entering the home.”