Winter is coming

None of us want to face the fact that the days are getting much shorter and it’s actually cold outside.
It only seems like a couple of weeks ago that we were basking under the hot rays of the late summer sunshine and now suddenly Halloween is around the corner and the Christmas decorations are already up in Oxford Street. There is enjoyment to be found in the winter ahead though; the long nights allowing us to catch up on those Netflix boxsets, drink hot chocolate and plan holiday for 2017…

Unfortunately rodents feel the cold too and they are desperate to seek refuge indoors. Most of us who live in London will have experience of this, our huge city and old housing stock meaning many of us find furry little “friends” making an unwelcome intrusion.

Mice often look cute and harmless and if only they were – unfortunately they bring in bacteria, disease and of course they eat anything they find. All we can do is make their lives as difficult as possible to try encourage them away to somewhere more accommodating, and the following tips are recommended…

Make sure that you don’t leave doors to your garden or patio open especially in late August and September – this is when rodents are already starting to search for somewhere to make a nest for the winter months.

Keep food packed either in sealed plastic bags or even airtight plastic boxes. Paper bags and cardboard cartons may be more environmentally friendly, but they’re much easier for rodents and other pests to get into.

Keep work surfaces and floors as clean at all times, wiping up crumbs and spills as you go. A small re-chargeable vacuum cleaner is useful for keeping the floor clean and getting into awkward corners.

Another thing to empty regularly is the toaster crumb tray – I have one friend who had an unpleasant surprise when he finally emptied his and found it full of mouse droppings – you don’t want mice squatting in your toaster!

Bins should always have a lid – not only will it stop bad smells spreading around the house but also make it impossible for mice to get in and forage for food.

In the food cupboard lower shelves should ideally be kept for cans and with higher, shelves used for food with less secure packaging as the mice will find them harder to reach.

Something else to consider would be to have an Autumn “Spring” Clean. Getting into all the nooks and crannies that your normal cleaning won’t reach, clearing every cupboard in the kitchen and every crumb on the floor from those naughty biscuits-in-bed moments. We provide a Spring Clean service and are happy to assist. We can’t guarantee you’ll never have any furry visitors again, but a super clean house will definitely be a deterrent!

• Share

• twitter
• googleplus
• facebook