Most homeowners have a clearly drawn line regarding which furry creatures are allowed indoors. While pet cats and dogs are OK, wild mice and rats are largely considered rodents non grata. Yet, determined vermin may still find a way to sneak inside, exposing cracks and crevices you might have overlooked. Here’s one hack that could…
A Solution That’s Sharp as Steel
Rodents are highly intelligent critters with a good sense of smell, and they can easily track down warm air currents. This helps them locate potential entry points into a home, and their compressible bodies allow them to squeeze through the tightest of gaps — including those as small as a dime. We’re talking under baseboards, around pipes, or anywhere else there might be even an inch of open space. And if you fill the gaps with the wrong material, the rodents will simply chew right through it and come inside anyway.
But one material that effectively deters mice and rats is grade 4 steel wool, which has sharp edges that prevent rodents from chewing through it. So if you have a rodent problem, grab some steel wool and fill up all the holes you find. You should use a screwdriver to push the wool into narrow gaps that your fingers may not be able to reach.
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Go around the house and firmly lodge the wool below baseboards, around cable entrances, behind appliances, or anywhere else you discover openings. Make sure it’s tightly packed, because if you leave even the slightest gap, a rodent will likely find its way past the wool. For larger holes, use expanding foam alongside steel wool. This creates an airtight seal for added protection. As a bonus, the foam also prevents cold, drafty air from creeping into the home.
It’s important to note that steel wool is prone to rusting and should not be used on any openings exposed to moisture. For outdoor gaps or those around plumbing, use copper mesh instead; it’s rust-resistant and will do just as good a job of keeping vermin from getting inside.
