Keeping rats and mice out this winter
As nights cool, rodents move indoors. Proofing your home is the part that lasts.
3 min read · Updated 13 Aug 2026
Rats and mice look for warmth, food and shelter as the weather cools, and roof voids, wall cavities and garages provide all three. Baits reduce the population inside; proofing is what stops the next one.
Find the way in
Mice can fit through gaps about the width of a pencil, and rats through slightly larger ones. Check around pipes and cables entering the house, gaps under garage doors, broken vents and where the roof meets the walls.
Take away the food
- Store pet food and bird seed in sealed containers.
- Pick up fallen fruit and keep compost enclosed.
- Keep bins closed and away from the house.
Baiting safely
If baits are used, they should be in lockable stations placed where children, pets and wildlife cannot reach them. Ask your technician about the risks to pets and native animals before any baiting program starts.