Mice get everywhere! It is a constant battle to get rid of them.
If they are not in your home, they are in another area of your property, annoying and frustrating you in equal measure.
They love garages, giving a mouse a great place to hide. With that in mind, you will probably want to know how to keep mice out of the garage. Let’s take a look.
5 Reasons Why Mice Like The Garage
Before we begin, we need to understand WHY mice like being in your garage. This knowledge will be vital to understanding how to keep mice out of the garage! Prevention is better than a cure.
Nesting
You probably don’t want to hear this, but your garage is a perfect nesting place for mice.
It is warm(ish), has plenty of items for a mouse nest, and offers protection for the nest and the mice pups.
Food
Many people store food in a garage, which is fine if stored correctly!
Mice can chew through tons of items, so it is no good to store food in a cardboard box, for instance.
If I store food in my garage, I will store it in strong metal and round glass containers. This is also true for pet and bird food!
Protection
I mentioned it briefly above, but mice need protection. They are tiny, and tons of animals are after them. Out in the wild, a mouse has many predators, such as cats, owls, foxes, and snakes.
To sleep well, mice need to know they are in a place where they are protected, such as a garage.
Warmth
Mice need to keep warm, and although they have a body full of hair, they also need some help with the environment. This is especially true in the winter months.
Your garage will offer more warmth than the environment outside.
You should check near heat sources in your garage for evidence of mice activity. You should check heaters, air conditioning units, and the back of any white goods as they kick out a little heat.
Place To Hide
If a mouse needs to find a hiding place, it will use your garage. It may not be there to nest or set up a home. It may just be in there because it sensed something outside, like you.
Mice are scared of noise, amongst other things. Being scared of a bunch of things means mice need a place to hide now and again.
How To Keep Mice Out Of The Garage In 5 Steps
Now that you know why let’s look at 5 things you can do to keep mice out of the garage.
Seal Entry Points
First things first, we need to get those entry points sealed up. Now is the time for you to read my post about the most common entry points for mice.
Although this is geared towards your home, they are also valid for your garage. The only addition is the garage door. Check around that area and seal it up if need be.
Set Traps Outside
The next step, and something I have had outside, is setting some mouse traps up outdoors.
These need to be animal-safe mouse traps! You cannot set up snap traps because they will injure other wildlife that may roam around your property while you are not looking.
Protect the neighborhood cats, they are a friend and will help to keep the mice out of your garage!
I recommend the Tin Cat Mouse Trap by Victor. It is humane, doesn’t hurt other wildlife, and can catch up to 30 mice at a time!
Do rats learn to avoid traps? Yes, they do, so be sure to use gloves to keep your scent off the trap to enhance the chances of catching a rat.
Remove Food Or Store It Correctly
Storing food correctly is pivotal to your success in keeping mice out of your garage!
I said it above, and I will say it here too. Store food in strong metal or glass containers. Mice can chew through tons of items, but these are difficult, if not impossible.
If you cannot store food correctly, remove it from your garage.
I am not talking about just human food. If you store pet food or bird food in your garage, you should also be storing that correctly.
Clean/Tidy The Garage
One of the most common reasons why mice like your garage are because there are tons of items in there that a mouse could use to build a nest.
Tidy the garage up by removing as many nesting items as possible. Things such as boxes, paper, and clothing should be removed or stored correctly.
A clean and tidy garage will reduce the number of places for mice to hide. If a mouse still feels exposed, they will not see your garage as a place for protection.
Get A Cat
A cat is a natural predator of mice. I know this is not for everyone, but it is worth considering getting a cat to patrol the perimeter of your garage.
Don’t worry. This isn’t something you need to train your cat to do! Cats are territorial, meaning they will mark out their territory as soon as possible. A mouse will pick up on this and try to avoid this kind of conflict. It doesn’t end up like Tom and Jerry. The cat usually wins!
Having a cat will keep mice away from your garage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it common to have mice in the garage?
Yes, it is very common. Mice need comfort, warmth, and protection to survive. Your garage offers this to mice, which is why they love it so much!
How do I keep mice out of my garage?
Follow the advice on this page if you want to keep mice out of the garage. Seal entry points, store food correctly, and set traps around your home to trap mice before they get to your garage.
How do you find out where mice are coming in?
One of the things I do regularly is to check around my home and garage for any holes big enough for a mouse to get through. If you have several routes for a mouse to use to gain entry, you can place some flour or talc down. Check it after a few days for mouse footprints. Once you find out how they are getting in, you can seal it up or set a trap in that area.
Conclusion
I have given you 5 tips for how to keep mice out of the garage on this page. Now you have this knowledge, it is time to apply it to stop them from getting in!
Mice carry some life-threatening diseases, which means it is vital that you stop them from getting into your garage and, therefore, your home.
I cannot emphasize this enough, prevention is much better than a cure. Seal up those entry points to stop mice from getting access to your garage. That is the most important thing that you can do.
Admittedly, it is a challenge to seal them all up because there is a huge door that also needs to be checked! Try not to break your garage door, try to seal them up.
Good luck!
