How To Stop Mice From Getting Under Siding: 5 Outdoor Treatments for Mice

Wondering how to stop mice from getting under siding, or what to do if you spot signs of mice but no droppings? You’re not alone.

Almost 15 million of the 124 million occupied housing units in the U.S. experience a rodent problem each year.¹

Knowing how to seal up holes (and the best materials to use) or how to seal house from mice for mice prevention can be the most effective way to ensure that you don’t suffer the ill effects of having mice in your walls or chewing electrical wiring in your attic.

This guide outlines 5 outdoor treatments for mice that can help you learn how to stop mice from getting under siding, making your home an unwelcoming environment for mice.

How To Stop Mice From Getting Under Siding: 5 Treatments

Figuring out how to keep mice out of your house is easier than getting rid of these pests once they’ve taken over. This is especially true when learning how to stop mice from getting under siding.

To save yourself the trouble of a mouse infestation, put it on your calendar to regularly maintain your home’s exterior, plugging mouse holes before mice can make their way inside.

These five steps can help repel mice:

1. Get rid of clutter outdoors: Mice like to burrow, and if there is outdoor garbage that you’ve neglected to take to the recycling plant, it’s a perfect attraction for them. To effectively stop mice from getting under siding, removing clutter, like old boxes, bags, and other debris from next to your home is the first step.
2. Eliminate any potential water sources: If you have an outdoor faucet, make sure that it is free from leaks and that you have a way to completely cut off the water supply. This is true for any wet areas around the siding as well.
3. Get a tight-fitting lid for your trash can: Garbage outdoors attracts mice, and when you have a loose-fitting garbage lid (which is conveniently located next to the siding on your house, mice will see a great place to live.
4. Remove organic materials from around the base of the siding: Leaves that pile up, grass clippings, and other debris can attract mice, especially if it’s next to your siding.
5. Use deterrents in your yard and block all mouse entry points: The use of safe deterrents can help you know how to stop mice from getting under siding. But, you’ll need to know where to place them properly.

A professional pest control company can help if you feel like you might not notice all the entry points.

Where Do Mice Come From?

Where do mice come from, and how do baby mice get in your house? Simply put, mice are everywhere in the U.S., from fields and backyards to homes and businesses.

They choose to settle wherever they can find the things they need to survive – food, water, and shelter. They will usually nest within 10-30 feet of a food source, can get plenty of water for survival from a single leaky pipe, and love to snuggle into piles of clutter and debris.²

If you offer these things within your home and you fail to fill mouse holes in walls, roofs, or other areas, then you are creating a welcoming environment for mice.

How To Find Mice Entry Points

When learning how to find mice entry points, think small.

Any opening measuring ¼ inch or larger should be of interest to you when sealing up mouse holes.³

To find these holes, take a walk around the exterior of your home and look for:

• Gaps around pipes and wires
• Missing or loose sections of siding
• Loose or missing mortar in brick or block walls
• Uncovered vents, and any gaps
• Cracks or voids measuring ¼ of an inch

When you’re determining how to close mouse holes, these are the holes you will need to focus on.

How To Get Rid of Field Mice and Other Mice Outside My Home

The best way to get rid of field mice is to eliminate their nesting places. Get rid of leaf piles and any piles of clutter.

Elevate anything that must remain in your yard at least 18 inches off the ground. Make sure nothing is closer than 12 inches to the exterior walls of your home.²

How To Stop Mice From Getting Under Siding: What Can’t Mice Chew Through?

The list of what mice can’t chew through is much shorter than the list of what they can chew through, and the power of rodent teeth may surprise you. To effectively know how to stop mice from getting under siding, the first thing is to know what mice can’t chew through so that your measures will be successful.

Will Mice Eat Through Spray Foam?

If you’re wondering will mice eat through spray foam, the answer is that they probably will. While spray foam is an excellent way to fill gaps when insulating the home, it’s not terribly useful on its own when it comes to blocking holes for mice.

Spray foam with a bittering agent may help prevent or reduce mice from chewing, but isn’t 100 percent effective.⁴

Steel Wool for Mice Prevention

Using steel wool for mice prevention is a tried and true DIY technique. Keep in mind that steel wool rusts when exposed to moisture, so this material is best used to fill mouse holes indoors.⁴

Mouse Proof Insulation

The only true mouse-proof insulation when you are determining the best way to seal holes from mice is a “sandwiched” solution. This involves combining spray foam, which is an excellent and easy-to-use filler, with a material that mice can’t chew through.

Some options include metal fabric or copper mesh. Together these materials plug mouse holes, can’t be penetrated by mice, and also act as insulation to keep heat from escaping the home.

Detecting and Preventing Mice in House

Signs of mice in your house can include mouse droppings, chew marks on wires or insulation, or the presence of nests made from shredded paper or similar materials.³ While the mere glimpse of a mouse can leave some homeowners running for cover, even those who aren’t necessarily afraid of mice will want to take action at the first sign of these critters.

Not only do mice damage property with their chewing, but they can also spread diseases, including food poisoning and ringworm.³

Best Way To Seal Mouse Holes

The best way to seal mouse holes is to use a material that mice can’t penetrate.

How To Plug Mouse Holes

1. If you’re trying to figure out how to plug mouse holes, you may be tempted to reach for a tube of caulk, but this isn’t necessarily the best choice because mice can chew through caulk. Instead, use a sealant, which does the job but can’t be penetrated by rodent teeth.
2. When it comes to what to use to block mice holes that may be on the larger side, consider sheets of metal or plywood.
3. Cover vents and chimneys with screens, but keep in mind that a mouse may chew through a screen over time.
4. Always combine spray foam with galvanized steel mesh, stainless steel mesh, or hardware wire cloth when you are determining how to seal holes for mice.
5. Make mouse prevention part of your regular home maintenance routine. Walk the perimeter of your home a few times a year to make sure holes stay covered and no new mouse holes appear.

Mouse Hole Filler

The best mouse hole filler used in gaps and voids won’t help if you neglect to fix damaged siding. When figuring out how to block holes from mice, the siding itself is the biggest entry point.

(Image: Phil Parker⁸)

Vinyl or aluminum siding can come loose or detach in the wind and must be reattached or replaced if missing. Wondering how to close mice holes in brick siding?

Remember that mice only need an ¼ inch opening to enter your harm and start a family, so don’t forget about the grout lines on the brick.⁵ If grout is loose or missing, walls should be repointed.

Missing or damaged bricks should be replaced and all joints and transitions should be sealed with a sealant – not a caulk.

How To Stop Mice From Getting Under Siding: How To Get Mice Out of Walls

What if you already have pests and are wondering how to get mice out of walls? Before you determine what to put in mouse holes or how to clock a mouse hole, you should focus on getting these pests out of the walls.

The best way to start is to take away the things they need to survive. Make sure not a single crumb is accessible, and that all food and trash is secured in a container the mice can’t access.

Fix leaky pipes, close toilets and bring pet water up off the floor when pets aren’t drinking. Next, use snap traps baited with peanut butter, chocolate, or dried fruit.⁶

Place the traps in dark areas where mice travel, close to walls, behind furniture, and in corners. You can also place traps anywhere you spot mouse activity, such as droppings or chew marks.

Rodent poison should always be a last resort after you’ve determined how to fill mice holes, remove all food sources, and use snap traps to kill live mice.⁶

Now that you know how to stop mice from getting under siding, it’s time to take action and seal holes from mice to protect your home.

Frequently Asked Questions About How To Stop Mice from Getting Under Siding