Whether seeking warmth and shelter, attracted by bad sanitation or unknown garbage, the ready availability of good nesting material or whatever reason, we are constantly amazed by how clever and diligent mice and rats are in trying to gain access to areas they are not welcome.

Call us today – not only can we solve your rodent problem, we can help keep them from returning anytime soon!

The first inclination, when faced with this situation, is to take immediate action. However, what the average Portland homeowner has on hand for such occasions is usually fairly limited. A spray can of scented room spray is usually first out of the gate. Often, someone might spend upwards of a day trying to convince his or her self that this is really working. But the smell is still there. It might be time to break out scented carpet powders, start burning candles, or just the house an extended airing out (not a fun option in the middle of winter.)

But when you have cycled through all of these ineffective options, the underlying smell of decay. So, are there any option left for the desperate homeowner to get rid of these odors?

Yes. The first option should always be to track down and if found, remove the dead mouse or rat. If you are fortunate enough to find it, don’t expect an immediate cessation of the terrible, pungent odor. The surrounding areas and item in the house will likely still have the smell in them as the result of having been absorbing it for a period of time.

Next of the odor elimination list, even if the rodent was found, is to get a professional grade odor neutralizer. Unlike fragrance, which doesn’t solve the problem but just changes the smell to a different variation of disgusting, odor neutralizers actually bond with the odor. Once bonded, the smell that eventually reaches your noise is odorless. Of course, there are times when even the best neutralizer will only help so much and additional neutralizing must be done, but this is a much more successful approach to making your home livable again.

If you are experiencing any odors in your home, whether from mice and rats or something else, please give All Pest Control Company a call. We are very skilled at tracking down the odor source and use the best available neutralizers available.

But that doesn’t mean that there is no pest activity during winter.   Particularly during untypically severe weather, some pests can be prompted into action.

As mentioned in the previous post, rodents are one of the most common critters to start showing up during the cold months.   Hey, they prefer the warmth just like us.   These months are a good time to check and repair obvious entry points such as loose exterior doors, damaged screens, and exterior insulation around pipes and venting.    Be sure to keep food tightly stored and avoid excessive clutter (I know that is hard to do right after Christmas and the holidays!)

By no means do rats and mice have the house to themselves, however.   Roaches can often show up during this time of year.   While they are much more common in restaurants (sorry for mentioning this – I don’t like considering this fact either) and higher traffic residences such as apartments or motels, they still show up in single family homes.   Being the prolific breeders that they are, finding even one is cause for taking prompt action.   Always give a good inspection to any used furniture, packages stored remotely for extended periods of time or large boxes for potential intruders.

Another group of pests not shy to show up in winter are "pantry pests", meal moths and other related species.   Like a roach, they can travel into your home via outside sources.   Keep an eye on dry goods such as flour and cereals, birdseed and other carbohydrate heavy food stuffs.   Also take quick action if you spot any webbing or larvae where you keep your food.

Finally, it is not unheard of to see ants, both Carpenter Ants and small ants (usually odorous house ants) during this season.   It will usually be the wetter parts of the home (kitchen sinks, bathrooms, and laundry rooms) where you will first notice them.

The cold temperatures are pushing some of last mice and rats indoors for more comfortable nesting.   This migration commonly happens throughout the fall, but recent cold is forcing the issue with those that had yet to seek warmer surroundings.   Often, after strong fall rains and winds, a few more entry points to structures have loosened and opened up.   It doesn’t take much space for a mouse or rate to squeeze through a gap.

This is an especially important time to keep floors and hidden areas clean of loose food.   Every rodent that survives through the winter is primed to start breading soon thereafter.   With their short gestation periods, quickness to maturity, and large litters, things can get quickly out of hand come spring.   So if you see any signs of intrusion, it is wise to take quick action right now and save yourself alot of money and headache in a few months.