Even in the most pet-friendly house, there are still a few creatures that should never be welcomed inside. Mice, rats, and other rodents carry boatloads of unwanted germs and have the potential to thoroughly freak the wife out should she happen to meet one face-to-face. Not only are they gross, but they can also wreck havoc on pet food supplies and create unwanted odors that linger around the house. But rather than calling an exterminator, see if your own manly instincts and arsenal of tools can get the job done. It will save some hard earned cash and lets face it, you’re way too smart of a guy to be outsmarted by a rat.

• If You Build It: …they will come. If you leave it out…they will eat it. Seems pretty basic but the number one way to keep pests out is to not give them a reason to come around in the first place. Things such as cabinets filled with crumbs and food left out on the counter are prime targets for our furry enemies to attack. Dog food, as well, is an easy objective for most rodents, so keeping it in the garage and in an airtight bin is a key step in keeping the chow in and the mice out.
• The Traditional Trap: It’s the oldest trick in the book, but rodents can’t seem to evolve fast enough to figure it out. Eons after the spring-loaded contraptions have been introduced, mice and rats still seem eager as ever to risk their lives in the pursuit of that small wedge of cheese. Modern traps are durable, can be used over and over, and are designed so that you can discard the intruder without having to touch it yourself. Just watch those fingers when putting them in place and make sure to keep kids and pets away from areas where they could accidentally trigger the traps.
• Shocking Developments: Though traditional traps are cheaper and still very effective, modern electric traps are more kid friendly and don’t look as terrible laying around the house. Using an electric shock rather than a spring-loaded lever to neutralize the tango, these newer traps have the added benefit of concealing the rodents after they’re caught rather then leaving them out in plain view for every body to see.
• Closing Time: Though we all hope that rodents never really come, if you do have to deal with an infestation, one of the most important steps is cleaning up properly. The first step is to let all affected areas ventilate so that airborne particles have a chance to clear out. Next, any mouse droppings or debris should be removed carefully using a set of gloves, and a bleach and water mixture should be applied to the area to eliminate any lingering germs. They may be cute in movies, but mice and rats carry all sorts of unfriendly diseases and when it comes to the well being of you and the ones you love, twenty minutes of cleanup is a small price to pay to keep everyone safe.

TIP: Use WD-40® Multi-Use Product to lubricate mousetrap mechanisms to keep them running smooth.  Of course, be careful when doing so – mousetraps have been known to make accessories to black and blue fingers.