Mice in the Garage and the Car: Indianapolis Rodent Control

An attached garage is the front porch for mice in an Indianapolis winter. It's sheltered and a little warmer than outside, and it's usually full of stuff: bird seed, grass seed, pet food, cardboard boxes and a car that's been sitting. Mice move in, and from the garage they find their way into the house.

Cars that sit through the winter get it worst. Purdue Extension notes that mice damage appliances by chewing wiring and insulation, and engine compartments are no different. People find nests in the cabin air filter box, the engine bay and the trunk, and sometimes a dashboard light shows up because a wire got chewed.

Signs in the Garage

Look along the walls and on shelves for droppings, and check:

• Chewed bags of bird seed, pet food or grass seed
• Nesting material in boxes, coolers or a stored kayak
• A nest under the hood or in the air filter housing
• Droppings in the trunk or on the floor mats
• Gnawed corners at the bottom of the garage door

Fixing the Garage

Start with the door. A garage door bottom seal wears and shrinks, and the corners often leave a gap a mouse walks right through. Replace the seal and add side seals if needed. Close gaps where the garage meets the house wall and where pipes pass through. Store seed and pet food in metal cans with lids, and get boxes up on shelves. Entry point sealing covers the rest.

Protecting a Car That Sits

Take it out for a run now and then if you can, and pop the hood every couple of weeks. Keep the garage clear of food. Snap traps along the walls near the car help, placed where kids and pets can't reach them. If you find chewed wires, have a mechanic look before you take a long trip. A provider can trap and seal the garage, and the mechanic handles the car.

Related services: Mouse Control, Deer Mouse and Field Mouse Control, Entry Point Sealing

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