When you’re relaxing at home with your family, the last thing you want to deal with is household pests. But for many families, keeping the pests out is one of the hardest things to do as a homeowner. Luckily, with a little planning and preparation, you can do things to prevent pests from entering your home.

To show you how this can be done with mice, here are three tips for keeping your home free of mice. 

Block Off Any Entry Points

If you see mice in your home, the first thing you should do when planning how to fix this situation is to find out how they’re getting into your home. 

According to Joseph D’Agnese, a contributor to This Old House, mice most commonly enter a home or other structure through the garage, basement, or the roof. Knowing this, these are the first areas that you should inspect for holes, cracks, or crevices where a mouse might be able to make its way in. Keep in mind, however, that mice can fit through even some of the smallest holes, so make sure you’re on the lookout for any small areas that you’ll need to fill so nothing can get through it. 

Make Any Food Inaccessible

Once you’ve made it impossible for mice to get into your home, the next thing you should do is make your home seem unappealing to any mice that might be in your area. 

To do this, you’ll want to remove any food that could be accessible to mice. As part of this, Beth Kaufman, a contributor to Good Housekeeping, recommends that you keep all of your food in airtight containers. Not only will this help to keep the smell of the food from drawing mice and other pests to your home, but airtight containers will also help to keep mice and other pests from getting into your food. And if there’s no food for the mice to eat, there’s less of a reason for them to come into your home and make it their home. 

Keep Your Home Clean

Because you’re going to be eating food at your house, you can’t always have your food stored in an airtight container. So when you are eating food, and after you’ve finished, Brian Kabell, a contributor to The Spruce, advises that you quickly clean up after yourself, especially if you drop any food crumbs. 

In addition to this, if you have pets, make sure you put their food away when they’re done rather than just leaving it on the floor for your animals and any other pests to easily get to. 

If you’re worried about mice getting into your home, consider using the tips mentioned above to help keep your home mouse-free.