How Do I Eliminate Mice From a Garage?

Consumer Reports and extension sources consistently flag the garage-door gap as the prime entry point for rodents; most roll-up doors leave a gap wide enough for a mouse to walk through, especially as the bottom seal wears down. Add or replace the weather stripping along the bottom, inspect the vertical seals on the sides of the door, and seal gaps around any windows and side doors while you're at it.

Birdseed, pet food, and grass seed are exactly the calorie-dense, easy-access food mice look for, and bags are no barrier — move all of it into sealed metal or hard-plastic containers with tight lids. Don't store food-waste trash in the garage, and clean up any spilled seed or kibble promptly.

Cardboard boxes, stacked newspaper, and general clutter aren't just storage to a mouse — they're nesting material and cover from predators. Get items off the floor onto shelving where possible, and switch long-term storage from cardboard to sealed plastic bins, which mice can't shred into nesting material.

Pack any ¼-inch or larger gaps around windows, vents, and utility penetrations with steel wool and caulk, and screen vents. Set snap traps flush against the walls where mice actually travel — not in the open middle of the garage — to remove any mice already present, and check them regularly.