Spiders and bugs and mice…oh my! Nobody likes these unwelcome visitors in their home. The same goes for your storage unit. Keeping them out of your home is pretty easy; you can have the exterminator come on a regular schedule, you can put traps out and even get a pet cat or two to do some hunting for you. But, you are probably wondering how you can keep the out of your storage unit. You certainly can’t keep a cat in there! Don’t worry; we are here to help!
Keep Pests Out of Your Self Storage Unit
There are several steps you can take to greatly reduce the likelihood of having these pests in your storage unit:
- First, be proactive when you are packing your items to take to the storage unit. Plastic containers with lids that seal tightly are a good idea. Mice cannot chew through them, and they are great for stacking.
- Never pack food items. For one thing, it violates the terms of the rental agreement you signed with, Contain Your Stuff Penticton. For another, that is just a bad idea – you may as well put it on a plate with a napkin and a sign that says, “Hey mice, this is for you. Come and get it!”
- Wrap your sofa, chairs and mattresses in plastic. That way, if one of those critters does decide to visit your unit, it will be walking on the plastic and not all over your furniture. In case you didn’t know this, as mice walk they leave a trail of urine everywhere they go…pretty nasty!
- When you are loading your items into the moving truck, be sure you are not taking any unwelcome passengers along for the trip. Give your boxes, totes, furniture and appliances a perfect once over and make sure they are free of critters.
Now that the truck is loaded and ready to go, take the time to gather a few weapons that will help you deter spiders, bugs and mice from your storage unit. You can grab some bug spray, mousetraps or poison. Or you can grab some peppermint oil, a spray bottle and cotton balls. You can spray the cotton balls with the peppermint oil and stick them inside drawers, boxes and so on to keep the critters away while your stuff is in storage.
Great job preparing ahead of time! Now that you have been proactive in the packing of your items, the loading of the truck and packing your weapons of choice to deter spiders, bugs and mice, what should you do when you arrive at your storage unit?
When You Arrive
First thing you should do when you arrive at your storage unit is open the door and look inside. Make sure the unit is swept. Look around the walls and door to see if there is any evidence of rodent or spider activity. The storage unit should be clean and ready for you to move your stuff right in.
Before you place anything inside the unit, get your weapons ready:
- You can spray the walls, floor and ceiling of the unit with the bug spray to give it a good barrier right from the start.
- Place mouse bait or traps inside the unit, near the door and also in the back corner if you have a large unit. If you choose this method, you will need to stop back at your unit regularly and check the traps for any mice you may have caught and empty them (yuck).
- Another option would be the peppermint oil. Peppermint oil is a natural deterrent to mice and spiders and will make your unit and items smell much nicer than mothballs. To use peppermint oil, take the peppermint oil and place a few drops of the oil on a cotton ball and place the cotton ball at any hole or crack that you think a mouse could enter the unit. You should also place the peppermint oil cotton balls right inside the door on the left and right side. For the spiders, take your spray bottle and fill it with two teaspoons of peppermint oil and one cup of water. Replace the spray bottle lid and shake. Spray along the bottom of the walls, along the sides and the back. After you have everything inside the unit, spray the front of the unit before you close the door. Mice and spiders will steer clear of your unit because they do not like the smell of peppermint. You can repeat this process as the seasons change to keep it most effective.
As you can see, these are some really easy and inexpensive ways to keep out all the creepy crawlies.
As an added layer of protection, we have an exterminator visit our location on a regular schedule year-round to spray around the around all the storage units. We also keep bait boxes around to catch any pests that still wonder onto the property. If we both do our part, we can keep pests of your storage unit. The last thing you want is to find a nest of mice inside grandma’s antique velvet couch!
If you need a storage unit and you are ready to tackle these tips right away, stop in our rental office or give us a call. You can also reserve a unit or contact us for more information.
