Mice are attracted to a variety of things, including food, warmth, shelter, and nesting materials. Here are some specific things that attract mice:

• Food: Mice prefer a diet of grains, seeds, and fruits, essentially anything high in carbohydrates. They also go for high-fat, high-protein, high-sugar foods like lard, butter, bacon, grease, chocolate, and dried fruit. To prevent mice from being attracted to food in your home, store food in airtight containers and clean up spills and crumbs promptly.

• Warmth: Mice seek warmth, especially in the late fall when temperatures start dropping. They can detect the warmth of a building through wall openings and use that as an invitation to let themselves in. To prevent mice from being attracted to warmth in your home, seal any openings in walls, floors, and foundations.

• Shelter: Mice are looking for a safe and warm place to build their nests, and your home offers the perfect environment. They will build their nests in walls, attics, basements, and even in furniture like sofas and mattresses. To prevent mice from being attracted to shelter in your home, seal any openings in walls, floors, and foundations, and keep clutter to a minimum.

• Nesting materials: Good nesting materials are also very inviting to mice, especially things like cotton, old newspapers, dental floss, and feathers. To prevent mice from being attracted to nesting materials in your home, keep clutter to a minimum and store items in lidded plastic tubs and tote boxes.

To keep mice away from your home, its important to eliminate the things that attract them. This can be done by storing food in airtight containers, sealing any openings in walls, floors, and foundations, keeping clutter to a minimum, and using odors that mice abhor, such as peppermint, to deter them.