Rodents are clever animals that love clutter, thrive in unkempt conditions (the more cluttered the better) and they are filthy – carrying many diseases. Mice and rats have great memory skills, if you have had rodents in your house before; you are likely to get more back. All rodents leave behind pheromones that tell the next generation of rats and mice that there was someone here before and it a safe to enter. One of the simplest ways to avoid getting them, or getting them back, is maintaining a clean, sanitary and tidy home. Believe me when I say, as easy as it is to attract rats and mice to your home, it’s just as easy to ward them off. Maintain a clean kitchen by storing dry foods in plastic containers and cleaning spills as it occurs. Bird feeders (rat feeders), fruit and nut bearing trees, growing vegetables all attract rodents to your yard. So maintain your garden regularly by picking up any fallen produce and cleaning up seeds or nuts you might see.