Having a grill makes your spare time totally different, as well as cooking. It is so great to spend an evening with family or friends, grilling juicy steaks and having fun in your garden or on the lawn in summer!
However, quite many grill owners often complain about having mice in their grills! Those pesky rodents somehow manage to squeeze through and cause damage to the appliance. Sometimes they even manage to make nests!
Of course, nobody wants to have mice in their grills! This is why the issue of keeping mice out of your grill is often a top concern for many homeowners. And if you are one of them, this article will be very useful for you to read.
We will explain to you how to keep mice out of your grill. You will get a detailed guide and tips that will help you keep your grill properly protected from these small creatures.
In addition, you will find out what attracts mice to our BBQs, and what methods and products you can use yo keep sneaky rodents away from your cooking appliance.
With these easy DIY mice repellents and life hacks, your bbq will be safe and sound!
Keeping Mice Out Of Grill? Easily!
For sure, nobody wants to find mice in a barbecue grill, and the easiest (as well as the most obvious) advice that can be given sounds like this: if you don’t want mice in your barbecue grill, then do your best to not give them a single reason to go there!
Sounds like it makes sense, but how is it possible to do this?
In fact, there are several ways. We have a few easy options that can be used if you need to keep mice as far away from your grill as possible.
These tips are easy to follow and they will not take you much time. And if you apply all of them together, chances are very high that you will never see a mouse or even the signs of its presence in or around your grill.
Keep Your Grill Clean
This is the simplest and the most obvious recommendation. If you want to keep anything dirt and pests-free, you need to keep this thing clean all the time.
Speaking of grills, this is the scent of food that attracts mice, not to mention other unwanted pests (some people even report rats seen around their grills!).
This is why, if you want to solve the problem, you just need to get rid of those savory grilled food bits from your bbq grate. Sometimes, even such a simple procedure is enough for keeping mice away.
Of course, cleaning your grill is easier said than done. Nobody wants to clean their grill, right? We just want to cook delicious food and eat it! But there is actually the best grill cleaning method we have found for you!
For electric grills, heat up the grill for 15 minutes prior to cooking. Also, you can use a wire brush along with the grates immediately after cooking to loosen and remove any remaining food. In addition, removing debris and food leftovers while the BBQ is still hot requires less time and effort!
Plus, when the food has been charred into ash, the rodents will not be attracted to the scent of it.
Close Off Any Access to Keep Mice Out
You might think that mice and other rodents (like rats) attack your BBQ because they are attracted by the source of free food. However, rodents may end up in your grill not only because they are searching for food. They also want to find a place to nest!
So, how do you stop mice from nesting in your grill? Make it difficult to crawl in.
Use a Grill Cover
You can use a grill cover that has an elastic bottom, for example. Such a cover will be able to secure tightly around the base of your barbecue, thus making it impossible for intruders to crawl in.
Of course, this type of grill cover is not exactly a rodent-proof one, however, this may be the only thing you need to keep mice from accessing your BBQ.
Secure the Access Points
If you have an enclosed built-in barbecue, you can prevent pests and rodents from entering the gas grill by securing the access points. Environmental Pest Control recommends using steel wool to secure all holes and vents since they are the entryways that mice typically use to crawl through.
That said, they point out that you must remove the steel wool before grilling again because it is highly flammable.
As an alternative option, some people make use of non-flammable copper mesh. What is a copper mesh, you may ask? Copper mesh is a material that is made of copper wires that are woven together into a screen.
You can easily cut the material with scissors to divide it into several pieces of the needed size.
In addition, the copper mesh has two more benefits we should mention:
- It will not rust
- Rodents will not be able to chew through the mesh
- You can use it in multiple places (in addition to your outdoor grill) and cover large gaps, as well as smaller holes
All these features mean that you can successfully use copper mesh as long-term rodent protection permanently.
Keep Mice Away from the Grill With Natural Repellent
If you have a free-standing barbecue grill that has too many openings to plug, be aware that mice can use those plugs as entry points to get to your BBQ! The best solution for this case may be a repellent.
However, since our grills get into direct contact with our food, it makes sense to use all-natural rodent repellents. Like this, non-chemical products will protect your BBQ from unwanted visitors and still keep the appliance safe to use for making food.
For example, you can opt for the natural scent pouches that repel mice. The non-toxic, no-mess ingredients these pouches are made of keep rodents away and work best in enclosed spaces.
And even if you have a BBQ grill cover, using such a repellent would be a good idea.
See, mice can usually crawl through the base and then make a comfortable home for nesting! This is why these natural repellents will work as extra protection. Besides, they can be used not only for grills but also on decks, in gazebos, and around hot tubs!
How to Get Rid of Mice In a Barbecue?
Why do mice get attracted to your BBQ again and again? Simply because the grill is the ideal place for them to nest! It’s warm, and it is the source of food! What else could they desire?
However, since mice and other rodents often carry various diseases, you must keep them away from your BBQ, by all means, to eat safely! The following steps will help you make your grill a less attractive place for these creatures to make their home:
- Thoroughly clean the BBQ after each use.
- Burn off any remaining food.
- Cover your grill with a zipper cover during the winter and when it’s not in use.
- Eliminate nesting areas and food sources.
- Get rid of newspapers, cardboard, and clutter that mice can nest with.
- Close all vents and block holes of the grill for the winter.
This way, you will make it harder for mice to construct a home under your grill.
How to Clean the Brazier After the Invasion of Rodents?
As a grill owner, you should keep your cooking appliance clean and safe to use all the time. If you have recently had a mice infestation, cleaning and sanitizing your grill is a must for making it safe to eat on again! To do this, follow several simple steps:
- Disassemble the grill.
- Scrape off burned debris, mice feces, and hair from the grill
- Do the same with burning grates, heat shields, and valves
- Wash the grill parts with the hose to remove any leftover debris
- Apply a degreaser to the grill and its parts
- Allow the degreaser to sit for a while, and scrub and wipe the grill clean.
- Wash the grill and its parts with the hose. again
- Wash the grill and the parts with the solution of 1 gallon of soapy water and 1/4 cup of white vinegar.
- Rinse the grill and wipe it down with a lint-free cloth.
Now you know about the most effective and cost-friendly ways that can help you cope with mice and other rodents that pay regular visits to your outdoor grill. However, even if you manage to get rid of them, it is good to know why these small animals are so attracted to this appliance.
What Makes Mice Attracted to Your Grill?
Have you ever wondered about this? Why do mice and other rodents keep on attacking your grill no matter how you try to keep them away from it? Is it only because they are craving food? Well, yes and no. But let us explain it to you in a more detailed way.
Of course, mice come to our homes in search of food first of all. And if they don’t find it in our trash bins, they start searching for any crumbs and food leftovers around the property. And since quite many of us are too lazy to clean our grills regularly, these pesky creatures find what they need in our grills.
However, food is not the only yummy that attracts rodents like a magnet! Your grill is a real eldorado for a rodent, especially in winter. A small mouse can find shelter under the grill cover (if you use it) or even use a grill body as wind protection.
And of course, delicious grease and burned food bits left there will be the most desired meal for any rodent, especially when there is no food around.
However, having rodents in a grill is a huge problem! Of course, when there are mice or other rodents in your BBQ, it is really gross. However, the problem is also that they will leave their droppings and urine all over the place including the cooking surfaces.
Rodent feces and urine can be dangerous and can carry multiple diseases that are harmful to humans!
Such a scenario is highly unwanted even if mice simply pass by to chew on some food crumbs and grease. However, if they decide to stay and make a nest, this means having a mice infestation!.
A Few DIY Mice Detergents That Can Help You Protect the Grill
Of course, deterrents can be used only as extra help and they should never be used as the major method for keeping rodents away from your grill!
So make sure that your grill is thoroughly and regularly cleaned, check it for any mice traces (like feces or nests) regularly, especially after the long winter, and in addition, make use of the following homemade remedies that will help you keep these creatures away.
Traps
You can use traps either to catch or kill mice. However, if you live in a rural area or back on to a wooded/wild area, you may not be able to significantly reduce the mice population by trapping. Nevertheless, if you decide to use traps, consider that they come in several types.
- Live mouse traps can be used to catch and release
- Mouse snap traps are the typical everyday mouse traps
- Mouse glue traps
Scents
If traps don’t sound like a good idea to you, you can opt for a less aggressive method by using scents that rodents hate!
These are placed in the grill box while not in use, or under the grill, if your BBQ is enclosed to make it uncomfortable for the mice to be in your BBQ.
Another good thing about using the scents is that you can choose the one that works better than others since there are several that can be used:
- Commercial mouse repellent that can be purchased online or through your local hardware store
- Cloves (mice hate these!). But you do need enough for the scent to get through the entire BBQ!
- Mothballs. These also work, but they will stink up your BBQ, and they are toxic gas. Maybe not the best way for your though…
- Camphor (this one is flammable so be careful)
- Cat fur. If you don’t have a cat, ask a friend or a neighbor for some after their cat gets their next brushing
- 100% peppermint oil
Poison
Poison is an approved and reliable way to get rid of mice, but it may (or may not) be viable in your location. It will depend on the overall environment, other animals, kids, etc.
You will want to be very careful when using poison to reduce your rodent infestation!
We recommend you pay a visit to your local hardware store or contact an exterminator to discuss mouse or rat poison use in your household. Like this, you will know for sure whether it can be considered an option for you, and how to use it safely.
Ultrasonic Pest Control
Speaking of this option, you can find different opinions regarding its efficiency. Some people swear by it, some think it doesn’t work. Anyway, you can try this option out as well, but we would still suggest you pair it with another, more reliable method (e.g. traps, scents, poison, etc.).
Like this, now you know what you can do in order to keep mice and other rodents away from your grill. These creatures are known for their ability to squeeze into the tiniest holes and cracks, so for sure, finding a way into your grill will hardly be difficult for them.
Nevertheless, you are now aware of several methods that can help you effectively fight mice invasion and keep your BBQ protected. Of course, even the strongest protection will not help if your grill is dirty with the leftovers of burned food and grease inside!
So make sure that you clean it first to remove everything that might be attractive to mice. And only then can you make use of the protective measures that we provided you with.
Conclusion
Like this, now you know what you can do in order to keep mice and other rodents away from your grill. These creatures are known for their ability to squeeze into the tiniest holes and cracks, so for sure, finding a way into your grill will hardly be difficult for them.
Nevertheless, you are now aware of several methods that can help you effectively fight mice invasion and keep your BBQ protected. Of course, even the strongest protection will not help if your grill is dirty with the leftovers of burned food and grease inside!
So make sure that you clean it first to remove everything that might be attractive to mice. And only then can you make use of the protective measures that we provided you with.
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