Dept. of Mice

[kaffy_r]

Now and Forever?

I certainly hope not. And yet, when I got up this morning and started to clean the kitchen, I found mouse droppings. Yay. We figure we have to pull out the stove's lower drawer to access the floor and the wall behind it, since we're pretty sure the mice are getting into our place from the outside somewhere in that area. 

I'd bet Bob that we'll find no baseboards behind the stove, but it's too obviously a bad bet. We're going to keep an eye on the kitchen counters near the stove for a day or so to see how bold the little buggers are. If it's little to no action, then we'll wait. But if we spot their leavings, then it's time to do the inspection. Which, of course, I'm not looking forward to, especially since we can't really use the foam barrier spray near the stove. Oven heat could end up releasing toxic or potentially toxic fumes, and so we're going to have to buy a whole lot more steel wool. It's going to be a mess. 

*wanders away, grumbling*

Comments

[chez_jae]

I tend to get mice in my house via the behind-the-stove area. I know this, because I've seen my cats lunge back there and come out with a mouse.

[kaffy_r]

Yep. And since the stove is up against what's essentially an outdoor wall (it backs up on our back door stairwell, which is as good as outside), potential mouse entryways via that area is probable. Sigh.

[lilacsigil]

I still can't get over the lack of baseboards wherever they could get away with it!

[kaffy_r]

I'm with you. Putting in baseboards is something they could have done easily, but they were either in a hurry to finish their "rehab" and get out of Dodge with the money they made, or they were cheapskates, or both.