You can't use steel wool on its own because the mice will be able to pull it out or chew through it. The caulking compound makes the patch surface smooth so the mice can't get through it. You may want to try copper wool instead of steel wool for several reasons.
There is nothing in steel wool that repels mice. However, it will keep them from getting into cracks and crevices in your home.
Can mice chew through steel wool? Yes, but they choose not to in most instances because a steel wool bundle has sharp edges that are abrasive to their nose. The problem is, oftentimes, they will grab the bundle with their feet and pull it out of a sealed opening. Cause for concern.
Use stainless steel wool grade MEDIUM so that mice, rats and other rodents do not make them larger. Make sure that, in addition to looking for holes in your walls, you also check electrical and plumbing entrances, doors, gutters, vents and chimneys for rodent access.
Medium-grade steel wool is the best to keep them away. This is because it's thick enough to make it nearly impossible for mice to chew through but flexible enough that you can bend it to fit into holes. Steel wool comes in coarse, medium, and fine.
Steel wool when placed in the entrances/exits where mice frequent will deter them from passing through. The steel wool will block the entrance, causing mice to try and chew their way through.
To keep rodents such as mice and rats out effectively, it's crucial to use the right materials. These pests are able to chew through wood, plastic and even some types of sealants, but woven wire mesh is a barrier that they will not be able to penetrate.
Don't use steel wool on plastic surfaces or food storage containers—these will easily scratch up and make for breeding grounds for food stains and bacteria. For cleaning these bins, stick with warm soap and water.
Yes, a variety of pests (including rats) can chew through walls. Mice, rats, squirrels, and raccoons are known for their ability to chew their way through wood, drywall, plaster, and other building materials.
Seal any holes you find to stop rodents from entering. Fill small holes with steel wool. Put caulk around the steel wool to keep it in place or use spray foam. Use lath screen or lath metal, cement, hardware cloth, or metal sheeting to fix larger holes.
Rats and mice can crawl through very small spaces (under doors, into crevices, etc.) and when they can't fit, then they simply gnaw and chew their way through.
Peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, pepper and cloves.
Mice are said to hate the smell of these. Lightly soak some cotton balls in oils from one or more of these foods and leave the cotton balls in places where you've had problems with mice.
Mice hate the sound and smell of aluminum foil.
They also can't grip onto it, despite generally being good climbers. If you want to use aluminum foil to keep mice away naturally, wrap it around the objects you want to protect. Mice will avoid them completely.
STUF-FIT Copper mesh works better than steel wool because of the way that it is woven, making it difficult for rodents to chew through. A small amount of STUF-FIT Copper mesh placed in weepholes, vents, A/C pipe entrances, etc. that are smaller than 2" will help to keep rodents and birds out.
Wear suitable dust masks as finer grades of Wire Wool products may produce airborne dust particles. outer carton minor changes in atmospheric conditions will be absorbed by the carton.
So if you keep your steel wool pads in the freezer, they'll last basically forever — and certainly stay rust-free until your next big mess.
Surfaces Mice Cannot Climb
Some of the most common surfaces that they can't climb include: Smooth plastic. Smooth metal. Smooth and glazed wood.
Young mice can squeeze through a 5 mm gap, sneaking in to spaces as small as a pencil width. Mice are able to jump up to about 24 cm high, which is quite a feat, considering their average size is between 3 and 10 cm.
Strong and durable, mice teeth cause a great deal of damage in homes. A mouse can chew through wood, plastic, soft vinyl, rubber and even low gauge aluminum or fiberglass-based screening.
In fact, expanding foam products have been developed that bond to most common building materials while also including an olfactory deterrent to help prevent pest incursion. One such foam is specially formulated to block mice, birds, bats, tree squirrels, and other pests such as ants, roaches, and spiders.
Mice can be kept away by using the smells of peppermint oil, cinnamon, vinegar, citronella, ammonia, bleach, and mothballs.
Don't use steel wool in weep holes
Just like many weep hole mesh products, steel wool is far too dense and thick to allow for proper drainage and ventilation meaning you hinder the very function that these holes serve.