Some of the most common entry points for mice entering your home include where outside utility pipes or wires come in, if there’s any rot or deterioration of your home’s siding or if there are cracks along the foundation. Take the time to do an inspection outside your home to see if you have any of these and seal them up. One thing you can do if you think a mouse is entering your home through an entry point is sprinkle baby powder on the ground; if you see tracks, that’s an entry point that needs to be sealed up.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

If you’re battling to keep hungry squirrels from completely emptying your bird feeder, the nonprofit Humane Society of the United States has a solution. One of the key ways to stop squirrel poaching is to hang your feeder from a tree branch with a wire that’s at least 10 feet long. They’ve estimated that length makes it nearly impossible for squirrels to maneuver down the wire. You also should hang the feeder at least 8 feet away from the trunk of the tree or other structures from which they can leap. If you can find the perfect spot that meets these measurements, you should be good to go.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Weird but true: Your kid’s favorite beverage can actually clean your toilet. The citric acid in orange-flavored beverage mixes is strong enough to break down stains inside a toilet bowl. Just sprinkle the contents of the powdered beverage packet (the sugar-free kind) inside the bowl. Swirl it with a toilet brush so the powder dissolves, and keep the family dog from drinking it. Let it sit for a few hours or overnight, and voila! You’ll have a sparkling clean toilet!

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION