Doors without sweeps
If you can see light under a door, a mouse can see the way in.
Where to look
- Under every outside door: front, back, side and patio doors.
- Under the door from the garage into the house.
- Worn thresholds and the corners where the door meets the frame.
- Under a condo or apartment entry door from the hallway.
The rule of thumb: if a gap is about the width of your finger, a mouse can use it.
Why mice use it, and the common mistake
Why mice use it
Mice run along walls, and a door gap sits right on their route. Doors also get opened and closed constantly, which wears down soft sweeps fast.
Common DIY mistake
A soft foam or vinyl sweep alone. It wears down, and mice chew right through it.
The lasting fix
Close it with stainless steel or galvanized hardware cloth, or exterior-grade metal, sealed in with exterior-grade adhesives and sealants.
The lasting fix, step by step
Look for light
At night, turn on a light on one side of the door and check the other side for light showing at the bottom and corners.
Fit a rodent-resistant sweep
Install a door sweep with a metal or brush edge that closes the gap fully across the bottom.
Check the threshold
Adjust or replace a worn threshold so the door closes snug against it.
Close the corners
Make sure the weatherstripping meets the sweep at both bottom corners with no gap.
Test it
Open and close the door a few times to check it still swings freely and seals when closed.
The gap under your unit's entry door from the hallway counts too, and so do patio and balcony doors. Most of this work is inside your unit.
Materials
- Rodent-resistant door sweep with a metal or brush edge
- Threshold, if needed
- Screwdriver or drill, tape measure
Safety notes
- Keep doors working as exits. A sweep should never make a door hard to open in an emergency.
- In rentals and condos, check with your landlord or building manager before changing entry doors.
Before you seal the last gap
- Make sure nothing is still living inside. If mice are already in, set indoor snap traps along the walls as you seal, never as a substitute for sealing.
- Keep food, pet food and birdseed in sealed containers.
On a real house
Before photos from homes we’ve inspected, with the gap marked in highlighter.
BeforeDoor sweep: the bottom seal is worn down and there is a gap under the door. If light shows through, a mouse can too.
Want us to look at your house?Send photos from your walk-around and we'll send back a custom plan: each gap marked, what to seal it with, and in what order.
Mouse-proof my house