Post Punk Kitchen Forum

We have a never ending mouse problem in my house. We keep all dog food and treats stored in containers. For years, we have been using these, which claim to be rodent proof. And they've worked fine... until today, when I noticed that a mouse had chewed a hole in the door. Does anyone know of any guaranteed rodent proof containers? It doesn't have to be specifically for dog food, but it to be big enough to hold bags of food (my dad buys 50lb bags for his dog). They only thing I can think of is metal garbage cans, but I don't think we could fit those in the laundry room. The bins we have now worked well because they are stackable, so we have three stacked up and they fit fine. But obviously I don't want to get the same kind, because I don't want mice chewing on my dog's treats. (Out of all the bins, the mouse chewed into the one that holds Sable's vegan food. We apparently have a vegan mouse!)

So, basically I need something that is:

Rodent proof
Can hold up to 50 lbs of food
But doesn't take up tons of space/can be stacked

I'm wary of plastic containers now, because the ones we have seemed so sturdy, but the mouse still got through!

Anyone have any recommendations?

Two simple human trash cans for 25lbs food each can. Not stackable but they are tall and narrow with step on lids.

I use these "Vittles Vault" containers for dog food:

http://www.amazon.com/Vittles-Vault-STA ... B0002H3S5U

They are rodent-proof and the lid screws in to keep it air tight. The lid is nice and thick, I would think it would take a really really dedicated mouse to chew through it. I got mine at Cost-U-Less so they are probably available at Costco stateside.

you should contact the company to tell them they're not rodent proof. (maybe ask for a refund too.)

I would ask for a refund if I got them recently, but I've had them for over 10 years. I would think that is way too late for a refund. Maybe I will email them some pics of the chewed up door though, because they shouldn't advertise it as rodent-proof if it's not!

Mice find the smell of mint obnoxious. Spreading some mint around your dog food containers. Wrapping the containers in aluminum foil may also help. Mice find biting on foil to be obnoxious. Every accidentily chew the foil from a piece of gum? It is supposed to be many fold worse for mice.

Mice can squeeze through any hole as small/big as a dime. If you can, make an exterior inspection of your home and have someone seal all of the holes. If you can plant mint around your home.

Mice can also enter your home from the underground by crawling up the exterior of pipes that lead to your bathroom or kitchen sinks. Typically contractors leave a gap between such pipes and the wooden shelves/cabinets around them. It makes their repair and construction work easier. It also lets mice come up.

If you go to a big hardware store with a staff they can show you a shaving cream like foam you can use to spray into such gaps that will harden and seal those gaps. Many people recommend stuff steel wool into those gaps first as the mice will not even attempt to chew at the hardened foam as they find biting into steel wool obnoxious.