i hit the basement a few years ago, with "great stuff" in a red can spray foam. it is a closed cell spray foam. that does not let air to go through it. and hit the seal plate all the way around the basement, were the concrete blocks, change over to lumber above ground. ya mice will chew through the stuff, but frankly i have not seen any sort of chewing. (better stuff to chew, vs the foam i guess). and do not make it into the house.
i had some insulation up in the basement ceiling, tore that stuff out, it was pretty bad, from mice droppings, to a few dead skeletons of mice.
i have switched over from cabinets and drawers, to more of a open system. wire racks, and hang stuff. much like a store hangs stuff on hangers for ya grab what ever off the hooks. and keep any sort of "piles" down to a min, to one or two places, the desk in shed, and counter in house, and one shelving unit down stairs. no really easy way to deal with some stuff. i have done my best, to remove any hiding spots, and /or closed in small spaces. were a mouse might want to make a nest.
if mowing is not done, as in. instead of mowing a couple acres around the house and sheds. just very min is done. (let the side yards go, and back yard go behind the sheds. the tall weeds breed mice. if they do get mowed, there is so much regular short grass. that the mice really have to run for there little lives. or some predator (hawk, owl, cats, etc...) will more likely nail them. before they get to safety, is the way i figure it.
i have torn out bushes right next to house. to help remove bird droppings, and hiding places for mice. between there running for there lives conquests that they do.
i hang the fish food from a chain hook (spare food), and place other fish food in a plastic kitchen container.
pup's dog food goes into a garbage can set aside just for there food.
i use to put some straw bails up against pump room on house. and have switched over to hard board insulation in winter. ((one corner of the house that gets heaviest and coldest of winds)), still needs to be redone. (on the never ending todo list)
redid vent pipe for cloths dryer. to make sure for a good a tight fit.
door seals checked and made sure are good. more to keep the bloody wind out more than anything. along with calcking if need be in a couple areas. around doors and and basement windows.
spray foamed (great stuff in red can), between basement and main floor, sub flooring (plywood) so mice could not crawl between the 2 areas around noocks and crannies.
*shrugs* maybe something above might ring a bell or two for ya. and ya might be able to track down were the source of the problem is coming from. though at times it seems like a never ending battle.
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but like normal, as soon as i gloat about it, i will have a mouse jump across the living room floor as the pups try to catch it. and will bring out the bucket trap for about a week, catch any were from 3 to a couple dozen in a first couple days. and never see them again. but...i hate it when i see moma's though, with there teets. baby mice just waiting to come out, so it means another week to 2 weeks with the bucket trap. they gotta get old enough to move around, and venture out, before they get trapped. and hope all female mice were trapped and killed.
