I’ve done a lot of exclusion work over the years for rats and mice and this can be a very effective way in which to seal out rodents for a very long time. There are however places in every home where it is almost impossible to completely ‘proof’ an area where these crafty critters can’t get in. Garage doors no matter how modern always leave a gap in the corners for entry, holes drilled for cable or plumbing lines, unsealed walk through doors, under the siding or stucco and the list goes on and on. Sealing the obvious is a great first step but sometimes even the best rodent proofing job can’t give you 100% guarantee that a mouse or rat won’t make it’s way in.
For most people baiting or trapping vermin is not a problem but I still say why not just let the experts handle it . That said, a well placed and secured bait station or trap offers peace of mind that if a rodent does enter he won’t be around long enough to cause any problems. Sometimes however the client simply can’t have baits or traps around due to risks or preferences they have in their home. For these folks there is an alternative which seems to fit the bill. For the founder and CEO it almost never happened as she was blocked at almost every turn.
Fresh Cab was invented by Kari Warberg Block in the 90’s after her farm in North Dakota was invaded by mice. Determined to find an alternative to poisons this entrepreneur set out to learn all she could about rodents and create a product that would do the trick of chasing mice and rats away but not pose any risk to humans. Her quest took almost a decade to achieve and jumping through the bureaucratic hoops to get the all important EPA approval number was a huge task in itself. At one point with almost all her ducks in a row she was hit with a blockade by our all powerful yet clueless Federal Government because her invention of an ‘all natural’ deterrent was deemed a “bio-pesticide” and fell
under the FIFRA ( Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act ) which meant BIGGER hoops to jump through and of course money, lots of money. ($2,000,000.00 smackers is what they wanted- I just love our blockhead leaders) In the end and at great expense she had to get approved in each state individually and I’m sure there were times when she just wanted to give up but her passion kept her going.
Now I’m not one for the ‘organic movement’ mainly because of the hypocrisy and fear that is put out by militants in that group but I do applaud Ms. Block and her story is inspiring. No where in her blog or web site do I find that she trashes traditional methods but like so many of the pest professionals, she wants us all to take care. The product she created is basically a sensory blocker using all natural products so her goal was achieved. Rodents depend heavily on their sense of smell and Fresh Cab blocks this. The tiny critters go into a panic mode much like you or I would if we suddenly lost our sight. Without this all important sensory organ working properly the vermin quickly leave the area.
Fresh Cab is good for about 90 days once you put it out and can be used anywhere you don’t want rats or mice to be. Garages, attics, crawl spaces, cars, boats, airplanes, etc. etc. etc. It’s a great add on to anyone whose gone to the trouble of sealing up their home or has situations where this just isn’t practical. As far as I can tell this product is available on line as well as some stores like Ace hardware. You might scoff at that price cause just like most pest control products it’s more than a couple of bucks. Just remember however the price Ms. Block paid just to get this product to you and I. When it seemed everything was against her and the mountain was insurmountable, she pushed ahead despite the odds and that’s why I wish her the best and that Fresh Cab will truly be a Blockbuster just as she is.
