What smell will keep rats away? How do I get rid of rats naturally? Find out more in this rat extermination guide.

Rats are considered among the most detestable pests to have around. To compound the problem, they are known to be resilient and highly adaptable to any environment.

Also, not only do rats cause diseases, but they are also known to cause lots of damage.

Hence, this calls for drastic measures to be taken. This article is for you if you have a dead rat odor problem. Read on as we discuss practical ways to get rid of these rodents.

Why Is Rat Control Required?

Rats are considered pests for several reasons.

Two main reasons include the diseases they spread and the damage caused by them. These aren’t pleasant or tolerable conditions and require urgent action to rid your home of them.

For a better understanding of why rats need to be gotten rid of, let’s briefly discuss each of the above reasons;

  • Diseases Spread by Rats

Rats and other rodents are known to pass on diseases to humans from their activities.

Having these around can become unbearable since their activities are visible and audible. Such diseases are spread primarily from rat droppings and urine. Rats spread several diseases.

Such include Weil’s disease or Leptospirosis, rat-bite fever RBF, Salmonellosis, Plague, Tularemia, Lassa fever, and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.

Other diseases spread by rats include Omsk Hemorrhagic fever, Lymphocytic Chorio-Meningitis (LCM), Hemorrhagic fever with Renal Syndrome, and many other deadly diseases.

Given this, having a rat infestation poses a severe health threat to anyone.

  • Damages Caused by Rats

Besides the spread of various diseases, rats also cause many structural damage.

One of the most common includes chewing on electrical cables. This has been responsible for fires because wire insulation has been chewed off.

In addition to damaging electrical cables, rats chew on just about anything. These include papers (including essential documents), gnawing on furniture, etc.

Nothing is considered safe with rats, as they damage anything that can be chewed or gnawed. This creates a severe problem and the need to provide solutions, which this article is about urgently.

Signs of Rat Infestation

Rats try as much as possible to keep away from the site. This means you may not see them often. However, there are several signs of their activities.

Rats will always find something to chew on; chew and gnaw marks are left in their wake. One of the easiest ways to identify a rat infestation is by checking for droppings near food sources.

Rats don’t stray far from their nests. Hence, to identify if you are faced with a rat problem, inspect your home surroundings for any holes.

Finding a few or several of these are signs that rats are present.

Rat Prevention Strategies

Before we delve into ways to eliminate rats, adopting preventive measures is an effective strategy that checksmate rat activity. It is cost-effective and requires little effort to keep them at bay.

Note that rat prevention is only effective when there isn’t a case of infestation. It is also best applicable after extermination has been done. A few preventive actions include the following;

  • Eliminating all Food Sources

Rats target homes for one primary reason: Food! Therefore, you need to eliminate all likely food sources to eliminate them.

To do this, you should get a glass or metal container to keep your foodstuff. Plastic containers provide a temporary solution, as rats can chew through foods.

  • De-Clutter your Home

Rats love clutter. This provides them ample hiding places and serves as a breeding ground. Hence, to get rid of them, consider tidying up to create enough space and fewer hiding places for these rodents.

  • Cleaning and Emptying all Trash Properly

Rats are always on the lookout for food leftovers and crumbs. As long as there is constant supply, your home will remain inviting. A proper cleanup of the kitchen and dining areas is necessary.

This action eliminates all likely food sources. Trash should frequently be disposed of, and trash cans with well-fitted lids.

  • Plugging all Entry Points

Rats enter into homes through holes, openings, or cracks. These entry points need to be sealed up to prevent them from getting access to your home. Typically, homes have spaces that rats can use to gain entry.

Such include drainage ways, roofs, sewer pipes, and cracks or gaps in the wall. By blocking such entry points, you will effectively keep out roof rats.

  • Properly Stow Away Pet Food

Rats are also attracted by pet food. Such should be cleaned and stored adequately before going to bed. Rats are most active at night and will maintain their distance without motivation.

  • Keep your Yard and Garden Tidy

Your lawns and yard should be kept tidy at all times. Anything short of this will be an invitation to rats as they see such areas as perfect breeding grounds.

READ: Best Plant-Repellents For Rats

Through proper maintenance, you deny rats the chance of using your yard as a base from which to storm into your home.

How to Get Rid of Rats in the Walls, Rooms, and Basement

Getting rid of rats effectively depends on the strategy used. Several such systems can be adopted. We bring you some of the most effective ways to rid your home of rats. These include;

  • Calling in the Experts

Pest control professionals offer comprehensive rat extermination solutions for clients. There are several options you can choose from.

After choosing your preferred pest control service, the next step is to place a call. A pest control technician is sent to your property to conduct an inspection.

Several pest control services offer free inspection and quotes. Here is how much they charge on the average.

This option is mainly recommended for persons without experience or knowledge of rat control/extermination.

Pest technicians have significant experience and an understanding of rat behavior. This helps them locate the problem and choose the best treatment based on the circumstances.

  • DIY Methods

Besides calling a professional, most other methods of getting rid of rats are DIY methods. Hence, to regain control of your home, you can choose from any DIY methods.

FACT: Will mothballs keep rats away?

Each has been tested and found effective in combating rat infestation issues. An added advantage is combining one or more to achieve your aim.

These include;

Traps have been in use over the ages to control rat populations. These traps have seen a lot of improvements in their design and efficiency.

GUIDE: Lure Rats Out of Hiding

While most rat traps used in the early days were snap traps (still in use today), humane traps have been added for animal lovers.

Such traps are mostly catch-and-release and pose no harm to rats.

Some highly effective traps include the Harris Humane Mouse Trap, Mouse Rat Glue Trap, Trapro Humane Rat Trap, Hoont Powerful Electronic Rodent Trap, Rinne Traps Walk the Plank Trap, and Kat Sense Large Rat Traps, among many others. The traps mentioned above come with a detailed user guide.

Every instruction should be carefully read and followed to get the best results.

Rats have increasingly evolved to avoid traps or carefully chew on bait without stepping on the trigger plate. Yet, these traps continue to be effective against rats.

If a trap hasn’t been triggered, consider changing its location.

  • Rodenticides

Another way to get rid of rats is through the use of rodenticides. These are poisons which, when ingested by rats, lead to their sure death. However, this could be risky if you have kids or pets around. The best way to use rodenticides is with bait stations.

FACT: Will Salt Control Rats?

With bait stations, you do not need to worry about accidental contact as these are safely tucked away from easy reference from kids and pets.

When using rodenticides, you must know about secondary poisoning. This involves an animal eating a dead animal that has been poisoned. Hence, when disposing of a dead rat, you should do so correctly to avoid secondary poisoning.

  • Get a Cat

Cats are efficient predators and have been used for ages. Hence, whenever these are brought into the home, rats maintain their distance. If you are a pet lover (specifically a cat lover), this method should be second nature.

Many have found this strategy quite effective in getting rid of rats.

We have discussed how to get rid of rats by considering different ways this can be achieved. While tackling an existing rat infestation head-on is important by adopting any of the above strategies, preventive measures are equally necessary.

Even though prevention has been mentioned as effective in ridding rodents, it is only applicable before an infestation or after treatment.

In other words, an existing problem has to be fully contained before adopting preventive treatment.

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