Rodent Control: How To Get Rid Of Mice And Rats In Your House

Are you worried about mice and rats damaging your house’s wirings, infesting your pantry, and causing diseases in the family? Preventing rats from coming inside the house is the best way to control them. But, if they’re already infesting your house, everything you need to know about getting rid of rats will be discussed in this article. 

Tips To Getting Rid Of Mice And Rats

Rats are small animals but can result in big trouble when left to contaminate. They can cause structural damages to your walls and other building materials, chew on electrical wires and can cause fires, ruin furniture, rip out cushions, damage books, create squeaking noises when you’re asleep, and nest in your house that can increase your risk for rat diseases. It will surely be a disaster to have them in your house, so it’s best to get rid of them.

Here are some of the tips you can use:

Seal The Gaps

Rats look for food and a place to live that can give them warmth. So, they will make their way in through the tiny holes inside your house to avoid cold temperatures. They can be found in holes or even cracks in your walls, ceilings, and other places as they can fit in. And that’s a lot of space, considering that their sizes range from 12 cm to 50 cm. To prevent them from infiltrating your home, seal gaps that can fit their size. Look all over your house and use wood or any item that can close off the holes.

Don’t Leave Any Leftover Food

The food that you ordered last night might still be on your table. Although you can still eat them in the morning, it invites rodents over since they are constantly looking for food. Rats have a good sense of smell that helps them locate all kinds of food. It’s best to keep your leftovers in a sealed container in a pantry or inside your refrigerator where they can’t give off their scent to attract pests.

Also, don’t keep fresh produce for too long. Meats, vegetables, and fruits rot easily and produce an odor that can attract rats. Check your food supply daily and sort out the rotten ones. 

Maintain Cleanliness

Crumbs of food that you and your family ate can still be lying on the floor. Food that’s easily accessible is a great invitation for rodents to come into your house. Maintain the cleanliness of your house by vacuuming bits of food on the floor and the sofa and cleaning your table. You’ll also need to take care of your trash and properly seal it in a container where pests can’t get through. If you have no time to do a deep cleaning, there are cleaning services you can hire. 

Make Sure Your Garden Is In Order

Don’t just focus on the inside of your house. Look outside too. No matter how clean your house is, if there are potential hazards lurking in your backyard and garden, pests will still find their way to pester you. Once you’ve left your house door open, they can come in and cause havoc.

Set Up Traps

One of the oldest and best ways to get rid of rats is to use traps. You can use the classic wooden snap traps, bait traps, multiple-capture live traps, and glue traps. Place them in locations that rats will most likely run to, such as the kitchen and near the holes in the house. Use multiple traps instead of one to increase your chances of catching them.

For baits, use the food the rodent has been eating in your home or their favorite food like sweets, peanut butter, dried fruits, and hazelnut spread. It helps if you secure the bait so that the mouse will not get away with it, you can use a glue gun or tie it with a string of floss. Replace the bait with fresh food every day or even after two days.

Use Natural Deterrents

Natural ingredients have strong odors that rats don’t like. Some of these ingredients are peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and garlic cloves. You can place them on the exterior of your house to prevent rodents from entering inside. You can also put some of the ingredients near the holes in your house so the rats will be discouraged from coming back to your home.

Get A Cat

Cats can be considered effective pest exterminators. They can hunt rats and birds. They use their sharp teeth and claws and keen sense of smell and sight when hunting. They have three strategies to get rid of rats – ambushing, stalking, pouncing, and fishing. 

Call Professionals

If rats live in your walls and ceilings and you can’t get rid of them, it’s best to contact professional pest management companies near your area. They can help you search and locate the rats and their nesting place to avoid causing further damages to your house. They can also give you preventive measures such as monthly sprays to prevent rats from coming back in the future.

Conclusion

Rodents are one of the pests that cause so much trouble in the household. However, there are several ways to get rid of them. You can try them out and determine what works best for you. You can even ask for help from professionals. Keep you and your family safe by having a rodent-free home.