How to get rid of rats at home

Rats and mice are pests that make life uncomfortable and miserable for us. Having to see them run around the house infesting and destroying our valuables can be disheartening. 

Getting rid of rats or rodents can be very difficult because they run faster. But having them around can be very dangerous to your health and even your loved ones. This is because these pests carry a high risk of deadly diseases such as Lassa Hemorrhagic Fever, Rat Bite Fever,  Hantavirus and a lot more. 

Having them in your kitchen could be very dangerous. Just a little opening in your pot can open you to danger from their urine or excreta.

There is an urgent need to get rid of them, and in this article, you will find possible ways to make your home rodent-free. 

1. Use rat gum

This is one of the most effective ways to set traps for rats. Rat gums are sticky gum boards that leave rats stranded when they get stuck on the board. They don’t die immediately, but you get the chance to hit them on the head. You can as well leave them on the board to die of hunger and dehydration. 

2. Block all holes and opening 

Holes are major hiding places for rats or rodents. They hide there during the day and then come out to feast on your properties at night. The best way to get rid of rats in your home is to make sure you seal up their hiding place, block open spaces in your walls, pipes, and your doors. 

Also avoid opening your doors regularly, especially in the evening. Other creepy animals might get access to your house aside from rats. 

3. Use rat poison 

Using chemicals known as anticoagulants helps to get rid of rats faster. A lot of street vendors sell rat poison. Some of this only requires you to drop the poison at strategic places for the rats to pick them up and consume it. It kills them slowly and has toxic effects on them.  The disadvantage is that you might not get to know where they die until you start perceiving foul smells of dead rats. The solution is to get rat poison that prevents the smell after their death. 

4. Keep your house and environment clean

Rats are enticed by leftovers of food, wastes littered around or discarded in trash cans or bins. This is why you need to make sure leftover food is kept in plastic or metal containers. Wastes should also be properly trashed and disposed of. 

5. Use natural repellants

Research has it that natural foods like onions, bay leaves, peppermint, clover, ginger, vinegar and eucalyptus can send them far away from your home. All you need is to put these things in strategic places. It will chase them away because they hate the smell of these things. For example, Bay leaves are poisonous to rats. It kills them but can be used to entice them. You can blend dried bay leaves and sprinkle them in strategic places. Repeat this process consistently and you will not experience rodent infestation again.

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