How do I get rid of rats?
This guide will outline why getting rid of rats is important, how you can tell if your home or garden is infested and how best to go about removing rats.
Rat infestations are a problem, so it is important to know the fastest way of getting rid of them. There are various pest control methods you can adopt in order to get rid of the rats and to deter them from your home and garden in the first place.
Hire a pest control expert to get
rid of rat infestations
Do I need to get rid of rats?
Yes. Rats often carry salmonella, e.coli and tuberculosis among other things; these diseases can be passed on to those in your household and any pets that live there. Rats also carry fleas which can bring out an allergic reaction in some people.
Does it matter if the rats are just in my garden?
If your garden is infested with rats it won't be long before your house will suffer the same fate too. Rats only need a small gap to squeeze themselves through in order to get into a nice warm house, so deal with rats in your garden as soon as possible.
How can I tell if I have a rat infestation?
Rats are nocturnal creatures so it is very unlikely you will actually see them, so in order to spot them you need to look out for signs of their presence, such as:
- Droppings: dark droppings of amount 1cm in length
- Noises: rats make noise, especially at night time when they are awake, it’s usually a scratchy sound and will come from under the floorboards or in cavity walls
- Odour: strong ammonia smell
- Teeth marks: rats need sustenance so check your kitchen for teeth marks in food or packets
- Nests: often found in warm and dark places and made of debris such as newspaper and fabric
- Holes: check for holes in decking, sheds and compost heaps
- Biting: rats chew on wood and plastic so look out for signs
Why me?
Much like other pests, rats are looking for food and shelter. If you have accessible food sources such as open bins or compost heaps, you will need to cover them. Water sources also may be a problem if you have pet bowls or a dripping pipe that the rats can drink from. If rats have easy access to your home they could get at exposed food, so be sure to put any in sealable containers. You may also be providing rats with easy access to your house; check for gaps around your doors, home exterior and for any broken airbricks. If you have a pet flap, the rats could get in via this.
How do I get rid of rats?
One of the easiest ways is pest control products, such as rat poison, which you can buy at most supermarkets. You will need to ensure you follow any instructions implicitly as it can be very harmful stuff. Be sure to keep it away from children, and keep it regularly topped up.
If poison isn’t your thing you could buy a poison free rat cage and catch the rats and then release them into the wild, well away from your home!
You can ward rats off with an ultrasonic repeller, which gives off a horrid sound for rats (thus they scamper away) but is undetectable to the human ear. Sadly these haven’t proven a success with already existing rat problems.
Another option is installing a rat-stop in your sewer, which is another way rats can get into your home. This is a good option if you are getting repeated rat infestations, as it will often be to do with your sewer. You will need to check that it is fixed through, before the rat-stop will be efficient.
You could also contact a professional pest control company who will be able to deal with rat infestations humanely and efficiently.
How do I clean up after I’ve got rid of the rats?
There is no nice way to do this, it’s a mucky job, and if you of the squeamish variety it might be best to hire in that pest control company who should offer a cleanup job as part of the service. If you fancy braving it, you will need to:
- Vacuum up the rat droppings
- Remove any dead/rotting rats or rat skeletons
- If the infestation was in the loft you will need to remove and bag up the loft insulation if they have urinated in it
- Clean anything they have touched with a bleach and water mixture
How much will it cost?
It depends entirely on what option you go for, below are some approximate prices;
- Rat poison: £8 per kilo
- Rat cage: £10
- Ultrasonic Repeller: £15
- Pest Control Company: £50+ per hour
