4 Ways to Protect Your Home from Rodents

Having a rat infestation in your home or place of business can be an uncomfortable and even dangerous situation. Rats are known to spread harmful diseases, and a bite from a wild rodent can have serious medical consequences.

Rats can also do significant damage to your property’s structure and having an unmitigated rodent infestation can cost you an arm and a leg in repairs. A rodent problem can even cause your business to be shut down for health code violations.

Luckily, there are many ways you can protect your home, belongings, and family from the presence of these invasive pests. Check out these four rat control methods that can help you reclaim your space.

1. Rat Poison

One very common option is rat poison. Rat poison comes in many varieties and can easily be found in the pest control section of your local home improvement store.

The poison can be mixed with or sprinkled onto food items that you can use as bait and distribute throughout the rodent-infested space. Then, you just have to wait for the rats to find it, and the problem will take care of itself.

But how long does it take for rat poison to work? The different varieties of rat poison are not all created equal, so be sure to check the package for details about its strength. You can expect to use anywhere between 6-30 pellets. Also inspect the packaging for safety precautions because these products are lethal to humans as well.

2. Herbal Repellent

Certain plants and herbs, such as mint, spearmint, and peppermint, repel rats, as they tend to find the smell rather unpleasant. So, if you’re looking for a non-lethal method that keeps rats from invading your property in the first place, embrace the power of herbal remedies.

If your property is suited for gardening, growing mint plants around the outside of your house is an effective way of setting up a natural, living rat repellent perimeter.

If that isn’t a feasible option for you, you can also keep potted mint plants indoors near any entrances where a rat could get into your home. Spray mint-infused solutions around these same entry points.

3. Feline Security

This is an old-fashioned method of rat control, but it’s effective, nonetheless. If you have a housecat or two that are up to the task, they can keep the rat population under control for you. You’ll just have to clean up the remains as you find them.

If there are feral cat communities near where you live, you can set out food and water for them on your property to encourage them to localise near the rats. That way, they can hunt around your house and keep rodents from getting inside.

4. Rodent Traps

Rodent traps also come in various forms and can be either lethal or non-lethal. Generally, these devices are designed to dispatch or detain a rodent without the use of poison.
Popular types of rat traps include:

• Snap traps and glue traps, which will dispatch the rodents for you.
• Live traps, which detain the rodents while they are still alive so they can be dealt with by animal control.

Conclusion

A rat infestation can be a costly and hazardous dilemma if left untreated for too long. Luckily, there are plenty of tools to deal with rodent problems effectively.

Whether it’s with traps and poison or by adopting a cat, you will see a significant improvement with these four options. Try one of these rat control methods and take control of your home or business today!