how do i protect my house from rats and mice

Fortunately, there are many ways homeowners can proactively prevent and get rid of rodent infestations in their homes:

1. Install door sweeps on exterior doors and repair damaged screens.
2. Screen vents and openings to chimneys.
3. Seal cracks and holes on the outside of the home, including areas where utilities and pipes enter the home, using caulk, steel wool or a combination of both.
4. Store food in airtight containers and dispose of garbage regularly.
5. Keep attics, basements and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.

Full Answer

How to protect your home from rat infestation?

Storing food correctly inside your home is extremely important if you are at risk of Rat infestation. When storing food, use thick plastic containers or even metal containers where possible.

How do I get rid of mice in my house?

If trapping is your preferred means of eradication, then opt for a device like RatSak FastKill that has Precision Strike Technology. Alternatively, Ratsak's Catch & Hold Live Catch Mouse Trap can hold up to four live mice at a time. DON’T over bait the trap. Too much bait can allow the rodent to steal the food without activating the trap.

Do cavity walls repel rats?

Cavity walls offer Rats an excellent, predator-free journey through to every single part of your home. Sealing your cavity walls will stop Rats from moving freely and safely through your home. It involves spraying a filler between each wall, and it is expensive because it needs to be completed by a professional.

How to get rid of rodents in the garden?

Rodents are cunning and opportunistic creatures so sometimes, while all the essential prevention techniques are used, they still find a way to inhabit your garden. In these instances, the best option is to contact a certified rodent control professional to help deal with your situation.

What keeps mice and rats away from your house?

Essential oils with a strong smell, such as peppermint and clove oil, can repel mice. For best results, soak cotton balls in the essential oil of your choice and put them in areas you've noticed mouse activity – such as drawers, cupboards, and under sinks.

How do I rat proof my home?

Use rodent exclusion materials like heavy-gauge wire screening to cover holes, metal mesh to stuff into holes around pipes, and expanding foam sealant to spray overtop of metal mesh and fill other gaps and cracks. Seal all potential entry holes or gaps in walls, foundations, sheds, crawl spaces and under porches.

What is the best way to protect against rat and mouse infestation?

Clean up food and water sources in and near your house. Keep kitchen garbage in containers with tight-fitting lids. Turn compost piles to cover newly added food scraps. Stop feeding outdoor birds while you are controlling an infestation or feed only huskless items that leave less residue that can be food for rodents.

Where do rats go during the day?

Most sightings of rats during the daylight hours are usually in gardens or other outdoor areas. Rats may be just traveling from one garden to another but rats are opportunistic. Gardens and yards contain food sources such as vegetables, plus nut and fruit trees.

What attracts rats to your house?

There are two main things that can attract mice and rats to your house – food and shelter. If you don't tidy up properly and there's food waste on the floor or surfaces, rodents are going to love it! Rats and mice also need shelter, particularly during winter to avoid the worst of the cold.

How do I get rid of rats permanently?

With that in mind, here are our top tips to get rid of rats around your living space:Keep Your Garden Clean. ... Call In The Birds. ... Use Dry Ice. ... Set Traps. ... Use Baits & Poisons Outside. ... Contact A Professional Pest Management Company.

What scent will keep rats away?

You can repel rats from your home and garden with scents they dislike, such as clover, garlic, onion, hot peppers containing capsaicin, house ammonia, used coffee grounds, peppermint, eucalyptus, predator (cat) scent, white vinegar, and citronella oil.

Do rats bite humans?

Healthy rats typically avoid people and prefer to be active when buildings are quiet. However, when cornered, they will lunge and bite to defend themselves. The saliva of some species of rats carries hazardous diseases, such as leptospirosis and Hantavirus. In rare cases, rat bite victims may contract rat-bite fever.

What smell will keep rats away?

You can repel rats from your home and garden with scents they dislike, such as clover, garlic, onion, hot peppers containing capsaicin, house ammonia, used coffee grounds, peppermint, eucalyptus, predator (cat) scent, white vinegar, and citronella oil.

What materials can rats not chew through?

Hard Metals – Since rats can't chew through hard metals like steel, it's one of the reasons it's recommended that holes are filled with wire mesh and steel wool and then filled with caulking. Metal tiling is also a great way to prevent them from getting into your home from the floor.

How do you rodent proof a foundation?

Seal gaps or holes where pipes, wires, or other similar objects enter buildings with materials that are resistant to gnawing rodents.Holes and Openings. ... tightly wedge copper or stainless steel wool into the gap. ... • Second, properly seal any gaps between the pipes and. ... Foundations and Floors.More items...

What insulation is rodent proof?

Cellulose insulation is made of recycled, ground-up paper. It has boric acid added to it to control and keep out insects and other pests. It's also fire-resistant. Rodents generally are not drawn to cellulose insulation, either.

How can I keep rodents out of my house?

There are three main reasons mice and rats enter residential homes: warmth, food, and water. Identifying your food and water sources is an important start to staying pest-free. Where is your food stored? Where do you keep your pet food? Did half your takeout Pad Thai end up under the couch? (No judgment here.) Are your pantries secure? Is open food being kept in secure containers? Do you have moisture problems under your floors? What about water bowls that fido might knock over daily? If food and water are hard to access, mice and rats might be less likely to visit.

How do I remove a rat or mouse from my house?

Unfortunately, because they’re such talented burglars, mice and rats do frequently find their way inside even the most well-guarded homes. If you see signs of them — like droppings, holes in food containers, and holes or rub marks in walls, ceilings, and floors — we’re here to help evict them.

What is the game of a brown rat?

Like the much-meme’d Pizza Rat, their game is largely scavenging in subterranean areas, like your home’s crawl spaces, which they can enter through tiny access points. (Rats, like mice, can also squeeze through unbelievably tight spaces.)

What is a roof rat?

Roof rats, on the other hand, get their name from their talents: they’re adept climbers, known for scaling walls, eaves, roofs, and even trees. Oftentimes they find gaps in ceilings and tiny entrances to your attic. The brown or Norway rat keeps closer to the ground.

What do rats and mice look for in SoCal?

Even though SoCal’s weather remains more temperate than other areas of the country, cooler temperatures in autumn and winter drive mice and rats to search for warmth, food, and water. Each varmint has its own stealthy approach to entering your home.

Do roof rats breed year round?

These pests are commensal, which means that just like cats and dogs, they’re entirely comfortable sharing living spaces, food, and water with humans. Mice and especially roof rats are prolific pests, and in warm climates, they breed year-round.

What is the best way to repel rats?

Devices like Ratsak Repel Ultrasonic Rodent Repeller, emit high-frequency sound waves to ward off mice and rats while repellent gels can assist in deterring rodents from chewing on wires or cables or getting into every nook and cranny.

What are the do's and don'ts of rodent control?

Do’s and Don’ts of Rodent Control. DO remove all rubbish, wood piles and food sources (ie pet food) from surrounding area. DO act fast – rodents can multiply very quickly. DO use gloves when using all products, human scent can deter rats and mice from engaging with traps and baits. DON’T assume you only have one offender.

How many mice can a Ratsak trap hold?

Alternatively, Ratsak's Catch & Hold Live Catch Mouse Trap can hold up to four live mice at a time.

How to rid your house of unwanted guests?

Traps are the most common way to rid your home of unwanted house guests. The traditional mouse trap uses a pedal based system. Once the lever is activated, the trap comes down with an almighty SNAP! While very dramatic, they can be quite trigger happy, going off untouched and if not captured correctly the mouse or rat can die very slowly or not at all. All in all, this style of mouse trap is not always sufficient and considered inhumane. If trapping is your preferred means of eradication, then opt for a device like RatSak FastKill that has Precision Strike Technology. Alternatively, Ratsak's Catch & Hold Live Catch Mouse Trap can hold up to four live mice at a time.

Is Ratsak bait a fast kill?

Baiting can be a rapid means of eradication; however, care needs to be taken when handling these substances. Ratsak Rapid Strike Dual Active Soft Bait uses two actives which combine for super fast, effective kill, and has an added attractant to increase bait consumption.

Do rats and mice scavenge for food?

It's important to remember that rats and mice are scavengers, always on the hunt for food. Stop them in their snacks...errr...tracks by considering a comprehensive baiting strategy to your home. Designed to kill, rodenticides are scientifically modified baits that pack a poisonous punch.

Can rats and mice be repelled?

If poison and traps are not suitable for you, there are many options available that repel rats and mice without causing harm to anyone or anything. Repellents act as a sensory barrier between your home and the impending guests. Devices like Ratsak Repel Ultrasonic Rodent Repeller, emit high-frequency sound waves to ward off mice and rats while repellent gels can assist in deterring rodents from chewing on wires or cables or getting into every nook and cranny.

How to stop rats from entering your house?

Seal entry points. Limit rats’ access to your home by sealing holes in interior and exterior walls and floors. If a rat can get its head through a hole, it can squeeze the rest of its body through the opening. A rat can gnaw on a tiny hole (1/4” in diameter or larger) and turn it into a hole large enough to squeeze through.

How to get rid of rats and mice?

Use a snap trap designed for getting rid of rats, not getting rid of mice. Read the instructions before setting the rat traps. Set the rat traps in areas with signs of rat activity. Be sure traps are out of reach of children and pets — they can cause injuries.

What happens if you don't block a rat entry?

Seal rat entry holes after you trap the rats. If you don’t block their entrance, new rats will keep scurrying into your home.

How many babies do rats have?

Regarding a rat's lifecycle, a female rat has seven to 10 litters per year, with six to 10 babies per litter. Therefore, it doesn’t take long for a rat infestation to develop in your home. You should know how to prevent rats from entering your home and how to get rid of rats if they do sneak in.

How to get rid of rats in a snap trap?

Place a pea-sized amount of food attractant on the bait pan of the snap trap (whatever rats may have already been feeding on should suffice). Place the bait end of the trap next to (perpendicular to) the wall so it forms a “T” with the wall. Rats run along walls because it’s safer than being out in the open.

How to get rid of dead rats?

Spray the dead rat, nesting materials or droppings in the disinfectant solution for five minutes before wiping up with a paper to wel or rag. Place the dead rat in a plastic bag and seal tightly. Place the full bag in a second plastic bag and seal it. Place the bag into a covered trash can that is regularly emptied.

How do you know if you have a rat infestation?

Should you suspect you have a rat infestation, you'll want to conduct a thorough rat inspection. Conduct a rat inspection and look for the following signs of rat infestation: Rat droppings around food packages, in drawers and cupboards and under the sink. Evidence of gnawing on food packaging or other materials.

How to keep mice away from my house?

This is one of the most effective ways to keep rodents like mice and the rest away. This simply means that you leave no room for them to come in. Check your rooftops and sealing and block any possible entry point. As for house ventilation, look for options that will serve the purpose without letting the mice in. Even the fence around your compound should be rodent-proof. These pests come from nearby bushes to invade your home. Avoid fence materials that leave large spaces whether they are living or artificial. In the case of living fence, do not go for those that rats and mice can feast on. They will eat their way to your house.

How to get rid of rats and mice?

Rats and mice are usually attracted to a cluttered and untidy environment. Look at your house, garage, and environment and get rid of everything that fits the category of clutter. Dispose of old and useless utensils, furniture, and tools. Burn or recycle cartons and other containers that you no longer use in the house. Also, organize your place and make sure that the furniture and everything else is well arranged with spaces in between. This leaves no room for mice to hide since things are not just piled up but rather organized. Also, only bring firewood into the house when you need it and make sure it is all burnt up.

Do mice like water?

Apart from warmth and food, rodents like mice also come looking for water. Make sure you repair all the leaking pipes and drainage channels. Make sure that there are no swamps around the house and safeguard any necessary water bodies. Having water all over the compound will only encourage more rats and mice to get comfortable around your home.

How to stop rats from entering your home?

Cutting off entry points is key to preventing Rats from entering your home! This is the most important task you need to do to stop rats from entering your home. Cutting off their entry points! Prevention is better than the cure! Rats are chancers and only usually enter a building when they stumble across the access.

How to get rid of rats in your yard?

Set Rat Traps Outside. Set Rat traps outside to catch them before they get to your home! Rat traps outside will not deter Rats from visiting your yard, but they will help to get rid of the Rats who enter it.

What is a rat infestation?

January 22, 2019 by Rodent Guide. A Rat infestation brings with it a host of problems, none of which you need! You may have recently had a Rat in your home, or you might be hearing noises in your attic, which may be a Rat. Either way, you need to know how to prevent Rats from entering your home to reduce the chances of an infestation in the future.

Why do I always have traps in my attic?

I always have traps ready in my attic, simply because it is difficult to stop Rats from getting into your home completely.

Why do rats avoid wire wool?

Although Rats can chew through many items, they will avoid anything with wire wool in, simply because it is too painful to chew!

What happens if you stop rats from progressing from your yard to your home?

If you stop Rats progressing from your Yard to your home then you are winning!

Why is it important to store food inside your home?

Storing food correctly inside your home is extremely important if you are at risk of Rat infestation.

Where do rats hide in a garden?

Unfortunately, a garden provides plenty of hiding places for rats that are behind furniture, in shrubberies, under piles of grass, leaves, or firewood, inside sheds and glasshouses, and under barrels.

Why are rats not allowed in my garden?

Rodents are not wanted in the garden because of the damage they can cause to fruit, vegetables, seeds, bulbs, plants, and containers. The rat species you are most likely to find in the garden is the brown or Norway rat. The black rat is likely to be found near coastal areas and ports.

How to tell if a rat is burrowing?

Rats are creatures of habit and usually use the same pathways each time when looking for food. Also, watch out for rat droppings; if they droppings are still moist, it’s a sign that there has been rodent activity in recent hours.

How to tell if rats are in your garbage bin?

Garbage and recycling bins – If you keep your garbage and recycling bins outdoors, look for droppings and chew marks on the bins, a sure sign that rats are around. You must check frequently for holes in these containers, and you may want to convert from plastic to metal cans.

What are the most common rodents in a garden?

Gardens are a favorite place for rodents to congregate and settle. The most common garden rodents are rats, mice and also voles. Your gardens, no matter how big or small can be a prime place for rodents to inhabit. The downside to this is that rodents can inflict an array of destruction and damages to the backyard.

Why do rats make mounds of soil?

Mounds – Gophers and rats make mounds of soil to mark the entrance to their burrows.

What animals can carve tunnels in the ground?

Tunnels in the ground – Rats, mice, gophers, and other rodents carve tunnels in the ground, connected by the small entrance and exit holes. Gophers leave a larger, more visible mound of soil than rats. These tunnels are the rat’s superhighways and allow rodents to destroy plants simply by passing through the ground.