In some major cities, 40% of residents report having a pest control issue. While in some cases, this is merely the presence of a few ants after a weekend barbecue left juice on the counter, in other places this means roaches and rats. If you’re dealing with a rodent infestation, you need to make sure you have a good rat control strategy.
A pair of brown rats can create as many as 2,000 descendants a year. Having just one or two rats make their new home inside of yours could cause your pest control issue to quickly turn into an infestation. If you’re averse to using chemical or poison-based solutions, you could find it takes a little more work to rid your home of invasive rodents.
Thankfully, some of the best solutions for rat control are natural and safe for your kids and pets. Try these 5 methods for getting rid of rats.
1. Get Yourself A Friend
You could get yourself a rat control specialist for the price of a bag of kitty litter. If you’ve ever been to New York and have seen the number of cats that bodegas trust to keep their shops free of vermin, you might notice how reliable they are. Pets are a great solution for your rodent issue.
Cats are specifically well trained for listening and hunting for rodents. Their fast reflexes, agility, and flexibility mean they can get into places where rodents hide and scare them off. Their presence might be a good enough deterrent to keep your home free of rats.
Rats will get into your cupboards and pantry from high shelves or corners with small cracks and holes. Cats can easily jump up to check out areas that might be hard for you to access. They can also reach far into dark holes to grab any rats that might be hiding in your walls or beneath your floorboards.
If you’re more of a dog person, there are a number of breeds that are well known “ratters” or rat catchers, most notably “rat terriers”. Terriers of all shapes and sizes are great for catching rats. Jack Russel terriers are a popular family dog and also adept at getting into small cracks where rats hide and catching them when they run.
Getting yourself a pet as a rat control method for your home is one of the most user-friendly solutions. If you’re the type who works from home, you might find yourself irritated and distracted by rodents, ruining your productivity. You can have a friend who also helps around the house.
2. Essential Oils
There are several scents that rats just can’t stand. If you’re looking for a natural rat control method, try some essential oils.
The pungency of peppermint oil can make your home smell fresh while also keeping rats away. If you know of certain areas where rats will try to get into your home, sprinkle some drops there regularly to keep them away. Openings on the exterior of your home, around your pantry, or in your basement are great places to add a few drops of peppermint oil.
If peppermint isn’t your thing, why not try out some citronella oil. It’s known to keep mosquitos, insects, and creepy crawlers away. It’s also great as a way to keep rats out of your home.If none of the above work for you, try adding some eucalyptus oil.
A spray with a 10% concentration of eucalyptus oil with a carrier oil or water can help repel rats for weeks. Be persistent and you’ll find it could solve your problems. If you have a cat, avoid eucalyptus. It’s unhealthy for cats and can cause a negative reaction.
3. Pizza Toppings
You might have thought that that infamous pizza rat would have picked up any old slice it found on the tracks. It turns out, even rats have their limits. Rats can’t stand peppers or onions.
Peppers have an active compound called capsaicin which is the enzyme that helps to make them spicy. That heat that burns your tongue for a few seconds is extremely painful for rats. Use capsaicin to help reduce contamination by rodents and the spread of disease when they come into contact with any food or household items.
A little sprinkle of different types of ground pepper or spicy peppers will keep rats away.
Even though it turns out that onions have a positive nutritional value for rats, not even rats like to eat healthily. The scent alone repels them along with other rodents. Just as some people like onions more than others, it’s similar for rats, so use onions as a test before you lean on them for all of your rat control needs.
4. Help From Our Feathered Friends
Rats are fairly intelligent, which is why they’re so often used for laboratory tests and cognitive experiments. They know who their predators are, as well as how to pay attention to their surroundings. If they notice something suspicious, they’ll make immediate adjustments.
If they see evidence of any of their major predators, they’ll be at attention and might even flee the scene.
Rats are extremely susceptible to attacks from owls and hawks, though. If they see a feather lying on the ground near where they go to get food, they’ll think twice.
Ths means that you’ll have to gather some feathers and start to put them where you think rats live or have dug tunnels. They’ll take the hint and pack their bags for someplace more welcoming.
It might not work as well as Natura Pest Control, but it’s worth a shot.
Safe and Natural Rat Control Is Possible
If you’re in the market for some safe and simple solutions to getting rid of rats for good, there’s no need to call and hire an exterminator. You might have all of the tools you need already at your disposal.
If you’re looking for more hacks around the house, explore our blog!