How to Get Rid of Rats at Home?
Sure, rats look kind of cute in cartoons, but in real life? Not so much. Especially when they’re running across your kitchen tiles like it’s a racetrack. If your home has turned into a playground for rodents, it's time to get professional help from Gayatri Pest for Rodent Control services in Ahmedabad .
Well, if the half-baked tips and tricks haven’t worked out for you, it's time for a real guide on how to get rid of rats at home.
1. Seal the Entry Points
Check behind gas lines, under doors, around pipes, and in vents. Use metal mesh, steel wool, or cement to block these holes. Remember, if you don’t stop them from coming in, no amount of traps will help.
Rats are like little escape artists. Even a coin-sized gap is enough for them to sneak in. So, step one is all about shutting the doors (literally).
2. Set Traps (But Do It Smartly)
Never mind those old-school wooden snap-trap hazards applied here and there. Today, there are more humane alternatives like glue boards, electronic traps or live-catch versions. Put them where you have seen activity, behind appliances, along walls, in a dark corner. Lure them with peanut butter, dried fruit or even some broken-up chocolate.
And a pro tip: don’t handle the traps with your bare hands. Rats are sensitive; your smell could spook them.
3. Keep Your Home (and Kitchen) Clean
This one’s simple — no food, no rats. Store grains and snacks in airtight containers, clean up food crumbs immediately and never leave pet food lying around overnight. Even a dustbin without a lid is like an open buffet for these pests.
If you’re truly serious about how to get rid of rats at home, make your space as unwelcoming to them as possible.
4. Work With Effective Natural Repellents
For a greener option, try natural repellents. Rats are repelled by strong smells – try essential oils like peppermint, crushed garlic from your spice rack, or ammonia-soaked cotton balls placed in their holes. Another underrated hero? Onions. Rats won’t be able to bear the smell — just switch them out frequently before they turn rancid (or you have a different sort of smelly mess on your hands).
5. Keep the Outdoors in Check, Too!
The problem doesn’t always start inside. Overgrown gardens, open garbage, and unsealed drains outside the house attract rats in the first place.
Trim your plants, clean your surroundings, and fix any leaking pipes or open drains. If you're only focused on indoors, you’re fighting half the battle.
6. Avoid Poison Unless You’re Desperate
Using poison seems like a quick fix, but it often ends in dead rats in unreachable places (hello, mystery smells!). And if you have kids or pets, it’s downright dangerous.
If you’re going to use rodenticides, always get expert guidance and use it as a last resort, not the first.
7. Call the Pest Control Experts When It’s Too Much
If you're still waking up to scratching sounds in the walls or finding rat droppings every other day, it’s time to call in the professionals. They know just how to get rid of rats in the home without guessing.
They’ll inspect, treat, and even advise you on prevention — because you don’t want a round two next month.
8. Store Firewood, Paper, and Cardboard Away
Rats love clutter. Stacks of newspaper, cardboard boxes, or firewood lying around? That’s a luxury suite for them. Organise your storage areas, keep things elevated off the ground, and ditch anything you don’t need.
A cleaner space is not just good for you; it makes it harder for rats to nest and breed.
9. Use Ultrasonic Repellents (With Caution)
You’ve probably seen those plug-in devices that claim to drive away pests with sound waves. They work for some, not for all. If you do try one, don’t rely on it completely. Use it along with other methods, not instead of them.
10. Stay Consistent and Watchful
Getting rid of rats isn’t a one-time event. It’s a process. Even after you’ve cleared them out, keep monitoring for signs — droppings, scratching sounds, or chewed cables. The moment you spot something suspicious, act fast. The sooner you reply, the easier it is to manage.
Rats are sneaky and annoyingly persistent, and Gayatri Pest Solution has the solution for it. But with the perfect blend of prevention, clean habits and action, you can keep them away from coming in for good. Gone are the days of hopping on chairs or sleepless nights, fearing things that go bump in the night.
When it comes to how to get rid of rats at home, the key is not in just one trick but in doing the little things correctly all the time. As cleaner, healthier and airier your house is, the fewer rats you will ever have to worry about.