How to get rid of rat

What helps against rats? What can I do if I want to chase away rats or avoid rat infestation in the future? Are there any rats that will help immediately? When you discover a rat and the first shock has passed, it is important to keep a cool head, because panic is the worst adviser. 

Rats are not exactly people's favorite animals. There is a good reason for this because rodents multiply at breakneck speed, can transmit diseases, and leave behind great damage through their gnawing traces. In this article, we provide all the important information about rodents and reveal how you can get rid of a rat plague as quickly and effectively as possible!

Rats are a sign of harm, uncleanliness, and serious danger. The appearance of rodents in the house causes a lot of negative emotions because animals do not just spoil food and property. They are also carriers of rat infections that are dangerous to humans.  

A little bit about rats

Rats are nocturnal and shy omnivores, have a very sensitive and pronounced sense of smell, and are also excellent at climbing, swimming, and squeezing through tiny holes. With these skills, they can go almost anywhere and are rarely seen. 

Fact: A rat can eat about 1 kg of grain per month.  

There are two types of rats in modern homes: the house rat and the brown rat. The house rats live in the warm feel at home in places like the attic but are rarely found. The brown rat is much more common. This rodent lives mainly in the sewer system, as there is enough water and food for the rats. In addition, they can form a social group undisturbed and do not meet natural enemies. However, it also happens that the rats leave the sewer system to look for new habitats and then settle in the human environment.

Humans have tried to exterminate the rat for centuries. So far, however, this has not been successful (but you will learn a helpful tip at the end of the article!) Not surprising, when you consider that under ideal living conditions a single pair of brown rats can produce around 800 offspring per year. Rats live for about 9 to 18 months and give birth to 8 to 10 young per litter up to seven times a year. 

Rats in human habitats

The habitat of a rat population is commonly viewed as a landfill and garbage dump. Rodents can find various delicacies in the form of garbage and leftovers. 

In cold weather, the animals move into the cellars of the houses, from which they penetrate human habitation, guided by their sense of smell. The rats can, for example, enter our cellars unnoticed through sewage pipes or settle in our gardens. There they look for a quiet place where they can form a safe shelter and build a nest there. 

The main reason that rats settle in the vicinity of human habitats is that they can find sufficient food there through the food we throw away. Once the rats have been attracted by the smell of food and have created a safe place to live, they multiply in a flash. That’s why it is important to drive away a rat as quickly as possible in order to prevent a rat plague.

Detecting a rat infestation

Rodents can get through the ventilation shafts and the openings between the water and sewer pipes on the second floor, sometimes even in a five-story building, and rats are not uncommon. The smallest hole can be turned into a spacious hole with the help of their strong teeth.  

In the event of a rat infestation, you should act quickly to avoid the rapid multiplication of the rodents. Rats have 6 young 3 to 5 times a year. But how do you recognize such an infestation? The rats themselves are rarely seen, so it is important to watch out for possible signs of rat infestation.

Signs of rats at home

The clearest sign is finding rat droppings. The feces of rats are elongated and narrow, similar to the appearance of grains of rice. Be careful when handling the feces! Rats often transmit many diseases through their feces. An infestation can also be easily recognized by gnawing traces, which can be found on almost all materials. This happens because the animals have teeth that are constantly growing back and they have to gnaw them off regularly. Numerous gnawing traces remain, which can even be found on metal surfaces. Traces of rats gnawing can be recognized by two parallel notches.

How do rats get in the house?

Rats find their way into the home environment primarily through building damage and human thoughtlessness when dealing with garbage. In this article, we will show how rats can be driven away and how they can preventively prevent rats from nesting. 

In addition, we give specific tips against rats and state rules of conduct that should be observed in the event of rat infestation.

Driving away rats: what really helps?

What helps against rats? To be able to drive rats away, you must first know how they were able to gain access to your home environment and what might have attracted them. To do this, damage to the building should first be removed. If you observe the following tips against rats, you should be able to drive away rats and avoid or prevent future rat infestation.

Eliminate building defects to get rid of rats

• Door gaps: Rats need holes and door gaps of 2 cm to squeeze through. To drive away rats, doors or gates that do not close tightly have to be equipped with so-called nylon brush strips or rubber lips.

• Cracks and joints: Windows, doors, and ventilation openings are secured by stable grids with a small mesh size, no larger than 18 mm.

• Damage in the sewer area: Immediately repair damaged sewer systems. Help against rats is also offered by securing water drains (gullies), which can be secured using metal grids. Damaged pipes from the sewer system that reach the surface in the basement should be immediately sealed.

• Breakthroughs through walls and ceilings: Breakthroughs for supply lines should be closed with rock wool or close-meshed wire netting and also sealed with cement mortar. Cuffs also help. Sealing with sheet metal, especially in the case of openings in wooden walls and ceilings, is another effective means against rats.

• Elevator shafts: These can be the focus of infestation in buildings. Rats can easily climb the cables, guide rails, or tubes inside such elevator shafts. The space for the drive motors of the lifts often provides rats with a relatively undisturbed area to nest.

• Backflow flaps in toilets: By installing backflow flaps in the drainage systems, rats can be prevented from entering. 

Rules of conduct against rats

Food and food scraps should under no circumstances be disposed of down the toilet or sink, as these serve as a welcome source of food for the rats in the sewers and pipe systems.

Compost heaps in the garden when overflowing with organic waste is a laid table for rats. Likewise, do not throw cooked food on the compost. Watch out for holes in the ground in the immediate vicinity. The same applies to unlocked rubbish bins in the courtyard or basement or recycling sacks with food packaging that has not been freed from leftovers.

Pets and rats: In principle, the food of dogs, cats, birds, or hamsters tastes good to the rats too. Larger containers of animal feed should therefore always be stored locked. Rats are also happy to have birdhouses with which they can get through the harsh winter very well.

Garbage bags should be locked or deposited in the garbage container and, if possible, only put on the street on the day of collection. The lids of organic bins should always be kept closed, otherwise, rats can get in.

Insufficient cleanliness in animal stalls and cages encourages rat infestation. 

Doors to the garden or courtyard should be closed consistently, especially in the winter months. Do not leave unbarred cellar windows open.

Home remedies against rats

When asked what helps against rats, various (house) remedies that are supposed to drive rats away are repeatedly discussed. Background: Most people want to avoid the use of poison at first. A guarantee for the effectiveness of the agents listed here against rats cannot be given:

Domestic cats are considered to be the best cure for rats because their innate hunting instincts make them go on the prowl right away.

Turpentine is reported to help against rats. To do this, rags are soaked in turpentine and pressed into the openings of rat burrows. Cayenne pepper, which is sprinkled around the walkways, is also said to help drive away rats, as the rats' cleaning reflex ensures that the pepper is absorbed through the fur.

Chamomile, mint, and peppermint (also as oil) are said to help drive away or keep rats away. The same is said of chili peppers, cloves, and oleander leaves.

Used cat litter is supposed to help against rats. To do this, the cat litter is placed in a cloth bag, from which the odor molecules can escape, near the walkways and nests of rats.

When using snap or live traps, peanut butter or a piece of chocolate as bait is said to work wonders and magically attract rats.

Have you followed the tips and remedies against rats and have no success? To be able to drive away rats or to combat them effectively, you should rely on the latest technology, since home remedies or products against rats may not help consistently.

Conclusion

Rats are a major problem in the human environment because they transmit pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, or parasites. Therefore, the rats should be driven away as soon as possible. There are a few steps you can take to catch the animals and then keep them away effectively.

So don't waste any more valuable time. Before a small rat infestation spreads into a rat plague, you should install effective and proven to work ultrasound pest repellers. The sound waves repellers generate affect rodents' nervous systems, forcing them to leave the house. These devices work against rats and greatly help you in rat control. Your best bet is to trust tested devices that are already proven efficient to many users and are effective in the usual indoor conditions, e.g. in a typical house.