Rat droppings. Look behind objects and near walls for small, brown droppings that may be smeared. Ammonia smell. Rat urine has a strong ammonia smell, which will be much stronger in the areas that they make their nests (like inside of walls or in a crawlspace). Scrabbling noises. Rats are fairly active at night, and you may hear them walking around beneath your house or inside your walls. Damage. Rats have sharp teeth, and will chew through electrical cables and inside of walls. Look for gnaw marks, shredded paper, or any damage to storage containers inside your home.
Bait the traps with foods that rats like to eat, like cheese and raisins. Check the traps daily to dispose of any dead rats if you need to. Always wear gloves and throw dead rats straight into the trash. [2] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
Read the instructions and cautions carefully. Most rat poisons include warfarin, which can also be harmful to pets and people. Never use rat poisons or traps where children and small animals can get to them. Glue traps are also an option to trap rats, although many people consider them an inhumane option, since they kill rats via starvation. [4] X Research source
It’s a good idea to drive the rats as far away as possible and release them into a wooded area. That way, they can’t find their way back.
Professional exterminator prices vary, but the average exterminator usually costs around $550. [7] X Research source
If there is any trash around the outside of your home, pick it up to declutter the area.
If you’re dealing with a severe infestation, consider not feeding the birds for a while until you’ve gotten rid of your rat problem. [8] X Research source
If there are any tree branches that touch your roof, trim those back as well. Rats and other rodents will sometimes climb trees to access the roof so they can get into your attic.
Empty out bird baths regularly and cover pools and hot tubs when you aren’t using them.
Keeping a clean home will not only get rid of rats, but will help prevent them in the future, too.
Be sure to check everywhere, including your garage doors, chimneys, dryer and air conditioning vents, and crawl space.
Check on the steel wool every few weeks to make sure it hasn’t been moved. If the rats are desperate enough, they may try to push through anyway.
Using airtight containers also keeps away other pesky pests, like mice. Avoid storing any food in a basement, since rats can get to it easily.
