What is worse than coming home to a messy house? Coming home to find an unwanted visitor scurrying about in your house.
When you see that long tail slinking away into the cracks, you know a rat or two has probably found its way into your home. Some people shriek in fright, and some scrunch their noses in disgust. No matter what your reaction, the one thing everyone can agree on is that no one wants rats in their home.
Here is a guide on how to scare rats away in your home:
1. Get rid of the rats as soon as possible.
Even if you are an animal lover, unfortunately, a rat is something you can’t allow in your home. They pose a risk to your health (and the health of those you love), but they are incredibly destructive creatures. They’ll chew your wires, and they’ll chew through your walls. They’ll chew anything they can sink their little teeth into.
Allowing the rats to roam free is only doing more harm than good. That is why the rats have got to go. However, if your animal lover nature is holding you back from calling pest control right away, there are a few other options that you could try to get rid of rats. And yes, you need to do it quickly before it becomes an infestation (you’d be amazed at how fast they reproduce).
Before you start sealing off all the gaps and possible entry points in your home, you need to first make sure the rats are out of your house in the first place.
2. Get a cat to scare away rats
If you haven’t already got one and love cats, the solution couldn’t be easier. Get a cat to scare the rats away. Cats and rats are natural enemies, and one will unlikely hang around while the other is present. Having a cat roam the halls of your home will certainly deter the rat from trying to get in again.
3. Get a dog to scare away rats
And if you happen to be more of a dog than a cat person, good news! Dogs can help to get rid of those pesky pests too. Certain dog breeds are bred specifically to catch smaller animals. With a little bit of research, you’ll be able to find the breed that might be able to help you with your rat problem.
If getting a dog is an option for you and a decision that will fit in well with your current lifestyle, then welcoming a new family member into your home might be the win-win solution you’ve been looking for. Remember that a dog is a lifelong responsibility, though, so only adopt if you can commit to taking care of them. The same goes for cats.
4. Get pest control services
If none of the measures above are as effective as you hoped, it’s time to call in the professionals. Professional pest control experts have the right training, experience, and equipment to get the job done. Sometimes, when all else fails, it’s time to turn to the people who know their stuff.
5. Sprinkle some crushed pepper
If you’re looking for a more au naturel option, there’s a trick you can try with crushed pepper. Sprinkle some of the crushed pepper along the openings where you suspect the rat may be coming in from. The idea behind this is that the pepper will irritate the rat’s noses and thereby discourage them from trying to get into your home.
6. Make use of ammonia
Do you just have some ammonia lying around your home from other projects? Well, there’s now something else you can do with it. The strong and pungent ammonia smell will be so off-putting to the rats that they won’t try to weasel their way into your abode.
Mix a quarter cup of water with two cups of ammonia first. Next, mix in two teaspoons of detergent. Make sure all of these ingredients are mixed well in a bowl. If you think you know where the rats might be coming from, place the bowl near the opening. The smell should be enough to make them turn around and flee in the other direction.
7. Try peppermint oil cotton balls
Another method you could try would be a combination of cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil. Get some cotton balls and a bowl to pour the peppermint oil into. Next, place your cotton balls and let them soak up the oil. Place the cotton balls near the entry points where the rats may be getting in.
Why peppermint oil, you ask? The oil may smell pleasant to our noses, but it has the opposite effect on rats. They can’t stand the smell. If you leave these balls long enough in the rat-prone areas, they’ll stop coming.
