Imagine a rat infestation in or around your property.
Within weeks, these sneaky little invaders could destroy your garden, build nests in your shed, and spread harmful pathogens.
If that doesn’t sound like a reality you want to live in, you have to act fast.
For more than twenty years, Smith’s Pest Management has been helping customers in the San Francisco area prevent rat infestations with our rodent exclusion services.
We’ve compiled our top tips into this blog to help you learn to keep rats away.
Key Takeaways
- To keep rats away, seal all entry points, remove food sources, reduce clutter, keep your space clean and clutter-free, use rat repellents, and set traps.
- Stay away from unproven tactics like deterrent devices and “repellent plants.”
- If your rat problem is severe or you need help reducing rodent populations, call the team at Smith’s at (408) 871-6988.
How to Keep Rats Out of Your House
Rats are clever, adaptable, and determined little critters, and keeping them away from your property requires removing everything they need to survive, including food, water, shelter, and nest materials.
Here’s what we recommend:
Seal All Entry Points
- Inspect the exterior of your property for gaps and cracks, especially around the foundation, walls, and roof.
- Use steel wool, mortar, or steel hardware cloth to fill small holes or seal gaps. Remember that rats can squeeze through openings the size of your thumb – so be thorough!
- Check vents and chimneys for openings, and install screens wherever you find them.
- Ensure there’s no access under your house, deck, or porch, where rats can get into your crawl space or enter from beneath your home.
Remove Food Sources
- Keep your garbage cans sealed tight.
- Don’t keep chickens! If you can’t stand to give up your flock, follow our guide to rat-proofing your coop.
- Avoid leaving pet food outside.
- Clean up dog poop and ripe fruit and vegetables in the garden daily.
Reduce Clutter and Keep Your Space Clean
- Keep your shrubbery pruned so there’s plenty of daylight beneath the greenery.
- Keep your hedges “see-through” by pruning them open and as airy as possible. This removes hiding places and provides less shelter for rats.
- Mow your lawn and cut back long grass regularly.
- Keep outdoor storage sheds and barns clean and clutter-free.
Use Rat Repellents and Deterrents
- Apply repellent to the foundation of your home regularly. Get together with your neighbors and encourage them to do the same so that, together, you can create a rat-free “buffer” in the neighborhood.
Set Rat Traps
- Place snap traps or electronic traps where you’ve noticed rat activity, such as near entry points or along walls in sheds, garages, and other outbuildings.
- To increase the effectiveness of your traps, use food lures that rats love, such as peanut butter and dried fruit.
- Regularly check your traps and get rid of dead rats.
- For more information on trapping rats in and around your house, check out our guide.
Additional Strategies
- Take steps to make your car as unattractive as possible for rats. This could include leaving the hood open at night, leaving an LED light shining under the hood, putting your car in a rodent-proofed garage at night, or even covering your vehicle with a rat-proof car cover like this one.
- Regularly inspect your property for signs of rats, such as droppings, gnaw marks, or nests, and address any issues immediately.
- If you have pet dogs or cats, consider leaving them outside more often so they can scare rats away. If you’re lucky, they may even kill a few!
- If you have a persistent rat problem, contact a professional like Smith’s Pest Management at (408) 871-6988.
Methods That Don’t Work
Don’t waste your time, energy, or money on these unproven rat control techniques:
- Repellent Plants: Although some people swear that certain plants, like mint or garlic, repel rats, the evidence supporting that claim is largely anecdotal.
- Ultrasonic Devices: Ultrasonic pest-repellent devices emit high-pitched noises that are supposed to annoy rats and keep them away. Unfortunately, there’s virtually no evidence that they actually work.
You Don’t Have to Live With Rats! Smith’s Pest Management is Here to Help!
If you’ve tried all the DIY remedies you can think of and your rat problem hasn’t improved, it may be time to call in the pros.
Here at Smith’s Pest Management, we utilize a proven Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to address the root cause of rat infestations and help you reclaim your property. We also service the San Francisco Bay Area in California and the Central Coast.
Contact us today to learn more about our team, our methods, and how we can help you enjoy a pest-free home.
FAQs
What are the signs I have rats?
Common signs include droppings, gnaw marks, nests made from shredded materials, and noises like scurrying or squeaking – especially at night.
For a complete guide on identifying rat presence in your home, check out our blog on the topic.
Are rats dangerous?
Yes – rats carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans and domestic pets.
Their gnawing habits can also cause structural damage and fire hazards.
How to get rid of rats?
Effective rat control typically involves a combination of traps and bait.
Snap traps, electronic traps, and live traps can capture rodents, while bait stations with rodenticides are great options for population control.
For more detailed strategies on eliminating rats from your home, check out our resource on How to Get Rid of Rats in Your Home.
