We all want to feel comfortable, safe and secure in our homes. After all, your house is the place where you can rest, relax and rejuvenate after a long day and emerge fresh in the morning, ready to face life’s ups and downs.
But what happens when your home becomes home itself to some unwanted guests. Vermin-like rats can make your roof, walls and other nooks and crannies a cozy house for themselves.
No one wants this in their house, so in this article, we’re going to discuss some rat control measures. Read on to find out more.
Call the Professionals
You may want to call in a professional exterminator company, such as https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/exterminator/arizona/. These pest control specialists deal with all sorts of critters, day in and day out. They’ll be able to examine your property and advise on the best ways to keep the rats out. As well as this, they will probably place some bait stations at secure and strategic locations around your property and in your yard.
Secure Your Food
The last thing you want is rats getting into your cupboards or pantry. Ensure all your food is kept in sealed, airtight plastic containers.
Keep Your House Tidy
Rats love to feed on leftover food, crumbs and other bits of edible debris that comes with cooking and serving food. Make sure that you are cleaning as you go and keeping your benchtops, tables, floors and other surfaces free of crumbs. Otherwise, you may be leaving an invitation for the rodents to come and feast.
Block Access Points
Rats tend to get into your house through holes and crannies on the exterior of your property – on your walls and your roof. Make sure you do a thorough examination of the exterior of your property and seal all holes. You can use expanding foam or nail bits of timber or corrugated iron over the holes. If you’re not up to this task, consider enlisting the help of a local handyperson or a friend.
Set Traps and Bait
Although you may have called a professional pest controller, nothing is stopping you from setting rat traps and bait around and inside your home as well – the more the merrier. Make sure you use a sticky bait on the traps, like peanut butter. Be careful with rat poison though, especially if you have pets.
Make sure you check for rat corpses and remove them, before any wildlife or your pets may attempt to eat them, risking becoming poisoned themselves.
A Tip About Compost
Rats love to get into compost, where there is a myriad of juicy scraps for them to devour. You can counteract this by securing the lid with a heavy object like a brick, or investing in a raised, tumbling compost station, that is designed to keep the rats and mice out.
Remove Their Habitat Outside
Rats love to nest in small, dark and warm spaces. Go through your yard and remove piles of dead shrubs or other places where they may love to nest. Ideally, you want to have a yard free of any small hiding holes or nooks and crannies.
A Critter-Free Conclusion
If you suspect a rat infestation, you should call a professional exterminator. Make sure to secure all your food in airtight plastic tubs, and keep your home free of food debris and scraps. Block any access points from outside, and it’s worth setting some rat traps and bait as well. Make sure any compost bins are secured or raised and remove any choice rat habitats from your yard.
