Best ways to keep rats away from your home
Building and maintaining your abode is not just all about the exciting journey of achieving your dream home aesthetic; it also comes with dealing with pests, including rats.
Hearing scurrying and squeaking noises not only ruins the “very cutesy” vibes of the house. The presence of rats also poses great health risks as they may carry infectious diseases.
If you’re currently struggling with this dilemma, the virtual kapitbahays at Home Buddies are here to give proven and tested tips to eliminate pests.
Traps and poisons
According to Home Buddies members, one common method you can use is placing mousetraps in areas where they usually run around. For mice, you can put food bait on a rat glue trap. For big rats, you might want to opt for the cage type so they won’t be able to escape easily.
Another method is placing poisons in areas they hide in, but be wary that it may not always be the best solution. Other virtual kapitbahays advise against using poisons like pellets as this can cause dead rats lying in hard-to-reach areas like inside the ceiling. If the remains aren't disposed of immediately, this would cause an unbearable smell, and worse, maggots falling into your household items, as narrated in the real-life experiences of some of the members. One member shared that apart from the dead rats, she had to deal with flies and blowflies inside the house.
Aside from such an inconvenience, poisons may also pose a danger to pets as your curious fur babies might ingest them instead.
So, what you can do is put food mixed with poison inside the trap, and let the rat die before burying it in the soil.
Use of high-frequency sounds
Some HB members also suggest using devices that play high-frequency sounds, which you can buy on Shopee or Lazada, or simply search playlists on YouTube and play them on repeat during idle hours. It won’t kill them, but it may scare them away.
But here’s the downside: They can get used to the sound and if they can still find food and shelter in your house, there’s a high possibility that they would still return.
Apart from that, it may not be advisable for those who have pets such as dogs or cats as they may also get irritated.
Have a pet cat
If you don’t want to have any mouse traps, cages, and poison around your house but are struggling with the rat dilemma, you may want to have a pet cat. Mouse sees these fur babies as their predators, so it will be an effective way to scare them and prevent them from living in your house. Be ready for the chaotic chasing and cleaning up of dead mice from time to time, though.
Call for professional help
If you have already tried the aforementioned tips and none of them worked, it’s best to seek professional help. Apart from the Home Buddies group, you can ask for recommendations from your neighbors for trusted pest control services in your area so you can get real feedback on their services.
Precautionary measures
Dealing with the squeaking pests is surely a headache. So if you’re currently renovating and have recently dealt with the dilemma, make sure to take precautionary measures to prevent them from infesting your home.
Here are some pieces of advice from Home Buddies members:
- Ensure that the ceilings are accessible so you can eliminate dead rats trapped inside.
- Hire a handyman and close all possible entry points to prevent rats from infesting your home.
- Avoid leaving accessible food leftovers and unwashed dishes and ensure that your trash bins or garbage cans are tightly covered.
- Apart from houses, rats can also gnaw on wires inside your car. To prevent this, Home Buddies members advise to always leave your car clean by not leaving leftover food and its crumbs inside the car as it can entice pests. If you can, park it in areas far from drainage and garbage areas as it is where they most likely nest.
Do you have other pests that have been affecting your day-to-day activities at home? Check out this article on Common Home Pests and How to Get Rid of Them.
