14 Effective home remedies to get rid of Rats in your home

Rats are those obnoxious creatures that can intrude in your home without being welcomed and turn everything literally into rubbish. For survival, rats require shelter, water, and enough food. And if your home provides these three things, it would be a tough task to get rid of these rodents. The most commonly found species of rats are Norway rats and Roof rats, which get easily attracted to garbage, pet food, compost bins, food droppings or fruits and vines. In addition, they carry more than 20 diseases, and this could be really dangerous. Though you keep your dwelling clean, these furry interlopers find their way to enter. They target some of their favorite places like attics, sacks, basement, pipelines, kitchen cabinet, and grounds near trees, shrubs, and shed.

Are you fed up with that pitter-patter voice? Does the dropping of rats in drawers and corners give you the eew feeling? If so, we have quick fix solutions. Here are some home remedies to get rid of rats. Try them out!

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Rats

1. Moth Balls

Moth balls tend to repel the rats. These are readily available in the market and are easy-to-use. Place a few in your attic to keep the rats away.

Note: Avoid placing these mothballs inside the house as its smell is harmful to humans. Take proper care that you do not touch it with bare hands.

1. Ammonia

Mix 2 spoons of detergent, a quarter glass of water and 2 cups of regular ammonia in a bowl. Place it where rats appear frequently. Since rats can’t stand the smell of ammonia; hence, this remedy will do the job.

1. Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil can be used to prevent rats as they can’t stand its pungent smell. All you have to do is dip some cotton balls in the peppermint oil and place them in the rat-prone area. It will surely give satisfactory results.

Alternatively, citronella and castor oil can also be used.
Or else, grow mint plants around the boundaries of your home.

1. Owl’s Feather
   Owl’s feather will scare the rats and force them to run away. Try placing some owl’s feather inside the holes of these intruders.

Alternatively, if you can’t find one, keep some plastic snakes in your garden to get rid of rats in the yard.

1. Pepper

The pungent smell of pepper makes it hard for the rats to breathe and threat their survival. Simply sprinkle some crushed pepper around the corners and the holes where they reside. You will notice positive results. Repeat the process if necessary.

1. Bay Leaf

Rats think of bay leaf as their food and tend to eat it. But, it actually kills them. Put some bay leaves in the rat-prone area. Keep repeating the process until all of them are gone.

1. Onions

It is a very effective remedy to get rid of rats naturally. The smell of onions is odious to these nasty rodents. Just slice an onion and keep it inside or near their holes.

1. Make Your Own Trap

Trapping is one of the best ways to get rid of rats fast. You can take a humane trap and put bait in it to attract the rat. Peanut butter and cheese are the rat’s favorite. As the rat tries to eat this, it will be caught in the trap. After this, you can leave it in the woods or far away from your home so that it never comes back.

Note: You can add boric acid in the peanut butter to make it more effective.

Note: Wear latex gloves while using this remedy.

1. Dried Snake Litter/ Cat Litter

Buy some of the dried snake litter from a pet store or zoo and keep it near the places where rats are more likely to visit. Rats will not come there again because of the fear of snake.

Alternatively, you can also use cat’s litter. However, if the rat is infected with toxoplasmosis, it strangely may actually be attracted to cats and cat litter (a very weird side effect of the disease)
Note: Keep it out of the reach of pets and children.

1. Human Hair
   It may sound weird, but rats can’t bear the sight of the human hair. This can be an effective way to repel rats. Clip a few strands and throw them inside the holes of rats, or at the places they tend to visit the most. As the rats will eat the hair, they will die.

2. Cow Dung
   It is a stinky process but one of the best ways to prevent these rodents. Take some cow dung cakes and spread them in your attic or garden. When rats eat the cow dung, it will inflame their stomach and lead them to die. Thus, helps get rid of rats outside the house.

3. Sound
   Sound not only hurts them, but also makes their ears bleed. A sharp noise-making sound box is all you need to make them run away.

4. Baby Powde

Although this method is not that effective; however, you may try it once. Sprinkle the baby powder on the corners and around the rat-prone area. This powder intoxicates the rodents and helps you get rid of them to some extent.

1. Steel Wool

Want to get rid of rats in the walls? Create barriers using steel wool. It is harder for rats to nibble the steel wool. So, find out their access point and block the way.