Rats are common and notorious. They can eat through your belongings at home, but most importantly, they can make you sick. To preserve your health at home, you must get rid of these rodents. In this post, you’ll find some interesting ways to get rid of rats in Nigeria.
- Using Bleach
Bleach is a popular household cleaner. You probably have some at home. It has a strong odour that mice – and even humans – can’t stand. As a result, bleach can repel rats because they don’t like the smell.
However, it can give your property an unpleasant stench if sprayed everywhere. Also, bleach inhalation can cause oxygen depletion and bleeding. As a result, while bleach is a good repellent, it is not healthy. To use it safely, dilute the bleach with water and spray only on the hot spots.
Getting a Cat
Cats and mice aren’t friends. Everyone knows that. Therefore, you can get a cat to get rid of rats in your home. Cats are hunters that play at pursuing smaller animals. When a cat sees a mouse, his hunting instinct kicks in and he chases it. Cats aren’t all hunters, though. Domesticated cats rarely hunt mice. Most cats sold are pets, not hunters. If you have a pet cat, letting him chase mice could be unhealthy for him. So, you should try another option.
- Using Ammonia
Rats dislike ammonia because it has a strong stench. This chemical smells like urine, and a rat will mistakenly believe there is a cat nearby if it smells it. As a result, you can use ammonia to keep mice away by spraying it in locations where mice cause problems.
You can also just fill containers with ammonia and set them near suitable entrances. However, be cautious because it could cause harm if it comes into contact with your or someone else’s skin. The stink will fade over time, so you’ll only need to replace the ammonia a couple of times a week.
- Rat Traps
Home mouse traps are still effective, even though they are not as popular as before. Two main types of rat traps exist: kill and no-kill traps. The former will kill the mouse, while the latter will simply capture it. It’s best to use a no-kill trap to avoid having blood in your home. Snap traps are the best rat killers. These quick-trigger traps kill mice effectively. They’re not easy to set up, but they’re cheap and reusable. You can also go for electric rat traps.
- Pesticides
There are lots of rat-killing pesticides in Nigeria. both locally and foreign-produced ones. They are also available in different forms, from powdered to sprayed and liquid pesticides. There’s even the adhesive type, popularly known as rat gum.
How to prevent rats from getting into your house
If you take the necessary precautions to protect your house from rats, you won’t have to worry about getting rid of them. So, here are some easy ways to prevent rats from getting into your house:
- Fill in gaps
Rats reside in holes, so closing them up can prevent their entry. This applies both inside your house and to the outside surroundings. Look for holes around doors, windows, roofs, space vents, electrical, plumbing, gas lines, etc., and close them up.
You can close them with cement, metal sheeting, hardware cloth, lath metal, or lath screen. All of these are not expensive to purchase. You can cover windows, air vents, dryer outlets, etc. with wire mesh.
- Clear your surroundings
Having heaps of dirt, tall grass, and shrubs surrounding your property will attract rats. These help rodents hide. So, clear the weeds, shrubs, and dirt if you wish to keep mice out. This is especially vital if you have a garden. Always trim the shrubs and grass surrounding your house. In addition to deterring rats, they can hide other pests.
- Maintain good sanitation
Proper sanitation keeps mice away. Eliminate all rodent-attracting materials outside your home. Keeping rats out of the house is impossible if the outside is dirty. Check your trash first. If you leave waste outside your house, rats may enter. They smell food when they smell the odour. Many people have unkempt trash cans. This can attract rats and cause pollution, harming your health. After discarding, wash trash cans to remove odours.
- Keep your kitchen clean
Many people mistakenly think their kitchen is clean. Rats love rice, sugar, and oat spills, and they can eat anything edible. If you leave food lying around, not only in the kitchen, you’ll attract rats. So make sure everywhere is tidy, even the smallest spots. Rats can quickly enter hard-to-clean locations.
Besides cleaning, store food correctly. Foods that rats love should be kept in the fridge where they can’t get in. Instead of cardboard boxes, store food in sealed containers. Mice may easily eat through cardboard food cartons, but can’t chew through metal, glass, or plastic.
- Call a professional
Sometimes it’s best to outsource. Rat exterminators can rid your property of mice. These exterminators are well-trained in removing and preventing rodents. They’re educated to use hygienic equipment to clean sick areas. A specialist will inspect your home for rodents. This helps the exterminator discover likely mouse entry points and devise a solution.
In particular, rat infestations require rodent exterminators. When there are too many rats in your home, hiring an exterminator is the best way to keep them out.