A 3-Step Plan To Dealing With A Rat Problem In Your Home
Rat problems are damaging to more than just your home. The constant squeaking and scratching make it impossible to relax or sleep at night – not to mention that rodents can chew through important electrical wires or create holes in your walls. It’s something almost all homeowners deal with at some point, so what should you do when there’s a rat problem in your home?
You’ll probably start by freaking out, and that’s valid. Once you’ve got over the initial shock, follow this three-step plan to deal with the situation:
Step 1: Find & Remove The Rodents
Step one is the hardest step because the rats could be anywhere. You hear them in the attic, then you hear them in the walls behind the kitchen cabinets, and then you hear them again in the basement. Rats attract more rats, so there could be a small family running havoc around your home!
The best course of action is to find a pest control company in your area that specializes in rats and rodents. They’ll use technology and equipment to find and trap all the rodents, removing them from your property. You can find companies with humane ways of doing this, so you don’t have to worry about the rat’s wellbeing.
Step 2: Give Your Home A Deep Clean
Okay, the rodent problem has officially left your home – but things can’t get back to normal just yet. Before you do anything else, make sure you give your home a very deep clean. To be fair, you might want to get some specialists in to do this, as well.
You need to pay extra attention to the areas that rats were living in, removing any rat droppings and dried urine. Basically, you’re trying to completely sterilize your home so it feels clean and fresh again. So many people forget this step, which is weird because you know there were unwashed rodents in your home, so why the hell wouldn’t you deep clean it?!
Step 3: Prevent Further Rat Incursions
Is the cleaning done? Good, you can now move on to the third and final step: prevention.
You could argue this is the most important step, as it prevents further rat infestations from happening. Your pest control company should identify how the rats were getting in, meaning you should cover up and fix any breaches in your home. Stop rodents – and other pests – from sneaking in and ruining your lovely home in the future.
As well as this, you may want to think about getting a pet to ward off any unwanted animals. This is obviously harder if you rent, but if you’re allowed pets, then look into getting a cat. They’re like mini guards for your home and will either catch rats or scare them away.
With step three in place, you’re ready to relax in your home once more. It’ll feel way quieter without the scratching and squeaking, so you can finally get a good night’s sleep again. You also have the peace of mind of knowing you’ve blocked any breachable areas and taken steps to prevent the same problem from returning.
