How to Keep Rodents Away From Your Home

Rats, mice, and other rodents are a huge nuisance in the home. They leave droppings everywhere and chew through wires. These pests can be especially problematic in winter when they seek shelter from the cold weather outside. If you have an infestation of rats or mice inside your house, there are many steps that you can take to get rid of them for good.

How do rodents enter your home?

There are many ways that rodents can get into your home. The most common way is by entering through a hole in the foundation or basement of the house. Rodents often find their way inside homes by chewing on wood and insulation around doors, windows, and holes in the siding of the exterior of the house. Once they're inside your home, they will seek out shelter and a food source.

Why is it important to remove rodents from the home?

Rodents are known for carrying many different diseases including Lyme disease, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, salmonellosis, rat-bite fever, spotted fever rickettsiosis, Colorado tick fever, and tularemia. They can spread these to you and your loved ones by simply crawling around and contaminating areas in which you live.

What are some effective ways to get rid of rodents?

When looking for how to remove the rodent from your home there are a few things that you can do. 

• You could trap them inside using glue traps or snap traps. 
• Poison them by putting down anticoagulant baits (the kind with Vitamin K) indoors and outdoors.
• Use essential oils to deter them.
• Keep areas clean and clear of the clutter that provides food, water, shelter.
• Close off any entry points into the home or area you don't want them in with steel mesh (make sure they can't chew through it). 

Does vinegar keep rats away?

The best answer to that question would be no. If you're looking for how to get rid of mice, then yes it does work but not on its own without other solutions. Vinegar works by masking smells and oils which will deter mice and rats from entering an area or chewing on any material. However, it needs to be used with other methods since vinegar by itself will not keep rodents away from your home.

What does peppermint oil do to rats?

Peppermint oil can be used to deter rodents from entering an area. They don't like the smell and therefore won't come into your home. It is not a good idea to use peppermint oil by itself but in combination with other methods such as vinegar or steel mesh, it can be effective at keeping them out of your home and yard.

What do I do if I have an infestation?

Rodent infestations are best dealt with by professionals. Since rats, mice, and squirrels can carry harmful diseases and tend to attack when threatened a professional rodent control company should be used to get rid of these pests and keep them away for good.