Getting rid of rats can be tricky, and if you leave the problem for too long it will simply get harder. Rats breed at an alarming rate, so you really need to deal with the problem as soon as it becomes apparent. So how do you get rid of rats?

The first step is to remove their shelter and food source. Make sure that all foods are shut away in cupboards with no holes or gaps that they can squeeze through. Put all grains and pulses in airtight containers and don’t leave any crumbs or pieces of food on the kitchen worktops or floor. Look around your garden and home for compost piles, bird feeders, squirrel feeders, and make sure that your refuse is shut away with no half open lids offering access to rats. These steps will make your home less attractive to these creatures.

Second, check for entry points. Rats can squeeze through gaps the size if its head into your home. Any gaps under doorways, cracked open windows, cat or dog flaps, low laying letter boxes and open drains are all invitations to gain access to your home. Check near the foundations, near vents and anywhere that plumbing goes into your home and check the sidings for gaps.

Wherever you see these gaps, make sure you seal them with caulk and steel mesh or steel wool.

Trim bushes and tress to avoid upper access to your home for rats, and remember that rats can jump!

If you already have an infestation, you will notice rat droppings, gnawings and scratching noises. To stop them you can get traps and lay poison, however you need to be very careful if you have pets or young children.

If you do lay traps, use peanut butter and make sure you check them on a regular basis. If you use poison, you need to be aware that you may end up with rodent bodies that you cannot find or gain access to.

We recommend that you call the professionals to ensure that you don’t put children or pets at risk and that any traces of rats are found and removed, otherwise it will be very unpleasant to live in a house with rats decomposing for weeks or months, especially during the hot summer months.

Once your rat problem has been solved, and all rats removed, you will need to thoroughly sanitise your home to eradicate and traces of disease or bacteria left by rats. Don’t vacuum droppings or nests as you will simply spread bacteria on your vacuum cleaner, therefore spray the whole area with disinfectant. Spray floors, carpets, cabinets, cupboards, clothing and furniture and if you can afford it, get an industrial cleaning company to carry out a full sanitation of your property.

The last step is to rat proof your home using a professional company such as HLA Pest Control in London who can rat proof your home and prevent any further infestations.