In this article, we’ve feature some of the best way to get rid of rodents as well as keep them away.
Here’s the truth…
There’s no one best way to get rid of rats and mice. Depending on the rodent situation at hand, some rodent control methods work better than others. The most effective ways to get rid of rats involve a combination of multiple strategies.
The best rodent control strategy incorporates both removal of rodents (using traps, electrocution, baits poison) and prevention methods (like electronic repellents, natural repellents and weep hole covers).
>> Best Ways to Remove & Eliminate Rodents
Rodent Traps
Rat & Mouse traps are perhaps the most common and effective way to get rid of rodents. They are easy to use, cost effective and a critical part of the overall strategy in getting rid of rodent problems at home.
You can choose to kill the caught mice or simply release it (be sure to relocated caught rodent at least 5 miles away or they may return).
Here are some of the most effective rodent trap options: electrical traps, live-catch cage traps, snapping traps and glue traps. Each type of rodent trap has it’s set of pros and cons, depending on the situation at hand & your preference, one option might just work better than the other.
>> See the full list of Best Rodent Traps
- Non-toxic
- Easy to set-up
- Effective
- Relatively cheap
- Most traps can be reused or a long time
- Not for trapping multiple rodents at once
- Have to deal with trapped rodent
- Might trap, hurt & even kill other animals (birds, rabbits, squirrels)
[May: We seriously do not recommend glue traps/ glue boards as we think it’s a very cruel way to get rid of rats & mice.]
Bait Poison
Bait poisons (Rodenticides) does not provide instant kill. It was designed to let rodent mistake them as food, consume it and die far away from the house.
With rodent bait poison, there’s a chance that rats and mouse will bring these poison back to the nest (thinking it’s food) to share with other rodents. Hence potentially reduces the infestation.
Bait shyness – It is important to pick a good and effective bait poison to avoid the possibility of bait shyness (where rodent learned to avoid the bait as it has caused discomfort in the past).
>> See the full list of Best Rodent Bait Poisons
- Potential for viral killing effect
- Effective
- Easy to use & set-up
- Works behind-the-scene
- Kills without having to come into contact with rodent
- Takes time to kill
- Might not always take bait
- Might die in inaccessible place leading to odor
- Other animals might end up taking bait
>> Best Ways to Keep Rodents Out
Weep Hole Cover
What are weep holes? – they are little pockets of holes commonly seen around the exterior of buildings designed to allow water to be drained out and allow ventilation to help dry the structure.
With weep holes comes the potential risk of rodents and other pest being given access to enter the the house. That’s where weep hole cover comes to the aid.
Weep hole covers provide a barrier between the house and outside rodents (and other pest) while maintaining airflow and moisture management. It’s an environment friendly way to keep rodents and insects out so we can focus on getting rid of rodents already inside the house with other rodent killers and methods.
>> See the list of Best Weep Hole Covers
- Effective if set-up properly
- Gives a great peace of mind
- Environment friendly method
- Prevention is better than cure
- Required quite abit of effort
- Not easy to setup & install properly
Electronic Ultrasonic Repellent
Ultrasound is a high frequency sound that can’t be heard by humans but is able to irritate rodents. It causes discomfort to rodents using non-repetitive frequency levels which deters rodent infestation.
As rodents are territorial pest, some ultrasonic frequency resembles the sound of dominant male rodents which discourages them from inhabiting.
Electronic repellents work best indoors with little furniture and without carpets or curtains as they block and absorb ultrasound reducing the effectiveness significantly.
>> See the list of Best Rodent Electronic Ultrasonic Repellents
- Friendly for the environment
- Does not give out unpleasant smell
- Easy to use & Non-toxic
- Ideal option for sensitive places (kitchen, hospital)
- Leaves no messy & easy to clean-up
- Less effective than chemical based methods
- Requires electricity & power supply
- Not ideal for outdoor use
- Ultrasonic does travel through walls
Natural Repellent
Most plants (peppermint, tansy, elderberry) and herbs (wormwood and mint) are ideal natural rat repellents as rodents hate their scent.
Peppermint oil and Eucalyptus oil can also be used. Try keeping fresh mint leaves or rubbing peppermint oil inside cabinets or drawers.
Cats & Dogs – while not all the four legged furry friends are good rat hunters, most are hunters by nature and have a tendency to chase small animals.
>> Bonus
Remove Food Source (inside & out)
As with any pest control method, the number one way to get rid of them in the long term is to cut of their food source. With rodents, ensure trash is removed from your house and placed inside a trash can (with cover lid) before heading to bed.
Also, if you feed your pets outside, ensure their bowls are empty before dawn. Once rodents find food once, they will keep coming back (read this article for their behaviour).
There’s no shortcut for this. It requires day in and day out discipline to see drastic results.
Over to you…
Which of these rodent control methods have you tried? Which one works the best for you? If not, which one will you likely give a shot? Leave us a comment.