Rats, mice, and rodents of all kinds are tricky little beasts. Their ability to tunnel into places they don’t belong, squeeze into the tiniest of cracks, and be a general nuisance to deal with makes them incredibly frustrating pests to have in your home. And guess what their favorite thing to root around in is?
You guessed it! Garbage cans. The scents and food possibilities in garbage cans attract rodents of all kinds. If you want to keep rats away, you need to lock down your garbage cans. It’s important to act quickly at the first sight of a single rat, because they will invite their buddies over and quickly multiply into a full blown infestation before you know it, and spreading to your home and the homes of others.
Preventative action is the best option. We’ll show you how.
Deterrence is Key
One of the best ways to keep animals in general out of your trash is seal it with a lid. The more difficult you make it for rats and other rodents to get into your garbage cans, the less likely they are to get in. But, while many deterrents are effective, some animals will go the extra mile to make sure they can get to the nearest supply of food.
Rats are resilient little creatures that can find their way into just about anything, which is why they are such troublesome pests. Remember:
- Rats can chew.
- Rats can squeeze through tiny places.
- Rats can dig.
- Rats can swim.
- They can go almost anywhere and eat almost anything.
The point is to know thy enemy! Don’t underestimate the rat. So, now that you know what you’re up against, it’s important to consider every angle of prevention.
Rat Attack Plan
1. Animal-Proof Cans
Here’s the deal: Animals will do just about anything for food, but when given the option, they will choose the path of least resistance. Here’s where your trash cans come in. Sturdy trash cans with a lid will be too much effort for most animals, which means they’ll go find their meals elsewhere.
Sealing your garbage cans is the simplest, best method for keeping vermin away. Trash Cans Unlimited has a variety of sturdy garbage cans with lids that seal tight to choose from that will put your rat concerns at ease. If you don’t want to buy new cans or you have a metal can that you just need to keep the lid on, locks are a great option. Lid locks are easy to find in many different hardware and grocery stores.
2.Clean Up Time
Don’t make it too easy for rats and other rodents to set up shop in your living space and around your garbage cans. Give the cans and their surrounding area a good wash with disinfectant. This will make it less likely for the rats to stick around, as well as making it less likely to attract more.
And this doesn’t just apply to your house interior--your yard needs to be kept clean too. Rats love small, dry, dark, and warm places to hide, and that means cleaning up yard debris and potential nesting areas. Flush the little blighters out, give them no place to hide!
Making it less convenient for rats to nest and restricting access to food and shelter will make your home less attractive and hospitable to rats and other vermin.
3. Repellent
Rats have a very sensitive nose, which they use to find food, but it can also be used to deter them. There are many chemical repellents, but while some of these can be effective, rats can learn to tolerate and resist them. But in your anti-rat campaign, everything helps. There are a lot of commercial options, as well as some home remedies:
- Ammonia
- Peppermint oil
- Castor oil
- Citronella oil
Soak several cotton balls in whatever oil or chemical you’re using, and tuck them in and around your garbage cans and other places you may expect to find rats. You may also try sound and light emitters. Their success rates are questionable, and pests may get used to them over time. Additionally, they can annoy and cause discomfort for pets, so these devices may not be the best option.
4. The Nuclear Option
Traps and poisons are the least humane option for many people looking to do pest control, but they are effective. Rat poisons and traps will definitely make a dent in the amount of rats that are around your home.
Also, if you’re looking to add a pet with an added bonus to your home, cats are a great idea. People believe that humans domesticated cats for precisely this reason. Human living attracts pests like rats, and rats attract cats because they like to eat ‘em! Cats are cute, and they serve double duty--taking out those nasty rats.
Moving Forward Rat-free
Hopefully, these methods will help you keep your home pest free. Be proactive and consider using a combination of methods we described above to help keep rats away. Rats are formidable opponents, they can adapt to new environments quickly, and they’re pretty tough. You’ll need to keep them on their tiny little toes to make sure that they don’t come back. But, the best method is to limit access to food and get high quality, sealed garbage cans. That’s where we come in.
Trashcans Unlimited has a massive inventory of trash cans that can keep your trash safe from vermin, and our helpful staff is always ready to lend a hand. Get in touch with us, or start browsing our product lines today!