How to Get Rid of Rats In the Garage
If you use your garage for any sort of food storage, you are likely going to attract mice or rats at some point in time. Even if you do not keep food in your garage, rats may decide that your space is perfect for nesting, due to its dark, cozy, and quiet characteristics. If you are dealing with a rat infestation, you will need to know how to successfully solve your issue and ensure that the pests do not come back. Read on for more tips and information.
Why Is It Bad If I Have Rats In My Garage?
Rats are unwelcome guests in your garage, but you may wonder what exactly makes them so bad. First of all, rats in the garage can damage your belongings by chewing or urinating and defecating on them. In addition, their chewing can cause fire hazards when they chew on things like electrical wiring and when they build tinder-dry nests.
Rats and other rodents can also spread disease. This can be through the parasites that they carry, such as fleas or ticks, or through their droppings, which will be all over your garage if the rodents decide to move in.
How to Get Rid of Rats In the Garage
If you’ve got rats in your garage, you will need to turn it into an inhospitable environment for the pests! You can also use traps to remove the rats from your garage space. Take a look at some of the suggestions below in order to deal with your rat infestation without calling an exterminator.
Related – How to get Chipmunks out of Your Garage
Remove the Food Source
First things first, you need to remove any food or water sources that are in your garage. A lot of the time, rats come into your garage space because they want your food or water. The garage is seen as being a safe space that has everything a rat would need– food, water, and plenty of dark, quiet space to nest. You may think that you do not have any food source for the rats in your home, but chances are that you do. Take a closer look.
Food for rats can include things that we would not see as edible, such as cardboard. Birdseed, stored “human food”, or pet food can also be viewed as a rat food source. Your trash may also be attracting rats. If you cannot– or do not want to– remove these food sources from your garage, you should at least ensure that they are stored very well, in airtight containers, so that rats cannot get into open bags or chew holes in the packaging to access the food. Also, make sure that there is not a viable water source for the rats.
Rodent Traps
One of the most common solutions when it comes to any sort of pest infestation is to set traps in the infested space. It is probably something that you have already considered. However, there are many different kinds of rodent traps– you do not necessarily have to kill the pests to be rid of them if that makes you queasy. There are plenty of humane traps for rat infestations, where you simply have to bait the trap and then release the rats somewhere else. It is important to note, however, that you have to release rats at least 2 miles away from your home. Otherwise, you run the risk of them trying to come back to your garage. Be sure that you are not releasing the pests too close to other homes or residential areas and making them someone else’s problems.
Related – How to Get Squirrels Out of Your Garage
Rodent Bait
Rodent bait refers to the treat or food item that you are using to bait a trap with– regardless of whether or not it is a humane trap. Both kinds of traps still need bait to entice the rats. This could include dry pet food, cheese, or dried meat. However, it is best to use soft and sticky baits– such as peanut butter– as these sorts of bait will not be pulled off the trap and trigger it. It reduces the chance of a rat’s escape.
There are also certain products that fall under this umbrella, which are known as rodenticides. These usually have to be bought with bait stations due to regulations. Bait stations are enclosed and hold the rodenticide inside, allowing a rat to enter to consume the poison but preventing pets or children from accessing this poison and getting sick. If you opt for rodenticide, be sure to follow all instructions precisely!
Related – How to get Mice out of Your Garage
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I getting rats in my garage?
There are a few reasons that you may be getting rats in your garage. Typically, rats and mice enter your garage for one (or more) of these three things– food, shelter, or water. As a garage likely has all of these factors, it makes it an ideal nesting place for rats.
What scent will keep rats away?
There are several scents that can help to deter rats. These include peppermint, eucalyptus, clover, garlic, or hot peppers such as cayenne. You can either choose to spray these scents in the garage or administer the essential oils on cotton balls and leave them around your space.
How do I get rid of rats permanently?
If you are dealing with a rodent infestation, you of course want to get rid of the pests permanently. Some of the ways to do this are to use traps, deter them with smells, and seal up any holes or cracks that the rats could be entering.
How do I get rid of a rodent in my garage?
If you have a rodent in your garage and want to get rid of it, there are both humane and non-humane ways to do so. Some of these include traps– both deadly traps as well as catch and release traps. You should also create a hostile environment that is not conducive to rodents by removing food and water sources.
