How to Get Rid of Rats
For over 30 years, Safeguard have been offering exceptional rat control services to customers based in Birmingham and all over the Midlands. When it comes to safe and humane rat disposal, we employ a range of prevention methods and deterrents to ensure rats no longer cause problems in and around your property.
We generally cater to commercial properties, but if that rat problem is especially large or problematic, we can easily take-on domestic cases. Our service is designed to be fast, efficient and minimally-invasive.
Why rats are a problem in your property
Rats cause a number of problems in both domestic and commercial properties and the longer they are left to nest and form homes, the more complex and expensive the removal method becomes. Additionally, the presence of rats will only further encourage more pests to infiltrate the property causing more problems.
Most importantly, rats are notorious for carrying harmful bacteria and diseases that can become extremely harmful to humans. If rats are present in your property, it is essential that you contact Safeguard to ensure the health and safety of your staff is not put at risk.
How to effectively get rid of rats
There are a number of effective ways to rid rats from your property. At Safeguard, we strongly believe that prevention is better than a cure and if measures are taken to ensure rats have no reason to visit your property, you will save yourself time, stress and money.
If you are currently suffering with rat infestation in your property, we have outlined some of the best deterrent methods to try before contacting our pest control team.
Step 1 – Locating the rats
Before you start thinking about deterrent methods and traps, you must find out where the rats are located. Locating rats can be difficult in the day time as they are nocturnal creatures, so it’s unlikely you’ll find them scuttling around.
However, there are telltale signs to lookout for to help you pinpoint their location, these include:
- Dead rats
- Rat droppings (usually found around litter and dark, secluded areas)
- Scratch marks on walls or skirting boards
- Gawn marks on electronics, elads, furniture etc
- Burrows (when outside)
- Nests
- Dug up carpet
- Smudge and smear marks of droppings
Step 2 – Laying traps
Once you have located the rats, the next step is trapping them. All traps, regardless of what you choose, must be inspected regularly to ensure the caught rat is not struggling or dead. Traps should be positioned roughly where you think the rat is to ensure they are not accessible by pets or children.
Bait traps
The most common and preferred forms of trapping are known as ‘bait traps’ and they can come in many shapes and sizes. Their sole purpose is to lure the rat inside a cage-like contraption that shuts once the trigger is activated.
Snap Traps
Snap traps used to be the most popular form of rat trap, but have fallen out of favour due to their inhumane trapping technique. Snap traps work by luring the rat into the trap via bait and then once the rat triggers the trap, the trap snaps down, clamping the rat in place.
Be sure that when you’re buying a snap tap that you are purchasing traps for rats, not mince. The problem is that rats are often too big to be swiftly killed by mice snap traps. Instead, the trap ends up injuring the rat.
Glueboards
Now seen as an archaic and somewhat ineffective rat control method. Glueboard, as their name suggests, uses adhesive glue to trap the rats in place. This method has a poor success rate, as rats are often too large for the glue to take effect.
Live Traps
Live traps work in a similar way to bait traps, in that they lure the rat into cage contraption that closes upon actigin a switch mechanism. The only difference with live traps is that bait does not need to be used, as the rats’ natural intrigue will lead it to investigate the trap. The traps often resemble small cubby holes that rats enjoy wiggling into.
Be sure to regularly check up on the trap to ensure the rat is humanely disposed of when caught.
Rodenticides
These are essentially poisonous pesticides that are used to humanely kill rats and mice. Rodenticides are typically used for big rat infestations in commercial properties, when a series of traps will not suffice.
Using rodenticides is something that should be handled by a professional pest control company or contractor, poor knowledge of using rodenticides can be extremely dangerous to surrounding animals and people.
Step 3 – Identifying the type of rat
You don’t need to know exactly what type of rat it is, just where it’s residing. In most cases, rats can be categorised into two types: roof rats and Norway rats.
- Roof rats – as their name suggests, roof rats prefer to nest up in the roof linings, in attics, on top of garages or upon beams shelves and ledges. Traps should be placed in these areas.
- Norway rats – these rats usually keep their feet on the ground and commonly nest underground or in dark corners. Traps should be placed near where you think their nest is or any cracks or gaps they may find appealing to sneak into.
Areas Rats inhabit
Rats will inhabit anywhere they deem safe and secure to build their nests. From construction sites and commercial properties to gardens and homes, rats are able to infiltrate almost any area if they are not properly secured.
Below, we have outlined the most common places rats dominate and the
Getting rid of rats in the garden
Detect nests and keep your garden clean
Untidy gardens are the perfect breeding ground for rats’ nests as well as birds and wasps. Gardens that are not frequently used or have areas where shrubbery has become overgrown will lend themselves to rats and other problem pests. It’s also advised to remove any food sources, low-hanging bird feeders for example often attract rats.
Additionally, ensure to plug any holes, cracks or fissures in your garden to ensure rats cannot enter into your home. For example, rats may find their way into your home through broken bits of patio.
Getting rid of rats in your home
Close your bins and rid away loose litter
One of the most common reasons rats infiltrate properties is because they are in search of food. Both indoor and outdoor bins are a typical reason for rat infestations, especially when they’re left open. This is a free source of food for rats and the smell of an open bin can be detected by rats very easily.
Keep your bins closed and be sure to clean them once every few months to ensure no waste is left over inside or surrounding the bin
Other steps to prevention include:
- Keeping your garden tidy
- Sealing any entry points (holes, cracks in the walls etc)
- Be sure to buy a tall bird feeder (or one that rats cannot scale)
Getting rid of rats in larger properties (commercial)
Contact a pest control professional
Most rat infestations in commercial properties need to be handled by professionals due to several reasons. For example, large infestations may require rodenticides which should only be used by experienced rat and pest technicians to ensure the safety of your staff. Additionally, rats can be much harder to track and locate in larger properties and locating vermin with no experience will likely take much longer and cost more.
At Safeguard, we are fully qualified to safely and humanely remove the presence of rats from any commercial property. We can also arrive at times that suit you and your business to ensure our service is as minimally invasive as possible.
Seek an Immediate Solution as Rats May Attract Other Pests
Leaving a rat problem to fester will not only raise severe health and safety concerns and damage your property further, but their presence will also attract more pests.
Why?
When rats are left for too long in your property, they become comfortable and begin building nests as they believe they are in no threat. Rats multiply very quickly and this will alert other problem pests, such as birds and insects. When this happens, the problem becomes more complex and may end up costing you more in the long run.
Additionally, as more pests infiltrate your property, the more the health and safety of you and our staff is put at risk.
As soon as you spot signs of rats do not wait to call the experts at Safeguard, it may save you a lot of stress and a small fortune. Call our team today before the problem escalates.
When You Require Professional Intervention
In some cases, rat infestations cannot be alleviated through home remedies and standard traps. This is where we come in, to provide a fast, safe and humane rat removal solution.
How Our Services Get Rid of Rats
Safeguard provides a range of exceptional services to customers across Birmingham and far into the midlands. From clinical and humane rat removal, to installing prevention deterrents and advising customers on the best ways to keep rats away from their premises.
Our services include:
- Identifying rats in and around your properties
- Identifying areas where rats may infiltrate and providing advice and prevention methods to alleviate the threat of rats
- Preventative rat control measures if sewer pipes have been breached
- Hygiene advice to deter rats from entering your property
- How to keep your business premises rat-free
- Rat nest removal
- Essential rat prevention measures
- A guide to the most useful rat prevention products
We are traditionally a commercial pest and rat control company, but if you have a large scale domestic problem, we will take your needs into consideration.
How Our Service Works
We conduct a professional survey of the property and surrounding area – before we begin removing the rats from your property, we conduct a full it survey to assess the severity of the situation. This involves seeing one of our pest and crat control technicians to your property.
You choose a time that is convenient to you and the audit can take between 30 minutes to over an hour.
Targeted rat control treatments specific to your needs – each rat control job is different as they pose a variety of problems for commercial properties. Once our technicians have assessed the situation, they will begin preparing treatment solutions. In some cases, they may be able to start work onsite immediately, but this depends on the scale of the problem.
Treatments may include:
- Rodenticides – a humane rat poison that is typically used in large scale rat removal jobs.
- Bait traps – these work by luring a small number of rats into a cage for humane transportation and relocation.
- Rodent Odour Control – in some cases (when the rat infestation is severe), rat smells can permeate the air, resulting in a bad smell. This can be a huge problem, in commercial properties, especially if the hospitality industry where hygiene is paramount.
- Proofing and prevention – as we always say, prevention is better than a cure! Once our team has identified the extent of the infestation and dealt with it, we then discuss future prevention methods. There are a number of ways you can prevent rats from returning to your property, all of which are easy and cost-effective.
We Are BCPA-Certified
Your rat control job will be undertaken by one of our BCPA-certified pest control technicians. Our team guarantees to provide a specific solution to all rat control problems. We understand that all rat problems are different, which is why we employ different deterrent and prevention methods on each task.
Our surveyors will provide a bespoke solution to your rat problem and provide deterrent and prevention advice specific to your property’s needs.
Our technicians are trained in all aspects of pest control and have serviced hundreds of commercial properties in and out of Birmingham. They have a wealth of experience and provide solutions to all rat-based problems, swiftly and humanely.
Why Safeguard?
Making Safeguard your choice for all rat-related problems grants you a number of benefits that save you money, time and stress. Take a look below at a few of the reasons why we’re Birmingham’s trusted pest control company:
Over 35 years’ experience
Our team has over 35 years experience in the pest control industry. We have dealt with every problem pest, ranging from birds and insects to mice and of course, rats. All methods are in line with the NPTA and our team are BCPA-ceritief to ensure swift and safe rat control solutions.
Post-removal hygiene cleanses
We offer exceptional post-removal cleaning services to ensure your commercial property is left looking immaculate. This service is available for all pest control services, from rats to birds and insects. We use a special combination of cleaning substances that safely and swiftly remove the telltale signs of rat infestations, without damaging your property.
Emergency call-outs
If you are suffering with an urgent rat problem and require immediate assistance, we aim to get back to all customers within 24 hours with solutions. In some cases, we may be able to provide immediate deterrent and/or prevention solutions upon arrival.
Don’t Let Rats Damage Your Property
Contact our professional rat control team at Safeguard to eliminate all rats in a safe and humane manner to allow your business to continue to operate. If your problem is an emergency, we can send one of our pest control technicians to your property ASAP to ensure that the problem is dealt with swiftly and in a professional manner.
After your call with our team, you can rest assured that your rat problems will be dealt with as soon as possible.
