You’re sitting in the comfort of your home one evening and all of a sudden you hear it. There’s scratching coming from behind the walls. You shush everyone in the house and listen closely.

You can hear them scurrying on the other side of your living room wall, but there’s nothing to see. Then, one morning, you wake up and find a box of cereal has been chewed through along with a loaf of bread. It’s one of the last things anyone wants to deal with: a rodent infestation.

It’s time to contact rodent control. No homeowner wants to discover a rodent infestation in their home, but when you’re faced with it, you must deal with it as quickly as possible. Knowing how to get rid of rodents in your home might be the first step to take.

In the guide below, you’ll find several bits of advice on how to free your home of these pesky creatures. Continue reading to get started!

Have Your Home Inspected

One of the first things you should do is inspect your home. You can conduct the inspection yourself, or have a professional inspect it for you. You’ll need to ensure the pest problem is, indeed, a rodent problem.

You should look for signs that rats are present in your home. Once you’re able to determine that the issue is, in fact, a rodent one, you can then take the next necessary steps to remove them from your home. The following are several signs that your home might have a rodent infestation:

Rodent droppings in or around food, including pet food
Scratching sounds at night from behind walls or from the attic
Chewed wires or wood in the house
Nesting materials found in hidden places around the house
Smudge marks along the walls where rodents walk
Live or dead rats

If you’re unable to determine if there are rodents present in your home, then it may be best to contact a professional rodent control service who can inspect your home for you.

Understand Why They’re There

You’ve determined there’s a rodent problem, but what’s the next step? You should now start to understand why the rodents are there in the first place. If you can learn why the rodents are in your home, then you can take the appropriate steps to remove any factors that are attracting them.

The three main sources rodents need to survive are as follows: water, food, and shelter. Your home already provides shelter for them, but does it also provide access to food and water? Do plastic and cardboard food containers being left out for easy access?

Is there a water source available to them as well? Rodents can find water in pet bowls, condensation from pipes or on the walls, and drains as well.

Pet food, human food left out, clutter, leaf piles, and other piles of debris can all attract rodents. If needed, make these changes in your home to prevent rodents from being attracted to it.

Discover Where They’re Coming From

You’ll then want to discover where they’re coming from. Complete a full inspection of the inside and outside of your home. Start looking for access points such as small holes and gaps.

While outside, be sure to look around damaged drains, gaps around vents, cracks in the foundation, and imperfections in your garage door. While inside, check near appliance lines, drains, and vents.

Seal Any Holes and Gaps

If you do find any holes or gaps where you believe rodents might be coming from, then be sure to seal them up. Don’t only pay attention to large spaces either. Rodents can fit through very small spaces, so all gaps and holes should be sealed properly.

Fill all entry points with wire wool, cement, or another type of material that can’t be easily chewed through. You should also check these areas on a regular basis to ensure they’re well-maintained and not being chewed through.

Clean Your Home

After you’ve sealed all entry points, it’s important to give your home a good cleaning. Rodents are always looking for places to hide, so you’ll want to remove as much clutter as you can. Eliminate all possible hiding places and move objects away from the walls if possible.

You can also consider placing food items in storage containers that tightly seal them. All trash should be placed in the trash can with a lid. Any spills should be wiped up as soon as they happen.

A clean home doesn’t always prevent rodents from wanting to access it, but it can help.

Use Natural Methods of Deterring Rodents

There are natural ways to deter rodents from your home. You might even have a few of these items already in your home. Use some of the following natural products to keep rodents away:

Crushed pepper or pepper spray near their entry points
Black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, or peppermint oil spread around the exterior of your home

These all are natural ways of deterring rodents from your home. When they pick up the scent of any of these herbs, oils, and spices, they’ll quickly turn the other way.

Contact Professional Rodent Control

Although there are several things a homeowner can do on their own to remove rodents and prevent them from coming back, there still might come a time when a professional rodent control company is required. If you’re having trouble handling rodent control on your own, don’t panic. The best rodent control service is here to help.

At Pointe Pest Control, we use eco-friendly methods of removing rodents from a home and keeping them out. We also offer a guarantee of our services to ensure you’re satisfied with the results.