Many people find themselves fighting an endless battle with rats, trying to keep them out of their garages.
These small yet destructive critters can cause serious damage to your home. They will chew through wiring and build nests among your stored items. To make matters worse, they are carriers of numerous diseases.
There is no need to panic completely, though. This article will cover everything you need to know to rat-proof your garage effectively.
Why Do Garages Attract Rats?
First, you must know why your garage is so appealing to them. Surprisingly, your garage probably offers everything they could wish for–food, cover, and a nesting place.
Many people use their outdoor facilities to stow away things they don’t often need, such as cardboard boxes, pet food, or old furniture. If there are any wall fractures or a hole in your garage door, rodents will easily sweep through.
The horrors of a pest infestation will not necessarily be contained within your garage. Some structures are connected to the rest of the house.
Having successfully invaded your garage, those pesky rodents will then find a way to get inside your home. To avoid this nightmare situation, you must rat-proof your garage, which brings us to our next point.
Clean Your Garage
Rats are rather opportunistic animals who aren’t very picky. They will invade any space that offers food or a place to hide, regardless of its state. In fact, the more unorganised it is, the better it will be for them.
Tidying your garage can help you maintain control over these intruders by making it hard for them to find a hiding spot.
Although it is a difficult chore, this is your first line of defence to protect your external property. Who knows, perhaps you will also uncover some long-lost treasures that you have forgotten about.
Start by going through your stored possessions. Discard whatever you do not need and pack the rest in sealed plastic containers. It would be wise to steer clear of cardboard boxes since those relentless chompers can chew through them easily.
Decluttering goes beyond mere organisation. You also have to make food sources inaccessible. If you keep birdseed, cat food, or other edible goods in the garage, store them in metal or strong plastic containers.
Close off Access Points
Vermin are surprisingly flexible and can squeeze through holes as small as a quarter pound, which is why closing all possible access points is essential. Keeping rodents out of your garage mainly depends on this step.
Examine the whole perimeter, including the windows, walls, and garage door. Make sure you carefully search for any holes, cracks, or gaps a rat can pass through.
Focus especially on areas where wires or pipes are connected to the garage. Although these places are often overlooked, they are regular access points for pests.
After identifying weak points, they can infiltrate. Use expanding foam or caulk to seal off bigger fractures or gaps. As for smaller holes and cracks, steel wool would be ideal since rats cannot easily chew on it.
Remember to check the weatherstripping on your garage door as well. Over time, it can wear out and produce gaps. Changing old or battered weatherstripping will cut off one of the most commonly used rodent access points.
Set up Traps
If those sneaky pests manage to infiltrate your garage despite your best efforts, use traps to catch them before they spread any further.
From merciful models to more conventional snap traps, you have a number of options. Whichever one you choose, make sure you place them in areas where you have noticed rat activity, like small droppings, gnawed objects, or grimy footprints.
Given how strongly motivated rodents are by food, baiting traps with cheese or peanut butter usually yields great results.
However, you must be careful when handling traps. Rats are intelligent and will evade them if they sense human activity, so place them during the day when they are likely to be sleeping. Additionally, use gloves while setting up the traps to avoid spreading your scent.
Once you have caught one, you should quickly remove the trap and reset it to capture any stragglers. If your infestation is more severe, though, traps by themselves will not be enough to eliminate it.
When to Call a Rat Exterminator
If you have tried all the DIY techniques you know of and still see vermin running around your property, it is advisable to use the services of a professional rat exterminator.
In some cases, the issue is more widespread than you can manage on your own, especially if rats have started to nest or reproduce in your garage. Rat exterminators are trained to evaluate the particular circumstances of your pest problem and devise a customised remedy to treat it.
Aside from trapping, baiting, and sealing off access points, they also use industry-grade tools and chemical toxins. These are only accessible to pest control experts, as they must be handled with extra care, especially around children or pets.
Many exterminators also provide long-term preventive services, which can help you relax knowing that your home is impenetrable.
How to Stop Future Infestations
After working so hard on eliminating rats from your garage, the last thing you want is for them to come back. A pest-free future depends entirely on preventative action. With a few routine checks and some basic steps, you will save yourself a lot of trouble in the long run.
As we have previously mentioned, you must always keep your garage neat. Regular decluttering sessions help guarantee that rodents cannot dwell in any messy areas.
Moreover, remember to keep all food supplies in securely sealed containers.
Another smart move is to regularly check the perimeter for indicators of rat presence. You should always stay alert, even if you believe the issue has been resolved.
That way, you can deal with an emerging infestation before it escalates. The early signs you need to look for include pellet-shaped droppings, bite marks, and grimy tracks.
At last, if rats are a regular problem in your neighbourhood, enlist the services of a qualified pest control company for continuous maintenance.
Although most people consider it a last resort, working with a rat exterminator is usually the best approach to permanently addressing an infestation.
Conclusion
Being proactive and vigilant is key to keeping those notorious home invaders out of your property.
With our tips and suggestions, you can finally use your garage without any unwelcome surprises.
Remember, professional rat exterminators are only a phone call away if all else fails.
