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How to Handle Get Rid of Rodents Naturally Step by Step
When get rid of rodents naturally leaves you confused, worried, or unsure what it means, a clear step-by-step approach can help you sort the signal from the stress. This guide explains how to understand the situation, reflect on what matters, choose a practical next step, and know when to ask for trusted support.
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Part
1
Removing Rodents That Are Already in Your Home
1
Kill rodents quickly with snap-style traps.
This style of trap is readily available at hardware stores and home-supply stores. You can bait each trap with a small piece of cheese or a dab of peanut butter. Then, set the trap and place it near a hole or crack that you suspect the rodents use to enter your house, or in an area where you’ve seen rodent droppings.
- This style of trap is readily available at hardware stores and home-supply stores.
- You can bait each trap with a small piece of cheese or a dab of peanut butter.
- Then, set the trap and place it near a hole or crack that you suspect the rodents use to enter your house, or in an area where you’ve seen rodent droppings.
- This style of trap is readily available at hardware stores and home-supply stores.
- You can bait each trap with a small piece of cheese or a dab of peanut butter.
2
Double-bag dead rodents and throw them in a trash can.
Use gloves to pick up the dead rodent. Rodents can carry diseases, so never touch them with your bare skin. Then, drop the rodent into a sealable plastic bag. Seal it, and place the bagged rodent into a second sealable bag. Seal the second bag and place the bagged rodent in the garbage.
- Use gloves to pick up the dead rodent.
- Rodents can carry diseases, so never touch them with your bare skin.
- Then, drop the rodent into a sealable plastic bag.
- Seal it, and place the bagged rodent into a second sealable bag.
- Seal the second bag and place the bagged rodent in the garbage.
3
Catch the rodents in live traps to avoid killing them.
Live traps are a more humane option, because they allow the rodent to live. Bait the live trap as you would a snap-style trap, and set it in an area where you’ve seen rodent droppings. You can purchase live traps at most hardware stores or at large home-supply stores.
- Live traps are a more humane option, because they allow the rodent to live.
- Bait the live trap as you would a snap-style trap, and set it in an area where you’ve seen rodent droppings.
- You can purchase live traps at most hardware stores or at large home-supply stores.
- Live traps are a more humane option, because they allow the rodent to live.
- Bait the live trap as you would a snap-style trap, and set it in an area where you’ve seen rodent droppings.
Part
2
Keeping Rodents out of Your Home
1
Seal up holes and cracks in your home where rodents may enter.
Check around your foundation, windows, and door frames for small holes, cracks, or improper seals. Be sure to seal any holes that have rodent poop in front of them, as that’s a sure sign that rodents use those holes as entrances to your house. Use caulk, putty or weather stripping to fill any access areas you find.
- Check around your foundation, windows, and door frames for small holes, cracks, or improper seals.
- Be sure to seal any holes that have rodent poop in front of them, as that’s a sure sign that rodents use those holes as entrances to your house.
- Use caulk, putty or weather stripping to fill any access areas you find.
- Check around your foundation, windows, and door frames for small holes, cracks, or improper seals.
- Be sure to seal any holes that have rodent poop in front of them, as that’s a sure sign that rodents use those holes as entrances to your house.
2
Keep all of your food in sealed, airtight containers or bags.
Hard plastic or glass containers are best, since mice and rats can gnaw through softer materials. Sealing all of your food will prevent the rodents from being able to smell—or eat—your food. Once rodents figure out that they won’t be able to get a free meal when they enter your home, they’ll lose interest and leave.
- Hard plastic or glass containers are best, since mice and rats can gnaw through softer materials.
- Sealing all of your food will prevent the rodents from being able to smell—or eat—your food.
- Once rodents figure out that they won’t be able to get a free meal when they enter your home, they’ll lose interest and leave.
- Hard plastic or glass containers are best, since mice and rats can gnaw through softer materials.
- Sealing all of your food will prevent the rodents from being able to smell—or eat—your food.
3
Discourage rodents from entering your home with off-putting smells.
These aromas will make your home less attractive to rodents and discourage them from living inside of your house. For example, you can rub peppermint oil on floorboards and other areas where rodents travel. You can also scatter fresh or dried mint leaves, as both the oil and leaves repel rodents.
- These aromas will make your home less attractive to rodents and discourage them from living inside of your house.
- For example, you can rub peppermint oil on floorboards and other areas where rodents travel.
- You can also scatter fresh or dried mint leaves, as both the oil and leaves repel rodents.
- These aromas will make your home less attractive to rodents and discourage them from living inside of your house.
- For example, you can rub peppermint oil on floorboards and other areas where rodents travel.
4
Adopt a pet cat
to kill and scare off rodents. Cats are natural predators, and their instinct will drive them to chase and kill rats. Even if your cat is not a great mouser, the smell of the cat's presence in the home should be enough to deter rodents. Give the adult cat a few weeks to settle in to its new home and rodent-hunting routine before you expect to see significant results.
- to kill and scare off rodents.
- Cats are natural predators, and their instinct will drive them to chase and kill rats.
- Even if your cat is not a great mouser, the smell of the cat's presence in the home should be enough to deter rodents.
- Give the adult cat a few weeks to settle in to its new home and rodent-hunting routine before you expect to see significant results.
- to kill and scare off rodents.
5
Sprinkle used cat litter in areas where rodents are entering your home.
If rodents smell cat urine, they’ll assume that a cat is nearby. So, if you don’t have a cat, get some used cat litter from someone who does own a cat. Put the urine-soaked cat litter out in the basement or attic, in areas where you suspect the rodents are living. Leave the litter out for about a week to give it adequate time to drive away rodents. Then dispose of the litter.
- If rodents smell cat urine, they’ll assume that a cat is nearby.
- So, if you don’t have a cat, get some used cat litter from someone who does own a cat.
- Put the urine-soaked cat litter out in the basement or attic, in areas where you suspect the rodents are living.
- Leave the litter out for about a week to give it adequate time to drive away rodents.
- Then dispose of the litter.
Part
3
Getting Rid of Rodents Outdoors
1
Stack firewood at least 18 inches (46 cm) off of the ground.
Keep the stacked wood at least 8 feet (2.4 m) away from your house. Rodents often make their homes in woodpiles, so this will help keep them out of the wood and away from your house. This will help create an environment that does not encourage rodents to make a home in your yard.
- Keep the stacked wood at least 8 feet (2.4 m) away from your house.
- Rodents often make their homes in woodpiles, so this will help keep them out of the wood and away from your house.
- This will help create an environment that does not encourage rodents to make a home in your yard.
- Keep the stacked wood at least 8 feet (2.4 m) away from your house.
- Rodents often make their homes in woodpiles, so this will help keep them out of the wood and away from your house.
2
Plant bushes and large shrubs 3 feet (0.91 m) away from your house.
In many regions, it’s common for rats and mice to take shelter—or even permanently live—in thick brush, including manicured bushes. By keeping bushes a safe distance away from your house, you’ll make it harder for rodents to approach your home and sneak indoors unnoticed.
- In many regions, it’s common for rats and mice to take shelter—or even permanently live—in thick brush, including manicured bushes.
- By keeping bushes a safe distance away from your house, you’ll make it harder for rodents to approach your home and sneak indoors unnoticed.
- In many regions, it’s common for rats and mice to take shelter—or even permanently live—in thick brush, including manicured bushes.
- By keeping bushes a safe distance away from your house, you’ll make it harder for rodents to approach your home and sneak indoors unnoticed.
- In many regions, it’s common for rats and mice to take shelter—or even permanently live—in thick brush, including manicured bushes.
3
Place bird feeders on poles where the seed is not accessible to rodents.
If you have a dish of birdfeed on the ground, rodents will be drawn to the area, hoping to eat the food. So, elevate your birdfeeder in order to deter the rodents. You can purchase many designs of birdfeeder which elevate the feeder on a vertical pole about 5 feet (1.5 m) tall.
- If you have a dish of birdfeed on the ground, rodents will be drawn to the area, hoping to eat the food.
- So, elevate your birdfeeder in order to deter the rodents.
- You can purchase many designs of birdfeeder which elevate the feeder on a vertical pole about 5 feet (1.5 m) tall.
- If you have a dish of birdfeed on the ground, rodents will be drawn to the area, hoping to eat the food.
- So, elevate your birdfeeder in order to deter the rodents.
4
Keep all garbage inside trashcans with securely closing lids.
If your garbage bags are not inside of securely-fastened trashcans, rodents will be drawn to the garbage. They may even follow the garbage smell back inside of your home. If you don’t have a good, sealable trashcan, you can purchase one at a local hardware store.
- If your garbage bags are not inside of securely-fastened trashcans, rodents will be drawn to the garbage.
- They may even follow the garbage smell back inside of your home.
- If you don’t have a good, sealable trashcan, you can purchase one at a local hardware store.
- If your garbage bags are not inside of securely-fastened trashcans, rodents will be drawn to the garbage.
- They may even follow the garbage smell back inside of your home.
5
Plant mint to keep rodents out of your garden and away from plants.
If rodents believe that your garden is a source of delicious food, they’ll be more likely to invade your yard and potentially make their way into your home. To keep rats and mice out of your vegetable, fruit, or flower garden, try planting mint around the perimeter to create a barrier that rodents won't cross.
- If rodents believe that your garden is a source of delicious food, they’ll be more likely to invade your yard and potentially make their way into your home.
- To keep rats and mice out of your vegetable, fruit, or flower garden, try planting mint around the perimeter to create a barrier that rodents won't cross.
- If rodents believe that your garden is a source of delicious food, they’ll be more likely to invade your yard and potentially make their way into your home.
- To keep rats and mice out of your vegetable, fruit, or flower garden, try planting mint around the perimeter to create a barrier that rodents won't cross.
- If rodents believe that your garden is a source of delicious food, they’ll be more likely to invade your yard and potentially make their way into your home.
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