How to Kill Rats Quickly & Prevent Them from Coming Back

The best ways to get rid of rats permanently and keep them away for good

Written by Chris Parker | Edited by Hannah Madden

Last Updated: February 24, 2023 References Approved

Rats Inside the Home

|

Rats Outside of the Home

|

Preventing Rat Infestations

|

Expert Q&A

|

Tips

Whether you live in the city, the country, or the suburbs, there may come a time when you notice these unwelcome visitors inside or outside your home. Rats are small and have sharp teeth and claws, allowing them to chew through and squeeze into tight holes and corridors. Fortunately, since rats are such a common pest around the world, there are tried and true methods to getting rid of them and keeping them out for good. Take a look at our expert tips to take care of a rat infestation fast.

This article is based on an interview with our certified commercial pesticide applicator pest control specialist, Chris Parker. Check out the full interview here.

Things You Should Know

Use rat poison or snap traps to kill rats quickly.
Clean up your home regularly, and throw away old food to deter rats from coming back.
Seal any gaps outside your home to stop rats from getting in.
Keep trash away from the perimeter of your home, and trim back bushes and shrubs so they don’t touch the side of your home.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Rats Inside the Home

1
Look for signs of a rat infestation. Double check that you have a rat infestation before you start killing the rats. Look for these signs in and around your home to tell if you have rats:^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Rat droppings. Look behind objects and near walls for small, brown droppings that may be smeared.
- Ammonia smell. Rat urine has a strong ammonia smell, which will be much stronger in the areas that they make their nests (like inside of walls or in a crawlspace).
- Scrabbling noises. Rats are fairly active at night, and you may hear them walking around beneath your house or inside your walls.
- Damage. Rats have sharp teeth, and will chew through electrical cables and inside of walls. Look for gnaw marks, shredded paper, or any damage to storage containers inside your home.
2
Use snapping rat traps to kill rats efficiently. Most experts agree that snap traps are the best way to kill rats, since their sensitive noses can sniff out poison from far away. Set up snap traps wherever you’ve found signs of rats, then check them once a day.
- Bait the traps with foods that rats like to eat, like cheese and raisins.
- Check the traps daily to dispose of any dead rats if you need to. Always wear gloves and throw dead rats straight into the trash.^{[2]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
  Go to source}
Advertisement
3
Leave rat poison out to kill rats quickly. Rat poison will kill rats from the inside out once they ingest it. Set up rat poison in the areas that you’ve seen the most signs of rats, then wait a few days for the rats to find it.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Read the instructions and cautions carefully. Most rat poisons include warfarin, which can also be harmful to pets and people. Never use rat poisons or traps where children and small animals can get to them.
- Glue traps are also an option to trap rats, although many people consider them an inhumane option, since they kill rats via starvation.^{[4]
  X
  Research source}
4
Set up electronic traps to kill rats with electricity. Often considered the most humane way to kill rats, these electronic traps send a voltage through the rat’s body, killing them almost instantly. Set up a few of these traps in your home, then check them daily to dispose of any dead rats.^{[5]
X
Research source}
5
Use live-animal traps to catch rats without killing them. If you’re not a fan of killing the rats in your home, set up live-animal traps and bait them with food. Check the traps once a day, and carry the traps far away from your home to release the rats. Make sure that trapping and releasing rats is legal in your county, since it is illegal in some.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- It’s a good idea to drive the rats as far away as possible and release them into a wooded area. That way, they can’t find their way back.
6
Contact a professional if DIY methods don’t work. A rat infestation is hard to take care of on your own. If you’ve used traps and prevention methods and you’re still finding evidence of rats, call a professional exterminator in your area. They’ll be able to assess your home and come up with a strategy to get rid of rats for good.
- Professional exterminator prices vary, but the average exterminator usually costs around $550.^{[7]
  X
  Research source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Rats Outside of the Home

1
Keep trash away from the exterior of your home. Rats are attracted to garbage, so keeping bins nearby is just asking for them to enter your home. Cover your garbage bins with tight-fitting lids, and keep the bins as far away from your home as possible.
- If there is any trash around the outside of your home, pick it up to declutter the area.
2
Use bird feeder baskets to feed birds. Rats are not picky, and they will munch on some bird feed if they find it. If you like to feed birds or local wildlife, put the food in a bird feeder basket to keep rats at bay.
- If you’re dealing with a severe infestation, consider not feeding the birds for a while until you’ve gotten rid of your rat problem.^{[8]
  X
  Research source}
3
Trim bushes away from your home. Bushes and hedges make great nesting areas for rats. Use hedge trimmers to trim your landscaping back so that it doesn’t touch your home.
- If there are any tree branches that touch your roof, trim those back as well. Rats and other rodents will sometimes climb trees to access the roof so they can get into your attic.
4
Get rid of any standing water. Not only does standing water breed mosquitoes, but it attracts rats, too. If there are any puddles in your yard, drain them to keep rats from coming back.
- Empty out bird baths regularly and cover pools and hot tubs when you aren’t using them.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Preventing Rat Infestations

1
Clean up any food scraps and tidy up your home. Rats are mainly seeking food, water, and shelter. You can eliminate 2 out of 3 of those by cleaning up your kitchen every night and taking out trash right away. Declutter your home to remove anything that rats could use for shelter, like paper scraps or cardboard boxes.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Keeping a clean home will not only get rid of rats, but will help prevent them in the future, too.
2
Seal any openings where rats can get in. Take a look around your home for any small holes that rats might squeeze through. Even ones as small as an opening for a cable might be large enough for a rat. Fill any holes or gaps with caulk to keep rats away for good.
- Be sure to check everywhere, including your garage doors, chimneys, dryer and air conditioning vents, and crawl space.
3
Stuff pipes or small holes that lead into your house using steel wool. This will stop the rats from entering in through easy access holes. You can also close off the entrance completely if the pipe or entrance serves no purpose.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- Check on the steel wool every few weeks to make sure it hasn’t been moved. If the rats are desperate enough, they may try to push through anyway.
4
Store food in airtight containers. Rats can chew through plastic and cardboard no problem. Store all of your food (including pet food) in airtight containers to keep rats from coming inside for a snack.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Using airtight containers also keeps away other pesky pests, like mice.
- Avoid storing any food in a basement, since rats can get to it easily.

Expert Q&A

Question

What is the fastest way to get rid of rats?

Kevin Carrillo
MMPC, Pest Control Specialist
Kevin Carrillo is a Pest Control Specialist and the Senior Project Manager for MMPC, a pest control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) based in the New York City area. MMPC is certified by the industry’s leading codes and practices, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News.

Kevin Carrillo

MMPC, Pest Control Specialist

Expert Answer

Try using snap traps! Snap traps are usually faster and more effective than rat poison.