How to Get Rid of Rats in Your Home: The Right Order, Start to Finish

To get rid of rats in your home, find every entry point without sealing it, trap the rats already inside with snap traps along walls, and only seal the openings once catches stop. Then remove food and water sources, skip loose poison and glue traps, and call a professional if you see rats daily or find chewed wiring.

TL;DR: Rats rarely travel alone, and sealing entry points before trapping locks them inside, where they chew through insulation and wiring. Confirm the species, map the entry points, trap for a week or two until catches stop, then seal gaps with steel wool, hardware cloth, or caulk. Place snap traps along walls, remove food and water, and avoid loose poison and glue traps. Never sweep or vacuum dry droppings, and call a professional if you see rats daily, find new droppings after trapping, or notice chewed wires.

Key Takeaways:

• Trap first, seal second. Sealing entry points while rats are still inside forces them to chew through insulation and wiring to get out.
• Use snap traps and bait stations correctly to reduce active infestations.
• Eliminate food and water sources that attract roof rats and Norway rats.
• Skip loose poison. It kills rats inside wall cavities where you can’t reach them, and it poisons the wildlife that eats them.
• Call a professional pest control team for safe, lasting rodent control in Metro Atlanta.
• Rats enter through holes as small as a quarter and travel along walls, so place traps there.
• Roof rats climb and nest in attics and rooflines, while Norway rats dig and prefer basements and crawl spaces.
• Never sweep or vacuum dry droppings. Wet them with disinfectant, then wipe up with gloves on.

Finding rats in your home can feel alarming and stressful. You may hear scurrying in the attic, see gnawed wires in the basement, or find droppings in pantry shelves. A rat infestation can spread fast and turn into a serious rat problem that causes real damage. If you want to get rid of rats, taking action quickly can help protect your home and prevent the infestation from getting worse.

Rats rarely travel alone. One rat in an attic or crawl space usually means a nest nearby, and in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama the warm climate keeps them breeding year round rather than dying back over winter.

The order matters more than the tools. Find the entry points, trap the rats that are already inside, and only then seal the openings. Sealing first is the most common and most expensive mistake homeowners make, because it locks rats inside your walls.

A rat investigates a baited mousetrap positioned near food bowls in an outdoor pest control scenario.

How to Identify What Type of Rat You Have

Understanding the type of rodent invading your home helps you target it more effectively. In this video, you’ll see the key differences between roof rats and Norway rats, including their size, habits, and hiding places. Watching this short video can help you decide which control methods and exclusion steps will work best for your home and make it easier to get rid of rats for good.

Recognizing the Signs of a Rat Infestation

If you suspect rats, confirm their presence first. Check attics, basements, and areas behind appliances for droppings. Rat droppings look dark and pellet-shaped. You may also see greasy rub marks along baseboards where rats rub against walls.

Other signs include gnaw marks on furniture, food packaging, or wires. You may hear movement at night or find shredded insulation where rats nest. These signs often indicate a growing infestation that requires quick action if you want to get rid of rats before the problem becomes more serious.

Because rats are nocturnal, most infestations are well established before anyone notices. If you’re finding droppings near food or smelling a strong musky odor, assume it’s advanced rather than early. Taking prompt action can help you get rid of rats and prevent further damage to your home.

What to Do First (and What Not to Do)

Most rat problems get worse because of the order people work in, not because they used the wrong product. Following the right steps in the right order can make it much easier to get rid of rats effectively.

The correct sequence

1. Confirm activity and identify the species. Roof rats and Norway rats nest in different places, so this determines where you look.
2. Find every entry point, but don’t seal anything yet. Map them. Mark them. Leave them open.
3. Trap the rats that are inside. Give it a week or two of consistent catches followed by no catches.
4. Then seal. Once activity has stopped, close every opening permanently.
5. Remove attractants and monitor so the next rat that comes looking finds nothing.

What not to do

Don’t seal entry points first. This is the big one. Rats inside the structure will chew through insulation, drywall, and wiring looking for a way out, and you turn a rodent problem into a repair bill.

Don’t scatter traps randomly. Traps placed in open floor space catch nothing. Rats travel along walls and established routes.

Don’t rely on glue traps. They may catch a stray in light activity, but they don’t resolve an established infestation, and they leave you dealing with a live animal.

Don’t use loose rat poison. Poisoned rats die wherever they happen to be, which is usually inside a wall cavity or under insulation, and you can’t remove what you can’t reach. The smell lasts weeks. Research from Loyola Marymount University also shows anticoagulant rodenticides move up the food chain, harming owls, hawks, foxes, and pets that eat poisoned rodents.

Don’t count on peppermint oil to solve it. Natural repellents may discourage traffic briefly. They do nothing about a nest or a breeding population.

Identifying Roof Rats and Norway Rats

Understanding what type of rodent you’re dealing with helps guide the proper control methods and makes it easier to get rid of rats effectively.

Roof rats, also called black rats, have slim bodies and move quickly. They often nest in attics, rooflines, and nearby trees around homes in Sandy Springs and Alpharetta.

Norway rats are larger and prefer basements, crawl spaces, and burrows near foundations or garbage cans. Roof rats climb. Norway rats dig. These habits help you locate nests and travel paths.

If you are unsure which rat you have, we can inspect your home and identify the species.

Why Waiting Makes It Worse

Rats chew constantly to keep their incisors worn down, and they don’t discriminate between insulation, framing, and electrical wiring. Chewed wiring is a fire risk, and it’s the damage homeowners discover last because it’s inside a wall. Acting quickly can help you get rid of rats before they cause more costly damage.

In attics and crawl spaces, rats also damage plumbing lines. A chewed supply line or a punctured condensate line creates a moisture problem, and moisture brings in a second wave of pests that has nothing to do with the rats.

Rats also carry fleas, which can spread to pets and through the house independently of the rodents themselves.

Roof rats reproduce several times a year. A problem that looks minor in month one can become a much larger infestation by month three, making it important to take action early if you want to get rid of rats effectively.

Exclusion: Sealing Your Home After the Rats Are Out

Once trapping has stopped producing catches, exclusion is what makes the fix permanent. Check the exterior of your home for gaps around vents, pipes, rooflines, and door frames. Rats can enter through holes as small as a quarter, so sealing these entry points is an important step to get rid of rats and prevent them from coming back.

Use durable materials such as steel wool, hardware cloth, or caulk to seal entry points. For larger gaps, combine steel wool with expanding foam to prevent gnawing. Rats cannot chew through metal fibers, which is why steel wool goes in before any filler. Inspect attics, garages, and basements regularly for new holes, especially after heavy rain or construction work.

After sealing, keep watching for fresh rub marks or new gnaw damage. Either means something is still inside, or you missed an opening.

We specialize in professional exclusion services and complete pest management across Metro Atlanta and North Georgia. Our technicians seal entry points, reinforce vulnerable areas, and create a long-term barrier to keep rats and other rodents out for good.

Using Rat Traps and Bait Stations Safely

Trapping is often necessary to eliminate an active infestation. Snap traps are one of the most reliable tools because they kill rats quickly and humanely.

According to the CDC, you can use certain food items such as peanut butter, nuts, or dried fruit, as these attract both Norway and roof rats. Place rat traps along walls, near droppings, or in dark corners where rats travel.

Wear gloves when you set traps. Rats avoid strong human scent, and a trap handled bare-handed gets ignored.

If you prefer a hands-off approach, you can also use bait stations. According to the University of Nebraska Extension, bait stations improve rodenticide efficiency by giving rodents a protected place to feed, which makes them feel secure enough to consume more bait.

These enclosed boxes also securely hold your bait, keeping it out of reach of pets and children. Bait stations are ideal for garages, attics, or outdoor perimeters.

When you find a dead rat, wear gloves to remove it, bag it, and disinfect the surrounding area. Don’t handle it bare-handed and don’t leave it in place.

Avoid glue traps and loose rat poisons. These methods can harm pets and wildlife. A professional pest control company can safely place traps, track progress, and remove dead rodents.

Reducing Food and Water Sources

Traps will fail if rats still have access to food and water. Store pantry food and pet food in sealed containers. Clean crumbs and spills right away. Don’t leave pet bowls down overnight.

Outside, keep trash cans sealed and positioned away from exterior walls, and remove standing water. Inside, fix leaks in basements and crawl spaces and reduce clutter. Rats live in quiet spaces with nesting material and easy access to crumbs.

With food and water gone, traps and bait stations work considerably better, because your bait becomes the best option available rather than one of several.

Natural Repellents and Home Remedies

Some homeowners use essential oils, such as eucalyptus oil, to deter rats from attics or garages. While the scent can temporarily discourage rodents, it won’t solve a serious infestation. For stronger results, focus on exclusion, sanitation, and trapping first.

Repellents can be a useful secondary step once you’ve removed the main rat population. Using safe, eco-friendly deterrents around doorways or crawl spaces can help reinforce a professional rodent control program.

Health Risks from a Rat Infestation

Rats cause more than property damage. They can spread bacteria and parasites. Their droppings and urine can contaminate food and surfaces. Fleas from rats may spread disease to pets and through the house.

In enclosed areas like attics or basements, contaminated dust can expose people to hantavirus or leptospirosis. Never sweep or vacuum dry droppings. Both aerosolize the particles you’re trying to avoid. Mist the area with disinfectant, let it sit, then wipe up with gloves on.

Professional exterminators use safe cleanup and sanitation methods to protect your health.

When to Call Professional Exterminators

DIY methods may work for a small problem. If you see rats daily, find new droppings after trapping, or notice chewed wires, the infestation has likely spread. That is when you should call local exterminators.

Call sooner if the problem has run for weeks or months. At that point there’s usually a structural issue letting them back in, and no amount of trapping fixes that.

We inspect your home, find entry points, and create a rodent control plan for your property. Our technicians locate hidden nests and safely remove rats. Our plans cover inspection, exclusion, trapping, sanitation, and long-term prevention, and we handle the secondary problems too: fleas, odor from dead rodents, and contaminated cleanup.

In Metro Atlanta and North Georgia, we offer emergency pest control with 24-hour availability and back service with a satisfaction guarantee.

Making the Right Rat Control Choice for Your Metro Atlanta Home

A rat infestation can grow rapidly if left unchecked. Knowing how to get rid of rats through exclusion, trapping, and prevention is helpful, but professional services offer lasting protection.

At Nextgen Pest Solutions, we use proven control methods for Georgia homes. Whether you face roof rats in Roswell or Norway rats in Alpharetta, the team can solve the problem and restore comfort.

If you suspect rats or want to stop future infestations, contact us today.