327 Lake Village Drive Madison, MS 39110

(601) 573-8404

Call us now

Mon - Sat: 24hrs / day

Closed Sunday

Close-up young rats (Rattus norvegicus) sniffs leftovers on a plate on sink at the kitchen. Fight with rodents in the apartment. Extermination.

Getting Rid of Rats in Walls and Ceiling and other Rat FAQ’s

Killing rats with coke?

The thought behind killing rats with coke is since rats can’t belch, ingesting coke will kill them. Unfortunately, killing rats with coke is a myth and not effective.  The reason is that there is not enough carbonation in a coke to kill rats.

More effective methods for killing rats include rat traps, rat glue boards, and rat poison.  Of these options, homeowners should usually stick with traps and glue boards as rat poison can be extremely dangerous.

Where do rats live?

Most rats prefer to live outdoors.  Roof rats usually live in trees, whereas, Norway rats burrow in areas around the home.  Rats can try to enter your home for a number of reasons including: shelter from weather, and in search of food or water.

Once rats have entered your home, it is critical to determine how they are getting in.  Structural repairs are usually necessary to prevent additional rats from coming inside.  After that, rat traps and rat poison can be used to get rid of rats inside the home.

How to get rid of rats in walls and ceiling?

Getting rid of rats in walls and ceilings can be both difficult and time-consuming.  Rat poison, while highly effective, is also dangerous in the hands of untrained homeowners.  The use of rat poison also risks rats dying inside a wall and creating a serious odor problem.

To get rid of rats in walls and ceilings first consider rat snap traps and glue traps.  These traps may need to be moved to areas of higher traffic.  It is also helpful to try different rat trap baits to find the one most appealing to them.

Killing rats with baking soda?

Does killing rats with baking soda really work?  Probably not due to the large quantities of baking soda a rat would need to ingest for it to kill them.  The thought is that baking soda reacts with the rat’s stomach acid to build up CO2 in their bodies.  Without the ability to pass the gas, it could possibly kill or harm them.

Unfortunately, it would most likely take 2 or 3 grams of baking soda to kill a rat.

What do rats hate?

Using smells that rats hate may or may not be effective getting rid of rats inside your home.  Rats are attracted to three things inside your home: shelter, food, and water.  Oftentimes, rats will enter a home looking for any of these three regardless of smells or odors they may dislike. 

To compensate for poor eyesight, rats overcome this with a very high sense of smell.  Smells that rats dislike and may repel them include: garlic, peppermint oil, ammonia, menthol, mothballs, and bleach.

Do rats carry rabies?

Small rodents, including rats, are not known as common carries of rabies.  So it is very uncommon for rats to carry rabies.  Rats do have the capability to carry rabies, they just rarely do.

Rats in the home are a serious issue though.  Rats can transmit a number of diseases including leptospirosis, hantavirus, and rat bite fever.

What are field rats?

Field rats are known by a number of different terms.  In the US, field rats are sometimes confused with mice.  There are many differences between rats and mice, mainly that mice are much smaller than rats.

To get rid of rats and mice, first determine points of entry into your home and make the necessary structural repairs.  After that, trapping rats and mice is a good option for most homeowners.

How to tell how many rats are in your house?

Rat droppings are the most sure sign to tell how many rats are in your house.  Rat droppings from adult rats are large at about 1/2 inch.  Varying sizes of rat droppings can be an indicator of both small and large rats.  This can mean you have a growing rat problem, with rats reproducing.

Other signs of rats in your house are: the presence of live rats, grease marks along walls, scratching noises especially at night, and rat holes in siding of the house.

What to do about rats in attic?

Hearing rats in your attic will most likely happening during the evening hours and at night as rats are nocturnal.  So what to do about rats in your attic?  Exclusion is the permanent solution.  Identify points of entry and complete structural repairs to keep rats out for good.

For any rats still remaining in the attic after repairs have been made, consider using rat glue board, rat snap traps, and as a last resort, rat poison.

Synergy² Pest Control Jackson MS

If you’re looking for the right team to handle the issue for you, Synergy² is here to help. We provide trusted services throughout the area, so contact us for the best pest control services around.

Feel free to read more about us and decide if Synergy² is the right company for you.  We have over 350 Five-Star Google reviews for pest control service in the Jackson metro area (Jackson/Madison/Brandon/Ridgeland). Check out our newest location reviews for pest control service in Jackson, MS here at Synergy² Jackson Pest Control!

Barry Pitts, Synergy² Owner

Barry Pitts, Synergy² Owner

Pharmacist and Synergy² Pest owner, Barry Pitts, is a long-time Madison, MS resident with a passion for applying advanced scientific pest principles to pest control services in the Jackson metro area.  Combining exceptional customer service with cutting-edge pest control technology allows Synergy² to provide residents of the Jackson metro area with the highest levels of pest control available today.

Share this post

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on print
Share on email
Scroll to Top
Scroll to Top Call Now Button