‘Cheap’ solution keeps rats ‘away from your house’ without harming pets – Express

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
If you’ve got a rat infestation, you will likely know about it due to the devastating damage they do to your home. Rats are known to gnaw on electrical wires, eat through walls, burrow under homes and eat your food. The rodents are also known to spread more than 35 diseases that can infect both humans and pets.
Some of the diseases rats can spread include salmonellosis, hantavirus, leptospirosis and toxoplasmosis.
If you have rats in your home, it’s important you try and get rid of them as quickly as possible.
Luckily, fans of cleaning sensation Mrs Hinch, whose full name is Sophie Hinchliffe, have shared their simple solution for deterring rats.
The cleaning and lifestyle influencer has more than 4.5 million followers on Instagram and often shares her garden and home tips online.
Fans of hers have taken to social media to share their hacks for solving common household problems in recent years.
On one such group, Facebook user Michelle Frisby posted: “Help! Does anyone know anything about rats in the house?
“I’m currently having my kitchen completely pulled apart and my builder has found rat evidence in my ceiling.
READ MORE: Mum’s low-cost swap gets washing dry for just 6p an hour

“Not a lot and possibly not current, but we don’t know for sure. No sign of how they might’ve got in and we were oblivious (never heard anything).
“I am thinking poison outside at the side of the house, but have a cat, dog and young children. Help! I feel dirty.”
The post was inundated with more than 100 comments from Mrs Hinch fans. The most suggested solution was to use a plug-in sonic rat repellent.
Pauline Britton said: “You can buy a plug-in type thing that emits a high-pitched noise which can’t be heard by humans or dogs and cats.
“Mice and rats can’t stand the sound so stay away from your house.”
Kiera Heard replied: “You can get plug-ins which sends off these sounds to keep them away, you can’t hear them yourself. They’re quite cheap too.”
DON’T MISS
‘Biggest’ garden mistakes to avoid ‘devaluing’ houses – ‘damages’ home [INSIGHT]
Six ‘effective’ options to stop pigeons pooing in your garden [UPDATE]
Unfreeze frozen condensate pipes in three steps – ‘boiler shuts down’ [ANALYSIS]
Henry Smith wrote: “Sonic pest control device plugs into a plug socket.”
Debbie Bush commented: “You can buy an electronic device you plug in and it creates some sort of white noise or something.”
Sonic rat repellents can be bought online or from your local hardware store.
Beacon Mouse and Rat Repeller costs £8 from Wilko. The Big Cheese Rodent Repeller costs £13 from Argos.
BODYA 4 Pack Ultrasonic Pest Repeller Anti Rodent Repellent costs £6.99 from Amazon.
Rentokil Beacon Advanced Mouse and Rat Repeller costs £27.99 from Robert Dyas.
READ MORE: ‘Most effective’ tip to stop black flies ‘damaging’ your houseplants
Looking for a new home, or just fancy a look? Add your postcode below or visit InYourArea
Other suggestions from Mrs Hinch fans included using peppermint oil, baking soda, sticky traps and a rat blocker.
Jacqueline Pollard said: “They don’t like the smell of peppermint oil. We had one under our shed a few weeks ago. I put peppermint oil on cotton pads around the areas I thought he was and he never returned.
“If you feed the birds stop for a while. Hope this helps and is safer for your pets.”
Mandie Mcdonald commented: “Use peppermint oil soaked in cotton wool balls. Heard that’s meant to do the trick.
“Extra precautions – get a trap and bait it with peanut butter out of reach of pets and kids. It should do the trick. You’re not dirty but I’ve heard there are rats everywhere at the moment.”
Jacquie Thomson posted: “Peppermint oil? They don’t like that.”
Ashley Nicole Morrison replied: “Sticky traps, easiest way and won’t affect your pets or children. It might get stuck if they step on it but it peels off.”
Rachael Brewer said: “Bicarbonate of soda and peanut butter – a 50/50 mix. Make into balls. Rats love peanut butter and bicarbonate of soda explodes their insides.”
Kirsty Thomson agreed and replied: “Bicarbonate of soda and peanut butter. Roll into balls apparently that kills them.”

Anita Sullivan wrote: “We tried everything. In the end, we got a Rat Blocker for drains and installed it in the sewer pipe entrance.
“Touch wood we haven’t heard anything since. I had recently read about putting bicarbonate of soda with sugar mixture down as well.”
Some cleaning enthusiasts warned not to use poison to get rid of rats as this could be fatal to pets and will likely impact local ecosystems.
Jo North commented: “If you do have poison down and the rat dies under your floorboards. It will absolutely stink then you will get maggots and then flies.
“This happened in an old house I had. It wasn’t great. Please be aware. Good luck.”
Katy Wilkinson said: “Please don’t use poison. The knock-on effect on local wildlife can be fatal.
“Foxes and owls to name a few are also put at risk, as the food chain goes. Please look into using humane traps instead.”
Jess Heather agreed and wrote: “As much as people need to get rid of rats, please don’t use poison. It’s an agonising death for them and any animal who may eat it.”
Sallie Jo replied: “Please don’t use poison for two reasons. One, it’s an absolutely horrendous way for them to die.
“They suffer through 24 hours of agony apparently. “Also, local cats may eat them when they’re dead along with the poison that’s still inside them.”
See today’s front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive.

source