5 Best Natural Home Remedies and Products for Getting Rid of Rats

Getting rid of rats in your home should be your first priority as soon as you see one, notice their droppings, or observe any rodent-related damage. Remember that rats breed fast, so you could become overrun very quickly. The goal is to get rid of them before they cause major damage or make you or your family sick.

There are many simple home remedies that you can use to deal with rats in your home quickly. You can also use devices like traps to kill them. This review shares some of the best natural home remedies and products that work to eliminate rats.

5 Natural Home Remedies for Getting Rid of Rats

Did you know that there are simple everyday things that you could use to wage war against the rats in your home? These come in handy if you do not have any traps or are waiting for a delivery. Don’t give the rats space to breed; use the following home mixtures to chase them out:

Onions

The pungent odor of onions has been known to get many humans down. Rats are no exception and hate this smell too. This makes onions a lovely non-toxic way to rid yourself of rats in your home. If you can stand the smell, dice and spread a couple in holes and passageways. You can then replace them when they rot.

Essential Oils

If you have peppermint, citronella, or eucalyptus oil lying around, you’re in luck. Rats hate the smell of these oils too. There are even commercial rat-repellents containing peppermint oils. So sprinkle a bit of these essential oils around to keep the rats away.

Ammonia

Ammonia is a useful cleaning agent that is also great for rodent control. It also works because rats hate the pungent odor of this chemical too. So if you have some around, spray in crevices and noticeable holes. Just be careful, so you don’t knock yourself out, too!

Owl Feathers

Okay, we know you might not have this one readily handy but if you can get your hands on it, do so. It works! The reason is quite simple; owls are natural predators of rats. If you place a couple of their feathers around, it will keep rats away from your home.

Steel Wool

It can be hard to keep rats out of your home as they tend to create holes they can use to enter and exit. Steel wool is handy here as you can use it to block these entrances. The rats won’t be able to chew through the steel and eventually give up. 

A-Z-Animals’ Top 5 Products for Getting Rid of Rats

In addition to home remedies, there are many products designed to deal with rats in your home. Traps are very effective and can help you clear out your home in a few days to weeks. Here are some options professionals trust when it comes to getting rid of rats.

1. Best Overall: Catchmaster Baited Rat Glue Traps

The Catchmaster Rat Glue Trap is the most efficient product for permanently eliminating rats. Reviewers love how effective this rat glue is and also say that it works great in multiples. You can use all 12 traps in as many spots as possible to get rid of the rats faster. 

The Catchmaster Rat Glue also does not contain any chemicals that are harmful. This makes it safe for homes that have children and pets. You should still try to keep your children or pets safe from them, however. 

With this trap, you won’t need additional bait, as it comes scented with peanut butter. All you have to do is set it up and wait for it to work. You can also fold this trap to fit smaller spots and passageways. Please note that all this trap does is hold the rat in place. You’ll have to kill it yourself. 

Pros and Cons of Catchmaster Baited Rat Glue Traps

Best Overall

Catchmaster Baited Rat, Mouse and Snake Glue Traps - 12 Glue Trays

• Easy to set
• Safe for children and pets when used according to directions
• Available in multipacks
• Can be folded into a funnel shape to accommodate tight areas
• No bait required

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2. Best Value: eXuby Powerful Rat Traps

If you want a large and powerful trap to rid your home of rats, these eXuby Powerful Rat Traps are the best. They are some of the largest in the market, and verified reviewers confirmed it. They are designed to kill rats immediately by snapping their large mouths closed. The lethal force with which these traps work makes them humane as the rat does not have to suffer. 

The eXuby Snap Traps give you great value for your money because they are reusable. They come in packs of up to 24 that you can clean and set up again until all the rats are gone. These traps are also easy to use as all you have to do is put in the bait and set it up. Any rat that goes for the bait gets caught and killed. 

Another thing you’ll like about this trap is that disposal is hands-free. Just hold the trap over your bin and release it to drop the rat.

Some reviewers reported that the traps caught rats but not with enough strength to kill them.

Pros and Cons of eXuby Powerful Rat Traps

Best Value

eXuby Large Powerful Rat Traps (4 Pack)

• These are some of the largest instant kill snap traps on the market
• They have large "mouths" to kill rats instantly
• This pack of four makes them a great value and provides more coverage
• Reusable
• Easy to set up and use

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3. Best Humane: Kensizer Humane Rat Trap

For those who cannot stand killing a rat, theKensizer Humane Rat Trap provides a solution. How about catching the rat and then releasing it somewhere far from your home? This durable steel trap is sturdy and will keep the rat in place until you release it. 

The way the Kensizer trap works is easy. It is made of a wire mesh that rats cannot eat through. You put a bait inside and once the rats enters to eat it, a sensitive trigger will auto close the door. The rat will remain in there until you open to let it out.

The Kensizer Rat Trap comes in two sizes, so you can choose based on the size of rats around your home. It’s well designed with a handle that is far from the rest of the trap’s body. Reviewers appreciate this because it allows them to easily pick up and dispose of the captured rat without being scratched or bitten. 

Pros and Cons of the Kensizer Humane Rat Trap

Best Humane

Kensizer Humane Rat Trap

• Very durable option
• Made with lightweight galvanized steel
• Features a highly sensitive trigger mechanism
• The design is patented

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4. Best Natural Deterrent: Natural Armor Peppermint Mice and Rat Repellent

Reviewers love Natural Armor Peppermint Oil because it comes in a convenient gallon size so they won’t have to repurchase it frequently. It also comes ready to use, so you do not have to do any mixing. Best of all, this peppermint oil comes with a spray bottle that you can fill and use as needed.

You can use this peppermint oil both indoors and outdoors as it is long-lasting and effective. It also does not leave any stains when sprayed. So go ahead and spray this where you have rat activity. You can use it on surfaces throughout your home without worrying about damaging them.

Reviewers appreciate how easy this product is to use. No grabbing a measuring cup and water while hoping you get the right ratio. Just pour it into the bottle and spray. You also get a 100% money-back guarantee from Natural Armor when you buy this peppermint oil. 

Some reviewers reported that the sprayer didn’t work.

Pros and Cons of Natural Armor Peppermint Mice and Rat Repellent

Best Natural Deterrent

Natural Armor Peppermint Repellent for Mice and Rats

• This long-lasting formula comes in a gallon spray bottle
• Ready to use with no mixing required
• Can be used inside and out
• Will not leave a stain
• 100% money back guarantee

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5. Best Electric: OWLTRA Electric Rat Trap

If you’re looking for a mess-free but effective way to get rid of rats in your home, look no further than the OWLTRA Electric Rat Trap. Reviewers say it is one of the most efficient products on the market. They especially like that it comes in a large size that works effectively for rats.

Setting up this trap is also really easy. You just have to add a good bait like peanut butter, power the trap on, and place it wherever you suspect rat activity. Since the Owltra Electric Trap works with four C batteries and delivers a shock, we advise that you use it indoors only.

Once a rat enters this trap, it releases a high-power bolt that kills the rat in seconds. The indicator light then comes on to show you that it’s done its job. All you have to do then is take off the cover and dispose of the dead rat in the trash. We know this system as the no-touch/no-see system. The trap deactivates once you remove the cover, too, to make cleaning safe and easy.

Several reviewers reported that their traps didn’t kill any rats.

Pros and Cons of the OWLTRA Electric Rat Trap

Best Electric

OWLTRA OW-2 Indoor Electric Mouse Trap Rodent Zapper with Pet Safe Trigger

• Allows you to kill and dispose of mice without seeing them
• An infrared sensor detects pets and kids to protect them from the trap
• No-escape design
• Easy to clean
• Efficient and mess-free

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How to Choose the Right The Right Products For Getting Rid of Rats

Ready to deal with those rats in your home? Then it’s time to decide which of these products would work best for you. Here are some factors to consider as you make that decision.

• Efficiency
• Infestation Level
• Price

Let’s look at these factors in more detail.

Efficiency

While some methods of getting rid of rats work fast, others might take some time. If you have a serious infestation, you need to go for the products that act fast to prevent serious damage. Please keep in mind that you are dealing with home rats, so make sure that the products you get work great indoors. All the products in our review are great for indoor infestations.

Infestation Level

The best trap for your house will depend on how serious the infestation in your home is. For some of our testers, a simple snap trap helped to rid their home of rats instantly. This can happen when you notice and take action on time.

A serious infestation might , however, need something stronger. You could have to combine the glue traps in this review with snap traps to get results faster.

Price

We understand that rats can cause serious damage that you have to spend to fix. Which is why we made sure that we choose products that deliver maximum value for a great price for this review. Going for a trap that can be reused is also a great way to remain cost-effective. 

Why Rats Come Into Our Homes

Rats enter our homes to find the essentials for survival: food, water, and shelter. In the wild, rats have to search and fight for these, but they can be gotten easily in many homes. No wonder they proceed to set up camp and breed.

While using traps and the methods that we have listed here to rid yourself of rats, you must tackle the ease with which rats can get access to these three fundamentals. This could include fixing leaky pipes and faucets, putting away food safely, and ensuring you do not have scraps.

Signs of Rats in a Home

Not quite sure that there are rats in your home? Here are some things to watch out for. If you find any of these, it’s time to get rid of the rats.

Strange sounds and smells. Rats can be very loud and often have an offensive odor. Sounds you will hear include scratching, squeaking, and rustling.

Droppings. Small pellet shape droppings are your confirmation that you have rats in your home. They might also notice some smears along passageways as some rats have poor eyesight. You could even see footprints and tail marks.

Damage. Rats often leave damage behind as they chew through netting, paper, and wood. Once you see these, it’s time to get out the tools and act fast.

When to Call a Professional

Many times, using the products we’ve put in this review will get rid of the rats in your home. You could also combine two or three for maximum impact. However, if you notice your rat problem getting more serious after a couple of weeks, it may be time to call a professional.