Rats can be a common problem no matter where you live, but it’s never fun if you find them outside your home. When you have rats outdoors, it means they aren’t too far from getting inside. Luckily, there are tons of simple ways to quickly kill and deter the rats so your yard is rodent-free. Keep reading for all of the best ways to get rid of rats right away and how to prevent them from coming back again.

Things You Should Know

  • Set snap traps and bait traps to kill rats outside quickly. Place the traps along walls where you’ve seen rats and check them regularly.
  • Eliminate hiding places, like yard debris, wood piles, and overgrown plants, so rats are less likely to stay in your yard.
  • Get rid of food and water sources, such as open garbage, bagged pet food, and leaky pipes, so rats don’t have anything to eat or drink.
1

Set snap traps to kill the rats.

  1. Snap traps kill rats instantly once they’re set off. Place snap traps along walls where you’ve seen rats or their droppings, which look like small black grains of rice. Start by placing the trap and bait, like peanut butter or raisins, out without setting the trap so the rats get used to eating from it. After a few days, set the traps so they go off the next time a rat eats off them.
    • Snap traps are the most humane way to kill rats since it’s instant and pain-free.
    • Check and empty the snap traps every day. If they’re set off, place new traps in the same area to catch any other rats still in your yard.
    • Keep your pets away from snap traps so they don’t accidentally get hurt.
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2

Lay bait traps to poison the rats.

  1. Rats will bring the bait back to eradicate their colonies. Bait traps contain a rodenticide poison that will slowly kill rats within 10 days of them eating it.[1] Make sure you get a bait with a low dose of toxicity so the rat has time to go back and spread it to its colony. Set the bait traps along walls or along trails where you’ve seen rats walking. Check the bait trap every few days and refill it once all the bait has been eaten.[2]
    • Leave your bait traps out for at least 2 weeks after you see a rat in your yard to make sure you’ve completely gotten rid of them.
    • Keep bait traps away from children and pets since they are poisonous.
    • Avoid using any glue traps since they’re the least humane and it could make the rat suffer before it dies.
5

Put garbage in trash cans with tight lids.

  1. Rats will go through your trash for food if you leave it out. Rats love the smell of garbage when they’re out searching for food, so an open container will draw them to your yard. Tie off all of the garbage bags so they’re sealed before tossing them in your trash can. Hard plastic or metal trash cans will offer the best protection once you put on the lid so rats won’t be able to smell the garbage or get inside.[7]
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Warnings

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About This Article

Chris Parker
Co-authored by:
Founder, Parker Eco Pest Control
This article was co-authored by Chris Parker and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Chris Parker is the Founder of Parker Eco Pest Control, a sustainable pest control service in Seattle, Washington. With over seven years of experience, Chris specializes in Integrated Pest Management and doesn’t use any chemicals for pest removal. He offers removal services for ants, rodents, fleas, spiders, wasps, and more. Chris is a certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator in Washington State and received his bachelor’s from the University of Washington. This article has been viewed 1,213 times.
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Co-authors: 3
Updated: November 14, 2022
Views: 1,213
Categories: Rodent Control
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