Your Guide to How to Get Rid of Rats

In this guide, you'll read about:

1. How to Get Rid of Rats: Overview
2. Signs You Have a Rat Problem
3. How to Get Rid of Rats in Your Home
4. Humane vs. Non-Humane Traps
5. How to Prevent Rats From Coming Back
6. When to Call a Pest Control Pro
7. Find a Pest Control Pro on HomeStars
8. FAQs: Your Questions About Getting Rid of Rats Answered

Key Insights: How to Get Rid of Rats

• Removal and prevention are different jobs: getting rats out of a house does not stop new ones from getting in unless entry points are sealed too.
• A greasy smear along a baseboard is often a stronger sign of an active problem than droppings alone: rats reuse the same routes night after night, so a rub mark usually means regular traffic, not a one-time visitor.
• Rat extermination in Canada typically runs $300 to $750 for a standard treatment, more than the average mouse treatment, since rats use more entry points and need sturdier traps and bait stations.
• A woodpile against the foundation or fallen fruit left in the yard can draw rats toward the house well before one ever gets inside, which is why yard cleanup matters even without indoor signs yet.
• Glue traps are widely discouraged by wildlife and humane organizations: a trapped rat can take hours to die and often struggles loose partway, which just relocates the problem.

How to Get Rid of Rats: Overview

Getting rid of rats usually comes down to three steps done in the right order: remove the rats that are already inside, seal the gaps they used to get in, and clean up anything still drawing them toward the property. Skipping straight to the last step without dealing with the first two rarely works, since rats will keep using an open entry point even after the kitchen is spotless.

This guide covers what to do at each stage, the difference between humane and non-humane traps, and when a problem has grown past what most homeowners can handle on their own.

Signs You Have a Rat Problem

Rats are cautious by nature and often stay hidden well after they've moved in, so most homeowners notice the signs they leave behind before they ever see the rat itself. Here's what to look for:

• Droppings: dark, pointed pellets around half an inch long, usually clustered near food storage, cupboards, or along baseboards.
• Gnaw marks: fresh chew marks on wood, wiring, or plastic containers, since a rat's teeth never stop growing and it needs to wear them down.
• Grease marks: dark, oily smudges along walls or floor edges where rats repeatedly brush against the same surface on their way in and out.
• Scratching sounds: noise in walls, ceilings, or the attic, usually most noticeable at night when rats are most active.
• Nesting material: shredded paper, insulation, or fabric bunched into a hidden corner, basement, or crawlspace.

Any one of these on its own is worth a closer look, and more than one at the same time usually means an active infestation rather than a single rat passing through.

How to Get Rid of Rats in Your Home

Where you find the rats changes what actually works. A few gnaw marks in the garage call for a different approach than scratching behind a bedroom wall, so treat each area separately rather than applying one method everywhere.

Getting Rid of Rats in the Backyard

What draws rats into a backyard is different from what pulls them indoors, and the response has to match. Outdoors, it's about removing what attracts them and making the yard harder to shelter in, not trapping inside a structure:

• Fallen fruit: pick up windfall from fruit trees and bird feeder spillage regularly, since both are easy meals for rats.
• Compost: use an elevated, rodent-resistant bin rather than an open pile, and avoid adding meat or dairy scraps.
• Woodpiles: store firewood away from the foundation and off the ground, since a stacked pile makes an easy shelter.
• Landscaping: trim branches and shrubs that touch the roofline or siding, as these can act as a bridge onto the house.
• Bait stations: tamper-resistant outdoor stations can help with an established yard population, placed away from where children or pets play.

Getting Rid of Rats Inside Walls

Rats inside walls are harder to reach than rats in the open, since traps have to be placed near an opening rather than directly on the animal's path. Set snap traps along the baseboard closest to where you hear activity, and check them daily rather than waiting a week to see results.

If scratching continues in the same spot for more than a few days, a wall cavity may need to be opened to place traps correctly or to remove a rat that has died inside. This is where a pro's inspection camera saves time compared with guessing where to cut into drywall.

Getting Rid of Rats Inside the House

If you're seeing signs of rats in the house itself, indoor trapping needs to start right away rather than waiting to see if the activity stops on its own. Store all food, including pet food, in sealed containers, and take garbage out daily rather than letting it sit overnight. Place snap traps perpendicular to walls in kitchens, basements, and pantries, since rats travel along edges rather than across open floor space. Check and reset traps every day, and use gloves and a sealed bag to dispose of any rats caught.

Humane vs. Non-Humane Traps

Not all traps work the same way. The main choice comes down to two questions: do you want the rat caught alive, and how much do you value speed and efficiency in getting the problem resolved.

Live-catch traps

Live-catch traps capture a rat without killing it, so it can be released elsewhere. Some Canadian municipalities restrict where wildlife can be released, so check local bylaws before choosing this option, and release well away from any home, including your own, to avoid the rat simply returning or moving next door.

Snap traps

Snap traps kill quickly and are the method most pest control pros lead with indoors. They're a more immediate option than live-catch traps for an active infestation, since there's no delay between catching and dealing with the rat.

Glue traps

Glue traps should be avoided. A rat caught on a glue board can take hours to die, and partial escapes are common, which just moves the problem to another part of the house. Several organizations, including the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, advise against them on humane grounds.

How to Prevent Rats From Coming Back

Once the current rats are gone, the goal shifts to keeping new ones out for good. That mostly comes down to closing off access rather than repeating the removal steps above:

• Seal gaps: use steel mesh or hardware cloth rather than foam or caulk alone, since rats can chew through softer materials.
• Add door sweeps: fit exterior doors and garage doors with sweeps so there's no visible gap underneath when closed.
• Check vents: cover dryer, attic, and crawlspace vents with 1/4-inch hardware cloth, since these are common access points.
• Clear eaves and gutters: keep them free of debris, since a clogged gutter can double as a bridge onto the roofline.
• Inspect seasonally: check the exterior each fall, before cooler weather sends rodents looking for a way indoors for winter.

When to Call a Pest Control Pro

If activity continues after a week or two of trapping, or new droppings appear faster than you can clean them up, it's usually time to bring in a professional. A pro is also worth calling if you can't pinpoint where rats are getting in, since a missed entry point means the problem keeps coming back no matter how many traps you set.

Cost is often the reason homeowners try DIY first, but professional treatment is more affordable than many expect. For a full breakdown of what a standard treatment includes, see our rat and mouse extermination cost guide. If your situation involves other pests alongside rats, our pest control cost guide covers pricing across common household pests too.

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Find a Pest Control Pro on HomeStars

Finding the right pro for a rat problem can feel like a gamble, especially if you're not sure how severe the infestation is or which company actually specializes in rodents. HomeStars makes this easier: in one platform, you can browse pest control pros near you, compare profiles and reviews from other homeowners, and request quotes from a few pros before deciding who to hire.

Find a rat removal pro on HomeStars

FAQs: Your Questions About Getting Rid of Rats Answered

Are rat droppings dangerous to clean up?

Yes, dried rat droppings can release airborne particles that carry bacteria and viruses. Wear gloves and a mask, avoid sweeping or vacuuming dry droppings directly, and dampen the area with a bleach solution before wiping it up. If you're dealing with a large amount of droppings in an attic or crawlspace, it's worth having a pro handle the cleanup instead.

What is the difference between rat and mouse signs?

If you're not sure which rodent you're dealing with, the size of the droppings and gnaw marks is usually the fastest way to tell. Rat droppings are larger, roughly the size of a grain of rice or bigger, while mouse droppings are smaller and more rounded. Rat gnaw marks also tend to be deeper and wider, since rats have larger teeth and jaws than mice.

Can I get rid of rats without using poison?

Yes, most pest control pros lead with trapping and exclusion indoors rather than poison, partly to avoid a lingering odour if a rat dies somewhere unreachable, and partly because a pet or wild animal can be poisoned secondhand by eating a rat that has ingested bait. Snap traps combined with sealed entry points handle most indoor cases just as effectively. Outdoor bait stations are more common, since they're less likely to result in a rat dying somewhere you can't reach.

Can rats cause damage beyond chewed food packaging?

Yes, rats can chew through electrical wiring, which creates a fire risk, and they can damage insulation, drywall, and wood framing over time. Their urine and droppings can also contaminate stored food and building materials. The longer an infestation goes untreated, the more this kind of damage tends to add up.

Will removing food sources alone get rid of rats?

Not usually. Cutting off food access reduces the odds of new rats moving in, but rats already nesting in a wall cavity or attic will often just relocate to another spot in the same house rather than leaving the building entirely. Combining food removal with trapping and sealed entry points is what actually clears an infestation, and a pest control pro found through HomeStars can confirm whether all three pieces are in place.