Are Rats Closer Than You Think?

They say we are never too far away from a rat – no more than 20 feet or so according to statistics. While this is a general assumption – and not always completely true – it’s true to say they can pop up anywhere. It doesn’t matter whether you live in the centre of Edinburgh or in the middle of the Highlands, you could one day find yourself much closer to a rat than you would really want to be.

Rats are very opportunistic creatures. They’re quite smart, too, so if they find somewhere with a good source of food, they’re not likely to scarper anytime soon. The good news is there is a lot you can do to prevent rats from gaining access to your home or business premises. However, should you find you have a rat problem, it is always best to seek professional advice as quickly as you can. The sooner you get help, the sooner the problem can be resolved before it has a chance to get any worse.

Keep all external areas clean and clear of rubbish

If you were a rat and you saw a huge bag of food waste outside a property, it would feel like a free invite to Christmas dinner – oh, and the chance to stay forever without paying for the privilege of eating there.

So be selfish – keep all rubbish bagged up and inside a bin. Weigh the lid down with a brick or buy a bin that has catches on it to prevent the lid coming off. Always sweep all outside areas and make sure any rubbish or food waste is out of bounds.

This holds true for businesses as well as private residences. Indeed, if your business deals with food to some extent, the rats in the local area will soon get wind of it. Make it as tricky as possible for them to hang around by denying them any potential access to your foodstuffs.

Seal up any and all access points to your property

Even the smallest gap could welcome a rat into your home. And where one rat exists, you can be almost certain there will be a nest nearby as well. The last thing you want is several rats finding their way into your property.

It’s much easier to prevent access than to get rid of them once they are inside. Look for gaps in skirting boards, in walls and anywhere else they could get in, and seal them up.