Sunplaza

Rats and mice are common in the winter, but using simple tools can help keep them away from your home – without spending a lot of money on pest control services.

These rodents will cause you trouble, from chewing on electrical cords to spreading diseases that can lead to liver and kidney damage. The best way to avoid living with rodents is to take preventive measures rather than trying to get rid of them, Sunplaza.info writes.

Check your garden

When hunting for food, rats can smell at a distance of more than 2 km and are ready to travel far and wide to find the right food. It is for this reason that rats are often found in and around garbage cans, so the best thing to do is to make sure that any food thrown into your cans is safely hidden.

To keep rats from scavenging in your home, you should always try to keep trash cans away from the house if you can.

Use natural repellents

If you don’t want to use synthetic predator scents, then why not try spices or oils with a natural flavor.

Products with a strong odor, such as cayenne pepper or garlic cloves, can be used to deter rodents by sprinkling them on doors and windows. Another natural remedy is vinegar. It can be used to wipe down surfaces in your home; this eliminates the smell of food, the smell that attracts them in the first place.

In your garden, you can plant plants that repel rodents with their scent, such as mint, lavender, or marigolds.

Use natural predators

Why not consider having your pets and their friends help keep rodents away? Some breeds of dogs, such as Jack Russell Terriers, along with cats and owls, are useful for this purpose to protect your home from rodents.

Talk to your neighbors

Sometimes it can happen that a rodent infestation is not even your problem, but your neighbor’s problem. Rats like to travel from house to house, so if your neighbors also support these deterrent methods, you have the best chance of keeping them out of your home.