It’s getting to that time of year when rats are drawn to our homes more, so many people may be starting to worry about the pesky rodents invading their properties. As the weather gets cooler, the pests will start to look for shelter during the colder months, which means some of them will try and sneak into people’s properties.
One thing they are often drawn to is food, which is why they often target people’s bins when they can smell something inviting. However, if you want to keep rats away for good, a pest control expert said you only need to make one simple change to how you store waste to prevent them.
Most people keep their waste outside the property as it can be unsightly and smelly indoors, but there are some rules you need to follow to keep pests at bay. After all, storing certain items in your garden can encourage rats to visit.
According to Catchem Pest Control, there’s a simple way you can prevent rats from invading your bins. A few months back, they visited a site that was grappling with a “significant” rat infestation, and they made one discovery.
After inspecting the area, it was uncovered that the rats were easily accessing the contents of plastic bins, as they are “notorious” for chewing through plastic containers. This is how they were able to cause a problem so easily.
The experts said the best thing to do is opt for a metal container to keep rats out. According to them, the simple waste management upgrade can help keep rats away and prevent them from invading your bins.
By opting for this storage method, your outdoor area is likely to become a lot cleaner. Not to mention, it should help to keep any unwanted visitors out.
Little you may know, pest control experts recommend using metal bins for waste disposal instead of plastic ones. This is because rodents can easily gnaw through plastic to reach food or other edible contents.
This means it won’t just help to deter rats, but it can also help to keep other creatures away such as mice and squirrels. It’s a change that could be well worth making.
The more you can keep food stored away and out of sight – the better. Food and water will always draw rats to your property.
It’s also worth noting that rats can be attracted to compost bins too. If you have one in your garden, there are a few things you should know.
Compost bins can attract pests because they are drawn to the food and shelter the compost provides. But there are ways you can prevent this from happening.
If you want to keep a compost bin, with limited chances of attracting rats and mice, you should:
- Avoid adding foods like meat and dairy products.
- Keep it as damp as possible.
- Turn it regularly, as this helps prevent pests.
- Use dry leaves or soil to cover food scraps.
- Use scents, such as peppermint oil, to make the compost smell unappealing.
- Use a solid-sided bin to help keep rats out.
- Line the bottom of your bin with wire mesh.
- Use a tumbler, as a fully-enclosed tumbler bin can help stop rodents from accessing your compost.