How to Get Rid of Rats in Your Garage

Rats enter homes and garages looking for food, water, and shelter. These unwanted pests can easily cause damage to your garage and your belongings—not to mention gaining easier access to your home. Read on to learn more about what attracts rats into your garage and how to get rid of these invasive rodents.

What attracts rats to a garage? 

Garages provide rats with warmth, access to nearby food and water sources, and protection from predators. Garages also contain items rats can shelter in, like old tires, storage bins, cardboard boxes that are seldom touched, and cabinets. If you park your car in your garage, the vehicle might provide yet another source of shelter for them. 

Is it common to have rats in a garage?

It’s not at all unusual to find rats in your garage. These rodents are constantly looking for shelter, especially in colder weather, and have little trouble getting into a garage through small cracks and gaps in the walls or beneath the garage doors. A hole as small as ½” in size is big enough for a rat to squeeze through and enter your garage. 

Should I worry about rats in my garage? 

Finding rats in your garage is definitely a cause for concern. Seeing one rat scurrying across your garage floor means there are likely more rodents nesting close by—and these critters can multiply rapidly or move from your garage and into your home. 

In addition to your garage, you might also find rats nesting in your attic, another place that provides shelter from the elements and easy access to the rest of your home. 

Here are a few reasons to be concerned about rats in your garage: 

• Rats tend to gnaw on things and can cause damage to insulation, walls, floors, cloth, and any stored items like holiday decorations or family heirlooms.
• Rats can get into vehicles and chew holes in car seats to create a cozy nest.
• Rats can chew on electrical wiring or nest inside electrical appliances, creating potential fire hazards. 
• Rats can transmit diseases to humans if you come in contact with their feces and nests or get bitten.  

How do I know if I have a mouse or rat in my garage? 

Here are a few indicators that you might have a rat or mouse infestation on your hands:

• Odors: Rat urine has an unpleasant, musky odor. Foul odors can also come from dead rodents that are decomposing. 
• Fecal droppings: Rat droppings are smooth, long, and dark—about the size of a raisin. It’s common to see droppings along walls, as these are the routes rodents typically as they move about.
• Chewing: Small, round holes in walls or cardboard boxes can be signs that a rodent is making a nest inside the walls of your garage.
• Grease trails: You may notice dark, greasy marks along walls and floors, indicating places that rats have rubbed themselves against as they travel.
• Sounds: If you hear noises in your garage that sound like gnawing, running, or squeaking, you may have a mouse or rat infestation.

How to get rid of rats in a garage 

The safest way to get rid of rats infesting your garage is to contact Hawx Pest Control. Rats can bite when they feel threatened, and their droppings can spread severe diseases to humans or pets if touched or even inhaled. Our professionals will help determine where rats may be nesting or getting into your garage and help address an infestation.

How to kill rats in a garage

Some homeowners may try putting down snap traps baited with food that rats like. Rat traps are large and potentially dangerous if they snap shut on your fingers, so it’s a good idea to entrust this task to pest professionals.

It’s worth noting that while glue boards can trap rats, they aren’t a very effective way to control an infestation. Rats can often pull themselves off the glue or drag the boards away if only part of their bodies become stuck.

How to keep rats out of your garage

To deter rats from your garage, seal up any holes, gaps, or cracks in the walls that give them entry. The bottom of your garage door is another spot rats can squeeze under.  

Rodents are attracted to messy areas where they can hide or use bits of items to create a nest, so consider decluttering your garage to make it less attractive to rodents seeking a new home.

Pest control services 

Rats in your garage and home can carry diseases, cause extensive structural damage, and even cause electrical problems if left unmanaged. At Hawx Pest Control, our professional technicians develop a customized treatment plan to address your rodent infestation and take preventive steps to keep the pests away. We always use the most up-to-date products and techniques to provide superior pest control services. Call us today for a free estimate.