DC County, Washington DC Rat Control Situation:
I am a double heart transplant/cancer patient and not in good health. I have discovered a huge hole on the outside of my home, which is allowing critters in my attic. I do not know what they are, but possibly roof rats. Their presence could very well kill me, since I have no immune system to help me fight bacteria. I would like to know the cost of removal & repair of the area which they have ruined on the side of my home. I am a senior citizen who can no longer work and have little disposable income to pay much, since my medical bills are so high. Is it possible to get an estimate for this & also a time frame from when it can be done? I spend a lot of time in the hospital and just finished a 3 month stay, which included another cancer surgery. I live in Washington DC. My phone does not ring in properly, in fact, gets poor reception, same as my Internet service, but they blame it on my area. So please use my email when possible. I would appreciate a reply ASAP. Thank you very much. J Hill
My response: The presence of rats won't kill you.
Washington DC Rat Control Tip of The Week
What Are Some Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Rats And Keep Them Away?
The moment you stumble upon rats in your home, you automatically switch into panic mode, simply because you know the menace associated with having these rodents around you.
Apart from damaging your home, rats contaminate your environment and expose you to several diseases. If you want to get rid of the rats in your home, there are some home remedies that you can use to achieve what you want. Here are some home remedies that you can try:
1. Peppermint Oil
To humans, peppermint is refreshing. But to rats, nothing can be more nauseating than it. To take advantage of this, all you have to do is put droplets of peppermint oil along the routes of the rat in your home or dip cotton balls into peppermint oil and drop the soaked cotton around places the rats frequent the most. The smell of this will keep them away because they won't be able to stand it.
2. Plaster Of Paris And Cocoa Powder
This is one of the best natural ways to get rid of rats. In this case, all you need to do is to mix plaster of paris with one tablespoon of cocoa powder and then sprinkle the solution along their routes. This mixture will suffocate and dehydrate the rats and make them run outside your home.
3. Onions
The good part about the use of this particular home remedy is that it is readily available in every home. To use this as a rat repellent, all you have to do is to place an onion bulb around the holes of the rat. The smell coming from the onion will make the rat feel uncomfortable and this will make them leave in no time.