Rats are a menace and the fact can’t be denied and often nothing short of calling the pied piper would rid you of rats. They are ugly and leave destruction wherever they travel. They can chew gas pipes, water pipes, make holes in walls creating a mess and even bite. They can spread disease and decay wherever they enter. Follow these steps to rid your house forever:

Firstly spot the problem areas. Look for places through which rats may enter, rat holes, loose boards, drain pipes that are not properly fitted. Clog open holes with steel wool that will stop rats from chewing them. Make sure all open holes are cemented and there is no outlet for rats to enter the house.

Make sure that you do not live food uncovered as that is one place rats are sure to be found. Look for rat droppings they are a sure sign that a rat family is around. Look for holes or spots that are open, make sure you block them. Unused food should be covered and thrown as wherever there are leftover food items household pests are likely to appear.
Do not clutter your house as that way they will have no place to hide.

Using rat poison can be a way of getting rid of the menace but there are several precautions you need to take. First make sure there are no children around and also they occasionally die in hard to reach place and create an offensive odor. So use rat poison carefully.

Use peanut butter in rat traps as it is more effective than cheese.
When removing dead rats use gloves as rats are laden with disease and handling them with hands can cause the spread of disease.