Your home is your happy place, so finding out you’ve got some unwanted visitors can be stressful.
Let’s chat about the signs of a rodent infestation in your home, how to fix the issue and how to keep them away in the future.
Signs of a rodent infestation in your home
Whether it’s rats, mice or another pest, here are the most common signs of rodent infestation to keep an eye out for.
Rodent droppings
Rodent droppings can be one of the first signs you’ve got a problem. These look like small rice or raisin-sized brown pellets.
We know some people keep hamsters, mice or rats as pets too! So, before you call pest control, make sure you check they haven’t got out of their enclosure.
Chew marks
Chew marks on the bottom of chair legs, cabinets and other furniture can also spell trouble. This might be a sign the rodents have been gnawing on your furniture.
Smells & noise
If you can hear rustling, scuttling or squeaking and it isn’t coming from one of your own pets, you might be dealing with rodents.
Keep an ear out for unusual noises, especially at night. Also, watch out for bad or unusual smells – this could be another sign you have rodents in your home.
Grease marks
Brown or grey patches by doors, cracks in the walls and windows are sometimes signs rodents have passed by.
Nests
While a lot of homeowners never come across the actual nests of rodents in their home, it’s not unheard of.
They often make their nests in hidden areas, like the attic or walls.
If you come across a random pile of debris like leaves, fluff, insulation and paper, this could be it.
Droppings around the pile and a hole or burrow in the middle are also key signs it could be a nest.
How to keep pests out of your home
You can’t always avoid rodents in your home, but there are some things you can do to try and keep them out in the first place.
Keep your home clean and secure
Keeping your home in good shape can help. This includes:
- clearing away food in your kitchen
- keeping food stored in closed containers
- filling in any holes in walls, doors and windows
Get rid of your rubbish the right way
Make sure you put your rubbish in closed bins. If you keep bins outside, put them in sealed bin containers so rodents can’t get to the bags.
It’s also worth keeping your bins away from your back or front door if you can.
Keep your garden tidy
It’s very common for them to pass through your garden. But there are some things might make them want to stick around.
Keep your planted fruits and veggies tidy and fenced off if possible. Always clear up leftover food from barbecues or parties and keep your outdoor bins sealed.
Install door sweeps on exterior doors
Door sweeps can help keep your home secure from rodents sneaking in. These are rubber or brush-like fittings that you can pop at the bottom of your door to seal up small cracks and spaces.
Think about putting door seals on your front and back door to fend off any curious critters.
How to get rid of rats & mice
So, you’ve realised you’re dealing with an infestation and want to get things sorted. What's next?
Limit access to food and water
Rats and mice are always on the lookout for something to eat. To make your home less interesting to them, avoid leaving out food and water that’s easy for them to get to.
Seal off potential entry points
Not all rodent holes look like the ones in Tom and Jerry!
Rats and mice can squeeze through tiny gaps in walls, doors and windows. It’s important to seal up any nooks and crannies you find to keep them out.
Keep your pets safe
Unfortunately, rodents can carry disease and infections that can spread to your pets.
Try to keep them out of rooms where you’ve found signs of rodents. If you’ve found droppings, clean the area to stop harmful bacteria from passing to your pets.
Also, keep your pets away from any traps you use so they don’t get hurt.
Think about traps
A popular way of getting rid of rodents is catching them in traps. You can usually find rat and mouse traps in your local hardware shop, like B&Q.
Traps come in lots of forms. Some traps are designed to be fatal, but you can also buy more humane traps that don’t harm them.
Natural rodent repellents
Some essential oils can keep rodents at bay, like lavender, peppermint and clove.
You can soak them in cotton balls and leave them out on counters and windowsills.
Make sure you keep essential oils out of the reach of pets as some are poisonous to them.
Plenty of other common household items can also repel rodents, like:
- garlic
- coffee
- teabags
- vinegar
- onions
Install a non-return valve on drains
Non-return valves let water through your drains or pipes on the way out, but don’t let anything come back in.
These are often used by people living in flood-prone areas. But they can also be good for keeping rodents out of your home.
Look into professional help
You might want to hire a professional to take care of your pest problem.
This means you don’t have to go out and buy your own traps or come into contact with any rodents while trying to catch them.
It’s usually more expensive than getting the traps or repellents yourself. But sometimes having a professional to help makes all the difference.
Does home insurance cover pest control?
This depends on who you’re insured with and what kind of extras or add-ons you have on your policy.
Standard home insurance often doesn’t cover pest control or removing them. It also doesn’t usually cover any damage caused by pests.
Some pest issues may be covered by us if you have Home Emergency Extra cover. If you prove that there’s an infestation in your home, we may be able to cover getting them removed.
Making a Home Emergency Extra claim
If you have Home Emergency Extra cover with us (which you will if you have Platinum home insurance), check your policy details before you make a claim.
If you think we cover your situation, you can call our 24-hour emergency helpline on 0345 609 4375.
You can also register your claim using our make a claim page or in MyAccount.
We only cover home emergencies if you report them within 48 hours of finding them. You can claim up to £1,000.
We can’t cover infestations found outside your home, like in gardens, greenhouses and sheds.
Don’t forget, you can’t claim for the first seven days after taking out your home insurance unless you’re renewing!
Dealing with other kinds of pests?
We’ve got a lot of handy guides to help you with other pests too, including:
