Rats in the House? Signs of Rodent Activity and What to Do

Scratching in the ceiling at night. Droppings in the back of a kitchen cupboard. A bag of rice with a hole chewed in the corner. Rodents are good at staying out of sight, so most people discover them through the evidence they leave behind.

Rats and mice are more than a nuisance. They contaminate food and surfaces, damage property and chew electrical cables, which is a fire risk. This guide explains how to recognise rodent activity, how they get in, how to clean up safely, and what effective rodent control involves.

Signs of rodent activity

• Droppings along walls, in cupboards, behind appliances, in ceiling spaces and store rooms.
• Gnaw marks on doors, skirting, food packaging, plastic pipes, furniture and cables.
• Noises such as scratching, scurrying or squeaking, mostly at night, in ceilings and walls.
• Greasy rub marks along walls and skirting where rodents run repeatedly.
• Nests of shredded paper, fabric or insulation in quiet, undisturbed spots.
• Holes and burrows in the compound, under slabs, beside drains and in banks.
• Footprints and tail marks in dusty areas.
• Pets behaving unusually, staring at walls or pawing under appliances.
• A strong, stale smell in enclosed spaces with heavy activity.

Rats or mice?

The approach differs, so it helps to know which you have.

A photo of droppings next to a coin is usually enough for a professional to tell the difference.

How rodents get in

Rodents enter through surprisingly small gaps. Common entry points include:

• Gaps around water, waste and gas pipes where they pass through walls.
• Cable and conduit entry points.
• Gaps under doors, especially external doors and roller shutters.
• Broken air bricks and uncovered vents.
• Gaps at the eaves and where the roof meets the wall.
• Broken or missing drain and manhole covers.
• Holes behind kitchen units and around built-in appliances.

Walk around the outside of the building and check these points. Inside, look behind and under kitchen units with a torch.

What attracts them

• Food stored in sacks, bags or open containers.
• Crumbs and spills under cookers and fridges.
• Pet food and bird seed left out.
• Open or overflowing bins.
• Clutter, rubble and stored materials in the compound, which provide cover.
• Compost heaps and fruit trees with fallen fruit.

Cleaning up droppings safely

Rodent droppings and urine can carry diseases. Clean up carefully:

1. Wear rubber or disposable gloves, and a mask in dusty or heavily contaminated areas.
2. Do not sweep or vacuum dry droppings, which can raise contaminated dust.
3. Spray the area with a disinfectant or a diluted bleach solution and leave it for several minutes.
4. Wipe up with paper towels and place them in a sealed bag in the outside bin.
5. Mop or wipe the area again with disinfectant.
6. Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

Throw away any food that rodents may have touched. For heavily contaminated kitchens or stores, a professional deep clean after treatment is worth considering.

What you can do yourself

• Store food properly in hard, sealed containers. Keep sacks of grain, flour and sugar in sealed bins.
• Clean daily, including under appliances.
• Use lidded bins and keep bin areas away from the house.
• Clear the compound of rubble, stacked timber and clutter.
• Seal small gaps with appropriate materials. Rodents chew through foam and soft fillers, so use steel wool combined with sealant or cement for gaps around pipes.
• Fit door sweeps to external doors.

A word on poison

It is tempting to buy rat poison and scatter it. Please do not. Loose poison is a serious risk to children, dogs, cats and wildlife, and poisoned rodents often die inside walls and ceilings, causing a strong smell for weeks. If bait is used, it should be inside locked, tamper-resistant stations placed by someone trained to do it.

When to call a professional

Call a professional when:

• You see signs of activity in several areas.
• You hear rodents in the ceiling or walls.
• You find gnawed cables or damaged pipes.
• Your own efforts have not worked after a week or two.
• You run a food business, store or warehouse.
• You have children or pets and do not want to handle bait.

What professional rodent control involves

A good rodent control job follows a clear sequence:

1. Survey to find runs, entry points, nesting areas and food sources.
2. Proofing to close entry points, with a list of anything that needs a builder.
3. Trapping and secure baiting using tamper-resistant stations placed along rodent runways, with placements recorded.
4. Monitoring visits to check stations, replace bait and remove carcasses.
5. Sign-off once activity has stopped, based on evidence.

Our rodent control service follows this approach.

How long does it take?

Mice often take bait within a few days. Rats are wary of new objects and may take a week or more to start feeding. Most domestic jobs need a treatment visit and one or more check visits over two to four weeks. Commercial premises often benefit from ongoing monitoring.

Frequently asked questions

Will rats leave on their own?

Rarely, while food and shelter are available. Removing food and blocking entry points helps, but an established population usually needs active control.

Is it safe to use rat poison if I have pets?

Only inside tamper-resistant bait stations placed by a professional. Loose poison is a real risk to dogs and cats, both directly and through eating poisoned rodents.

What do I do about the smell of a dead rat?

If you can reach it, remove it wearing gloves and disinfect the area. If it is inside a wall or ceiling, ventilate the room. The smell usually fades within one to two weeks. A professional can sometimes locate and remove it.

Can rats get into the house through the toilet?

It is uncommon but possible, particularly where sewer pipes are damaged. Broken drain covers and damaged pipes are more common entry routes.

If you are seeing signs of rats or mice, send us a photo of the droppings or request a survey.