The thought of rats being inside your home or your garage can be disconcerting. These large rodents may be able to get into your garage and nest. Once inside, they can cause expensive damage to your property and leave behind a huge, toxic mess. Homeowners can protect their property by following some preventative tips from Truly Nolen Canada, a leading provider of pest control in Toronto. Here’s what to do to keep rats away from your garage:

Why Rats Go in Garages

Rats may enter a garage looking for shelter from the cold or elements outside. The garage is an attractive potential shelter for several reasons. In some homes, there isn’t a lot of foot traffic inside the garage. Some homeowners only use the garages as storage. 

In other layouts, the garage is not attached to the main home, so it provides a quiet sanctuary for rodents, away from the noise and hustle that’s inside a home. Garages often contain food sources and potential nesting materials and they may even have lots of small hiding spaces for rats to burrow. Homeowners must work with professionals to develop a solid pest control plan that keeps rats away.

Clean and Declutter the Garage

Begin by cleaning up your garage and decluttering the space. Garages are often a convenient spot to store items that don’t fit anywhere else. Some of these items may pile up and create clutter, which is something that rats love.

To keep the clutter from getting out of control, create an organized storage shelving system in your garage. Make sure everything is neatly stored and put away. If there are spills or messes in the garage, thoroughly clean them up so you don’t attract rats.

Put Food Away

Additionally, never leave food out in your garage. If you have pets and keep pet food in your garage for storage, make sure you invest in solid pet food containers that keep everything sealed.

Consider moving other food from your garage to another spot inside your home. The garage is not always temperature controlled, which could spoil stored food. The smell of spoiling food may attract rodents like rats.

Fix Damaged Doors

It’s also important to frequently check your garage doors for damage. The garage doors can be a great deterrent for curious rats, but only if they close completely and aren’t malfunctioning.

A broken garage door is an invitation for a wildlife infestation. If you notice a problem with your exterior garage door or the interior garage door that leads to your home, you should contact a repair technician as soon as possible.

Close Off Entry Points

After making sure your garage doors are functioning and closing properly, next, check for any potential points of entry around your garage. Even though rats are larger than other rodents, they can still fit into tiny gaps around your home’s foundation, doors or windows. 

If you have any open entry points, contact a technician to seal them up with caulk or other building materials. Then, if any creatures have gotten inside and started nesting, the team can focus on rodent removal.

Pest Control in Toronto for Your Home

Rodent pest control is a multi-step process. Truly Nolen Canada works with customers to plan out an effective rat removal plan and return your home to its pre-infestation condition. First, we locate the source of the infestation and treat it. Next, we remove any animals. The last step is sanitation and cleaning.

Reach out to Truly Nolen Canada for assistance with rat and mouse control. Our services can pinpoint the issue, remove the wildlife and give you back your space, whether it’s your garage or an area of your home’s interior.