How to Get Rid of Rats in the House, Attic and Walls

Quick answer: To get rid of rats, trap first and seal second, then keep up the pressure. Set several rat-size snap or electronic traps along walls and runways, pre-bait them unset for two or three days because rats are wary of new objects, and seal every gap wider than about 1/2 inch with copper mesh, hardware cloth and caulk. Remove food and water sources, clean up with the CDC’s wet method, and call a pro for heavy attic or wall activity.

Learning how to get rid of rats starts with one fact: rats are a bigger, smarter problem than mice. They’re cautious around anything new, they chew through plastic and wood, and a small group can grow fast when food is easy to reach.

This guide explains how to get rid of rats in the house, attic and walls step by step, based on CDC and EPA guidance and university extension experts. It also covers what not to do, because the most common shortcut, poison, often makes indoor rat problems worse.

Roof rats vs. Norway rats: which one do you have?

Knowing the species tells you where to look and where to put traps. Most US homes deal with one of two.

	Roof rat	Norway rat
Also called	Black rat, ship rat	Brown rat, sewer rat
Body	Slender, 6–8 in body; tail longer than head and body	Heavy, 7–10 in body; tail shorter than head and body
Droppings	About 1/2 in, pointed ends	About 3/4 in, blunt, capsule-shaped
Where it lives	Attics, upper walls, trees, vines, roof lines	Burrows, basements, crawl spaces, ground floors
How it gets in	Roof vents, gaps at eaves, tree branches and power lines	Foundation gaps, garage doors, drains, burrows along walls
Common in	Southern and coastal states	Nationwide, especially cooler regions and cities

Either way, the signs are similar: droppings along walls, gnaw marks, greasy rub marks on beams and pipes, shredded insulation, and scratching or scurrying at night. If droppings are rice-sized, you’re more likely dealing with mice; see our guide on how to get rid of mice.

What causes rats in the house?

Rats move in for three things: food, water and shelter. Outdoors, bird feeders, fallen fruit, pet food, compost and open trash cans feed them. Indoors, pantry food, pet bowls and crumbs behind appliances keep them going.

Cooler weather drives them indoors in fall, but rats can move in any time of year. An adult rat can squeeze through a hole about the size of a quarter, roughly 1/2 inch. Roof rats often come from above, climbing trees, vines or utility lines to the roof. If rats are burrowing outside first, our guide on how to get rid of rats in the yard covers that side of the problem.

How to get rid of rats: step by step

1. Find where they’re active. Use a flashlight to follow droppings, rub marks and gnawing. Sprinkle a thin layer of flour along a suspected runway overnight; tracks tell you it’s active.
2. Choose rat-size traps. Mouse traps are too small and can injure a rat without killing it. Use rat snap traps or an electronic rat trap, and plan on at least 6–12 traps for an active problem.
3. Pre-bait for two to three days. Rats are wary of new objects, a trait called neophobia. Place traps unset with bait so rats learn they’re safe to visit, then set them all on the same night.
4. Use the right bait. A pea-sized bit of peanut butter, dried fruit, nuts or a bit of bacon works well. Roof rats often prefer fruit and nuts. Press bait into the bait cup so it can’t be licked off.
5. Place traps along walls. Rats run along edges. Set snap traps perpendicular to the wall with the trigger facing it, or place two back to back to catch rats from both directions. In attics, place them on beams, rafters and along the eaves.
6. Check traps daily. Remove catches with gloves, rebait and reset. If a trap sits untouched for three or four days, move it a few feet.
7. Seal entry points once catches slow. Pack copper mesh into gaps around pipes, vents and wires, cover it with caulk or mortar, and screen vents with 1/4-inch hardware cloth. Add door sweeps and fix garage door seals.
8. Cut off food and water. Store food and pet food in metal or glass containers, fix dripping pipes, take in bird feeders and pick up fallen fruit.
9. Clean up safely. Follow the CDC method below. Keep a few traps set for two weeks after the last catch to make sure you got them all.

Timing matters. If you seal first while rats are still inside, they’ll chew new holes or die in the walls. Trap until activity stops, then seal, and then keep monitoring. For help choosing traps, see our guide to the best rat trap.

How to get rid of rats in the attic

Attic rats are usually roof rats. Trap on the main runways, often the top of exterior walls along the eaves, beams near where you hear noise, and around the attic entry point. Check the roofline outside for gaps at soffits, roof vents, plumbing stacks and where the roof meets the wall. Trim tree branches back at least 6 to 8 feet from the roof.

How to get rid of rats in the walls

You can’t trap inside a wall, so you trap where rats come out: under sinks, behind the stove and fridge, in the basement near the sill plate, and in the attic above the wall. Our guide on rodents in walls explains how to find those exits and how to handle a dead-animal smell.

Why you should avoid rat poison indoors

Rodenticides seem like the easy answer, but they cause real problems inside a home. A poisoned rat doesn’t die right away. It often crawls into a wall, attic or crawl space and dies there, and the smell can last for weeks.

Poison bait also puts children, pets and wildlife at risk. The EPA restricts how rodenticides can be sold to consumers, requiring bait to come in tamper-resistant stations. Pets and wild predators like hawks and owls can be poisoned by eating a poisoned rat, which is called secondary poisoning.

If you use a rodenticide at all, use it only outdoors in a locked, tamper-resistant bait station, follow the label exactly, and keep it away from children, pets and food. Never scatter loose pellets or blocks. If a child or pet may have eaten bait, call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) or your vet immediately and have the product label ready.

How to clean up rat droppings safely

The CDC warns that rodent droppings, urine and nests can spread diseases such as leptospirosis, salmonellosis and hantavirus. The key rule is to never sweep or vacuum dry droppings, which can put particles into the air.

1. Air it out. Open doors and windows and leave the area for at least 30 minutes before cleaning.
2. Gear up. Wear rubber, latex or vinyl gloves. For heavy contamination in attics or crawl spaces, a pro is the safer choice.
3. Soak it. Spray droppings, urine and nests with a disinfectant or a mix of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water until thoroughly wet, then wait about 5 minutes.
4. Wipe and bag. Pick up the material with paper towels, place it in a plastic bag, seal it and put it in the outdoor trash.
5. Disinfect and wash. Mop or sponge the area with disinfectant, wash gloved hands, then remove gloves and wash your hands with soap and water.

Keep kids and pets out of the area during cleanup. Never mix bleach with ammonia, vinegar or other cleaners, because it releases toxic gas. Handle dead rats with gloves or a plastic bag turned inside out. If you develop fever or flu-like symptoms after rodent exposure, contact a doctor and mention the exposure.

The equipment that helps

These are the tools that do most of the work. Our best rat trap guide compares more options, and the best electric rat trap guide goes deeper on battery-powered models.

The Victor electronic rat trap review explains how the electronic model compares with the long-running Victor Rat Zapper Classic, which is another no-touch option.

Rat snap traps are strong enough to break a finger or hurt a pet. Place them where kids and pets can’t reach, under a covered box or behind a barrier, and set them with the trigger away from your fingers. Electronic traps deliver a high-voltage shock: turn them off before opening or cleaning, keep them dry and follow the instructions.

How to keep rats from coming back

• Inspect the exterior twice a year. Check the foundation, roofline, vents and utility entries each spring and fall.
• Trim trees and vines. Keep branches 6 to 8 feet from the roof and remove ivy climbing the walls, especially if you have roof rats.
• Manage outdoor food. Use tight-lidded metal trash cans, bring pet food inside, clean up under bird feeders and pick up fallen fruit and nuts.
• Remove shelter. Store firewood and lumber off the ground and away from the house; clear clutter along walls in garages and sheds.
• Fix leaks. Rats need water. Repair dripping faucets, hose bibs and condensate lines.
• Keep monitoring. Leave one or two traps set in the attic or garage as early warning, and check them weekly.

When to call a professional

Call a licensed pest control pro if you hear rats in several walls or the attic, keep catching rats after two to three weeks, find burrows along your foundation, can’t locate entry points on the roof, or have a heavy mess of droppings in an attic or crawl space. A pro is also the right call if anyone in the home is at higher risk from infection, if you rent (your landlord is usually responsible), or if you smell a dead rat you can’t reach.

Hearing them overhead? Our guide to getting rid of rats in the attic covers trapping on rafters, safe cleanup and sealing the roofline.

Frequently asked questions

What is the fastest way to get rid of rats?

The fastest reliable method is setting many rat-size traps at once along walls and runways after two to three days of pre-baiting. Setting one or two traps and waiting is slow, because rats avoid new objects. Pair trapping with sealing entry points and removing food, and most homes see a big drop within one to three weeks.

What smell will keep rats away?

No smell keeps rats away for long. Peppermint oil, ammonia and predator urine may make rats cautious briefly, but they adapt quickly when food and shelter are still available. Ultrasonic devices also show little lasting effect in research. Sealing entry points and removing food sources works much better than any scent.

Will rats leave on their own?

Rarely. If your home gives them food, water and shelter, rats have every reason to stay and breed. Female rats can have several litters a year. Without trapping and sealing, a small problem usually grows, so start trapping as soon as you see droppings or hear activity.

Is it safe to use rat poison in the attic?

It’s not recommended. Poisoned rats often die inside walls or insulation where you can’t reach them, leaving a strong odor for weeks. Bait can also be carried and dropped where pets or kids find it. Traps give you a body to remove and control over where the rat ends up.

How do I know if the rats are gone?

Watch for no new droppings, no fresh gnaw marks and no noise at night for two weeks or more. A flour or baby powder patch along an old runway should stay free of tracks. Keep a few traps set during that time. If activity starts again, look for an entry point you missed.

Can I use mouse traps for rats?

No. Mouse traps are too small and weak for rats, and they often injure a rat without killing it, which is inhumane and teaches the rat to avoid traps. Use traps labeled for rats, such as larger snap traps with a wide pedal or an electronic trap sized for rats.

Ready to choose your traps? Compare snap, electronic and heavy-duty options in our guide to the best rat trap.