Rodents can become a dangerous health risk if an in-home infestation gets out of control. Whether it's rats, moles or just mice, you want to make sure you get to the root of the infestation and eliminate it as soon as possible. Rodents carry disease and they leave trails of bacteria infested urine and feces everywhere they go. If you have a rodent infestation and would like to learn how to get rid of rodents, please check out the information on this page.

• Rodents are destructive to your home, and can pose a serious health risk if you do not eliminate them as quickly as possible. Many rodents chew on wires, which could cause an electrical fire and they tear apart insulation to create nests inside the walls or in the dark recesses of your attic or crawlspace.

(Creative Commons photo by Michelle Jones UK)

• The first step toward eliminating a rodent infestation is to not allow one to occur in the first place. It is a lot easier to prevent an infestation from occurring than it is to eliminate a problem that's already begun.

1. Seal off any entrances, like holes for the hose, crawlspaces, storm drains, etc.
2. Remove food or water sources that might attract rodents.
3. Keep trash sealed.
4. Store wood piles off the ground.

1. The sound of little feet dashing across the attic floor overhead is usually an indication of rodents in your home. Before the sound persists and becomes an army of rats or mice, you will want to get to the bottom of the infestation.

2. Determine where rodents are entering your home.

3. Look for signs, like droppings and urine.

4. Determine what type of rodents they are.

5. Search for damaged or frayed wires.

6. Teeth marks on wood are also an indicator.

• Experts recommend that in dealing with household infestations, that you use traps over poisons. Poisons are unsafe for any household pets, which may not have access to the poison, but could consume a poisoned rodent and become sick. You also don't want to take the risk of a rodent who is poisoned dying inside the walls or another unreachable location, as this could be dangerous to your health.

1. Set traps around the infested area.
2. Do not over bait traps.
3. Check them regularly.
4. Wrap dead rodents inside plastic.
5. Dispose of dead bodies immediately.

• Over time, the traps will go off less and less, but it's still good to keep them set just in case. Nipping a problem in the bud before it can get out of hand is always a good idea. As the infestation begins to clear up, you will want to clean away all debris and sanitize the area to keep from getting sick. While cleaning up the mess, wear protective gloves for sanitation purposes and a mask to keep from inhaling any airborne toxins.

• Rodents, big and small, can be an overwhelming infestation, but don't panic. You can eliminate an infestation by following the simple steps provided above, but it's best if you prevent one from occurring to the best of your ability.

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