Do Rats Mean Your House Is Dirty? — Reject Rats (2024)

(Last Updated On: June 4, 2022)

Rats thrive in unsanitary conditions, so it’s natural to be concerned that you’re getting rodents because your home is dirty and poorly maintained.

However, the presence of rats doesn’t always mean that you’ve failed to clean your home properly. Rats will go anywhere they can access where their needs are met.

Rats are opportunistic scavengers that spend their waken hours searching for safe living conditions and resources. They’ll go anywhere they can find food, water, warmth, and shelter.

If rats can access your home, they’ll find a way to get what they need to thrive and multiply.

Don’t blame yourself for the presence of rodents in your home. Instead, focus on uncovering how rats have gained access and take the necessary steps to drive them out.

Does It Mean Your House Is Dirty If You Have Rats?

Having rats in your home isn’t conclusive evidence that your home is dirty, as even the cleanest of homes can attract rats. Rats will go where their needs are met, regardless of how often you tidy your home.

Rats are opportunistic animals that seek food, water, warmth, and shelter. If rats believe you have these features and resources, your home will be attractive to them.

Almost every home has these resources and features. Even if you package and store leftover food and garbage securely, your home will still be warm and safe, and rats can gnaw their way through tough materials to access nutritious foods.

A small leak in a pipe or water droplets gathering in a kitchen sink can serve as a water source for rats. So, it’s unlikely that rats will need to leave your home before they dehydrate.

Rats are naturally curious animals that actively explore their environment. So, if you live in an area with a large rodent population, you’re likely to encounter rats eventually.

If your neighbor has a rat infestation or has recently driven the rats out, they may seek a way into your home, even if you keep your house spotlessly clean. Rats merely need to find a way inside.

Why Do I Have Rats If My House Is Clean?

Rats are associated with filthy conditions, as they thrive in dirty environments with lots of feeding opportunities and places to hide. However, it’s not uncommon for rats to enter clean homes.

Tidy houses won’t be a rodents’ paradise, but there will be no shortage of places for them to nest. Once inside, these nocturnal animals will seek food and hydration while you sleep.

Here are some common reasons rats enter homes:

Location

Rats are drawn to environments where there are human settlements because it guarantees them access to food, water, warm conditions, safety, and shelter. However, they’ll seek to avoid drawing your attention.

If you live in a sprawling urban center with a large population, you’re more statistically likely to have rats. Even if you keep your house spotlessly clean, rats will find a way into your home if they believe that your residence offers more than they have currently.

Access To The Home

Beware if your home has structural problems, such as holes or cracks in walls, unsecured vents, and gaps in the floorboards. It’s easy for rats to make their way into your home with these access points.

Keeping your home clean won’t deter rats from entering. If the entrance points aren’t sealed off to keep rats out, they’ll enter when you’re sleeping or aren’t around due to work or shopping.

According to the University of California, rodent-proofing your home is among the most effective ways of keeping rats out. So, inspect your home for potential rodent entry points and block them off.

Rats can squeeze through holes less than an inch in diameter. If a rat can squeeze its head through an opening, it’ll be able to get inside your property.

Therefore, you should seal all openings, cracks, and crevices, regardless of how small they appear.

Unsecured Kitchen and Pantry

Rats are attracted to homes where they can find their favorite foods. They’ll look for fatty, high-calorie foods that can sustain them.

So, even if you clean up your surfaces and secure your garbage bins, unsecured food in your kitchen pantry will draw rats’ attention as they have good olfactory senses.

Unfortunately, once rats gain access to the kitchen, they’ll contaminate food with their saliva, urine, and droppings. This renders the food unfit for human consumption as rats carry many diseases.

Rats can access even canned food if the tin is dented or compromised. Rats have strong teeth that can gnaw and chew through many materials, including wood, plastic, and some metals.

So, ensure that your food is tightly sealed in rat-proof containers and stored securely.

Greasy Surfaces

When most people clean their homes, they may fail to wipe down the grime and food spatter that gathers on the following appliances and surfaces:

• Stovetops and ovens
• Food preparation surfaces
• Splashbacks
• Sinks
• Bread bins

This can attract rats to a home, even if the rest of the property is squeaky clean.

Untidy Outdoor Spaces

If your lawn is poorly maintained, it can harbor pests, including rodents. Rats like to hide in garden overgrowth and trees, as these locations provide safety from predators.

Having piles of wood and or an unsecured compost heap provide locations for rats to nest.

The more rats in your yard, the higher the likelihood of them getting into your home. For instance, if you have tree overgrowth extending over your roof, rats may use them to access your home via the attic.

Prune your trees so that branches are at least 15 feet from your home. Also, cut the grass regularly throughout the spring and summer to prevent rats from hiding.

Your home doesn’t necessarily need to be dirty to attract rats. The only concern of rats is whether they can find the resources they need (food, water, warmth, and shelter) inside your home.

As long as rats can access your home and find these essential resources, they’ll infest your home, even if you clean it several times per week.