Most common signs of rats infestation in your house – from odour to scratches

Rats have had a great summer of feasting and breeding. Now as autumn and winter creep in, the rodents will be looking to seek refuge in people's homes and gardens.

Experts have urged Brits to take extra precaution to protect their homes against an invasion by giant rats, that grown massively by feeding on food from uncollected rubbish and leftovers, especially during the heatwaves.

According to Gardening Express, these disease-ridden pests "will eat virtually anything," and it's best if we start clearing any rubbish around our homes to protect ourselves.

READ MORE : Terrifying rats 'as big as cats' invading homes through toilets

Here are common signs that rodents have invaded your home.

Odour

A pungent, musky odour throughout your house is one of the first signs that could indicate a rodent infestation

When rodents invade a home, they leave droppings and urine all over their nest site and even outside it. When a rat dies, it usually retreats to a corner leaving behind the smell of its corpse.

Keeping all these nasty smells in mind, any homes with a rodent infestation is likely to have a heavy, pungent, musky stench.

So, if you're started picking up such smells in your home consider that a rat nest might be the reason behind it.

Signs of gnawing

Mice and rat are constantly gnawing on objects to wear them down. So, the longer there is a rat infestation in your home, the worse damage to things in your home.

Look for gnaw marks on wires, cardboard boxes, furniture, and any wooden items. Also pay attention for any chewed or ripped-up insulation.

Like food, rodents also need constant water sources so keep an eye out for chewing around pipes as well.

Grease smears

Rats and mice have grease in their fur which leaves damaging marks on pieces of wood or siding that they come in contact with.

If the rodents are using the same hole to get in and out, then you might have a grease build-up that can spread easily and even become a costly problem for you.

Inspect the walls and sidings of your home for any discoloured areas, especially near any holes or tears. This can be both inside and outside your home.

Droppings

Finding rodent droppings in your home is an active safety hazard as these droppings can spread diseases such as hantavirus, salmonella, rat-bite fever, and bubonic plague.

Rodent droppings typically resemble small brown grains, though size can vary depending on the species. While you might find dropping anywhere around the house, check your attic and basement in particular.

Scratching noises

If you hear scurrying or scratching noises in your house, especially at night, this could be an indication that rats or mice are active.

The noises might be them scurrying beneath floorboards or inside cabinets. You might even hear some muffled squeaking noises.

Nests

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  Woman can't cook in rat-infested kitchen as pest control 'killed rodent with own spoon'

If you're noticing piles of shredded paper, fabric, or dried plant matter in corners of your home along with the presence of other signs like musty odour or droppings near these sites, it might be a sign of a rodent infestation – you've just stumbled upon their nest!

Tampered Food Packaging

Rodents break in to homes to find shelter and potential food sources. So keep an eye on any sealed food packages for gnawing or bite marks.

While it's not likely that the rodents get to all your food, anything they find or come into contact with can be inedible and even dangerous for us to consume.

Make sure you inspect packaging of every food item in your pantry – looking for signs of chewing, holes or torn wrapping.

If you find any signs of tampering, throw the food out and contact a pest control professional to find out if rodents are the cause.

It's also worth moving your food into pest-proof containers for extra precaution.

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