Rat control in Haarlem: route, proofing, treatment
A rat will not be chased away as long as it has food and shelter. Our rat control therefore starts with one question: how is the animal getting in? Indoors it is often a broken or dislodged sewer pipe under the floor, an old drain that was never properly capped or an open connection in the crawl space. In the garden it is usually about food, rubbish and cover.
If everything points to the sewer, have the pipes inspected with a camera by a drainage specialist. A rat valve (rattenklep) in the drain then stops rats coming back up the pipe. Meanwhile we place locked bait stations or traps where only rats can get to them. Professional rodenticides may only be used by certified pest controllers.
Recognising the signs of rats
Rats are bigger and bolder than mice, but also wary of anything new. You often will not see them, only what they leave behind:
- Droppings clearly larger than mouse droppings, often grouped together in one spot.
- Burrows with a smooth entrance under paving, beside the shed or beneath a compost heap.
- Dark, greasy smears along walls and frames where they run again and again.
- Gnaw marks on wooden doors, plastic drainpipes or wheelie bins.
- Thumping and scratching under the floor or in the cavity wall, mainly at night.
Why acting quickly makes sense
Rats gnaw pipes, insulation and electrical cables, which can cause damage and even short circuits. Their urine and droppings can spread disease, Weil's disease being the best-known example. So never touch droppings or dead rats with bare hands.
Rats also breed quickly. A single animal finding food in the garden soon becomes a small group digging tunnels under the patio or shed. The sooner the cause is removed, the smaller the job.
Doing it yourself: what helps and what does not
Remove whatever attracts rats. Hang bird food in a feeder or put it on a bird table where little falls to the ground, pick up fallen fruit and keep food scraps off the compost heap. Stand the wheelie bin, lid closed, on a hard surface and shut chicken or rabbit hutches at night.
Please do not buy poison to put down yourself. Loose rat poison is dangerous to children, dogs, cats and birds of prey, and a poisoned rat may die under your floor. If you are dealing with small animals and small droppings, see our page on mouse control instead. If you see rats in the street, a park or along the water, report it to the municipality, the gemeente Haarlem.
Keeping rats out in the long run
Targeted treatment only works long-term if the entry points are closed. Have broken sewer pipes repaired, fit fine mesh behind the crawl-space vents and seal gaps around pipe entries with gnaw-proof material. Compost is best kept in a closed bin standing on wire mesh, so rats cannot dig in from below.
If your garden borders a ditch or canal, keep the bank and the area behind the shed tidy, as rats like to shelter there. And should you face a different pest later on, our pest control in Haarlem service will help you further.
