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How to Get Rid of Rats Under Your Decking

  • M. John
  • June 25, 2021

The space under your composite decking can serve as a perfect place for rats to hide.  They can even make their homes under the composite decking. It can be very disturbing to have rats living beneath your decking. Rats are unwelcome visitors, and you need to get rid of them. This article will also discuss how to know if there are rats under your wood or composite decking? and how to get rid of rats under your decking.

How to Know If You Have Rats Under Your Decking

Rats are often more active at night than during the daytime. You will know if rats are under your decking through their droppings, rub marks, and holes.

Droppings

Rat droppings are dark brown and resemble a large grain of rice. You can find the droppings concentrated in a particular spot under your decking.

Rub Marks

Rats often brush their bodies against surfaces. The grease and dirt on their bodies can leave dark marks on your decking.

Rat Holes

Check for holes around your decking. Rats dig holes about 6 to 9cm wide next to a structure or solid object, you will see loose dirt around the hole’s where the rats have kicked out the soil. They use the holes as shelter and also for storing food.

Ways to Get Rid of Rats Under  Your Decking

Remove Leftover Food

If you suspect rat infestation under your decking, you should remove any leftover foods around the decking area. Rats are attracted to leftover food in their surroundings. They need food to survive. Food scraps can fall between the spaces of your decking; clean up fallen food on your decking after eating. If you remove all traces of leftover food around your decking, the rats won’t have anything to feed on.

Remove Water Sources

Apart from food, rats also need water to survive. They can’t stay in an area without access to water. To get rid of rats under your wood or composite decking, remove any water source in your garden. If you have a dripping tap in your garden, stop the tap from dripping water onto the floor. You can also attach baffles to drain pipes.

Keep The Garden Clean

Rats are attracted to shaded or covered areas, which include your decking. Keep your garden tidy to get rid of rats under your composite decking. A dirty environment can attract rats more than a clean area. While rats are less likely to seek shelter in a tidy environment, keep your garden clean by cutting any bushes around it. Keep the decking area clean by removing unwanted materials close to the decking. Apart from that, always trim your lawn to reduce overgrown areas. When the surroundings are clean and tidy, it will keep rats away.

Move Things Around

Another way you can get rid of rats is by moving things around the decking area. Rats are always scared of new things in the territory. They don’t like any form of disruption to their territory. To keep the rats away, ensure you place obstacles in their territory and frequently move things around the decking.

Block Access to Decking

Rats like to hibernate in dark or shaded areas that are hard to reach. Underneath your decking can be an ideal spot for rats to seek shelter. To keep rats from beneath your decking as shelter, block all access to the decking. You can run a mesh or chicken wire along the decking edges between the decking and the ground. It will keep rats getting under your decking. If you are concerned about the mesh distorting the appearance of your decking, arrange potted flowers around your decking to mask the mesh.

Remove Bins

You can get rid of rats from your decking by removing any bins close to it. A bin and compost bin can attract rats to the area. The rats can feed on food scraps inside the bin. Remove the bin away from the decking area to keep rats away. Additionally, just block access to the compost bin. It will prevent the rats from feeding on it.

Get a Pet

Pets like cats and dogs can scare rats away; this will surely keep the rats away from your decking.

Use Carpets and Rugs

Make the decking uninhabitable for rats. Avoid any food or liquids spilling under your decking. If you plan to use your decking for BBQs or family get-togethers, you can put outdoor rugs and carpets on your decking floor. Make sure to get the right ones that won’t damage your decking.

Regular Maintenance

Clean your decking regularly. It may not be an easy task, but it will save you so much more effort and money than dealing with a rat problem. Wipe away any food, liquids, and other debris on your decking as soon as possible. Set a regular schedule to clean under your decking.

Cover the Ground

Since many rats burrow underground, it can also be helpful to place landscaping fabric and gravel on your decking’s foundation. It will prevent rats from digging underground, but it can also avoid plant growth, which may make the place more habitable to creatures such as rats.

Conclusion

You can get rid of rats under your decking by removing any leftover food and water source around your decking. Additionally, you can also use a pet to get rid of rats under your decking.

Also read: How to Get Rid of Bees Nest Under Deckings.

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