Pest experts reveal the household product that will keep rats away from your home — and you probably already have it in your cupboard

Spring is the start of breeding season for many rats so unfortunately you may see a few more of these critters springing up around your home - but pest experts have revealed vinegar is an effective solution for deterring rats from your property.

The thought of rats getting into your home is enough to make anyone cringe, but often they are an avoidable part of life - which is why you’ll want to know how to get rid of rats.

One thing rats hate is the smell of vinegar. At Ideal Home, we already recommend cleaning with white vinegar, but you'll need to use it a little differently to keep rats out of your home.

How to get rid of rats with vinegar?

You can use vinegar to keep rats away from your home in two ways. The first way is by soaking cotton wall balls (£3.21 at Amazon) in white vinegar (£5.95 at Amazon), and the second way is by spraying a solution of vinegar and water at entry points.

Vinegar: ‘has the potential to disrupt rats’ scent trails, which they rely on to navigate around, making it harder for them to find food or shelter,’ explains Daniel Baldwin, Board Certified Entomologist at Hawx Pest Control.

Daniel explains that if you use the cotton wool ball method, you should place them in areas where rats have been spotted or where there is evidence of them being there. However, he warns that the smell can fade quickly, so you should regularly swap them out for freshly soaked balls.

Meanwhile, ‘you can use old rags soaked in pickled onion vinegar. While it sounds silly, the overpowering acidity of the vinegar in the pickled onion disrupts the rat's ability to detect scents, which makes your home and garden a no-go zone,’ explains Elizabeth Adams, a spokesperson for Urban Locker.

Elizabeth explains that pickled onion vinegar is a great vinegar to choose as rats really can’t stand the pungent smell. If you want to use vinegar as a spray (pickled onion or otherwise), it’s recommended you dilute it with water. Mix 10 to 15 drops of vinegar in a spray bottle with water and spray around entry points such as doorways, garages and your bins.

Is vinegar a good deterrent?

‘Vinegar, along with other natural deterrents, may temporarily deter rats and other pests from entering your home, but it is unlikely to eliminate an existing infestation,’ says Daniel.

‘A better solution is to look for any potential entry points around the home, such as cracks and holes in your interior and exterior walls to prevent rats and other pests from entering.’

If you are dealing with an ongoing infestation, it’s worth consulting with a pest control expert who is professionally trained to remove rat infestations. Rat poison is also available to buy, however, if you’re looking for more humane options, the vinegar hack is great for preventing these pests in the first place.

Humane rat deterrents

Rats and mice rely on their sense of smell, which is why using scents they can’t stand is an easy way to deter them. Will you be giving it a try?