There’s a good chance that you know someone who’s stored possessions damaged by rodents. Perhaps you’ve also seen rats infest your storage space. Rats are shrewd destructive pests that are difficult to control. If you’re considering renting a storage facility over the next months or weeks Rat protection should be among your top concerns when you choose and organize your storage unit. Here are five methods to protect your storage space from becoming a home for rats.

Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Aro... Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Around

1. SELECT A WELL-MAINTAINED, WELL-SEALED FACILITY

Don’t sign up to lease storage space before you’ve visited this facility firsthand. There are storage facilities that have rusted-out doors and old buildings that are rickety; however, you can be sure that a trustworthy storage facility won’t look like this. A clean storage facility should be clean and well maintained. The floors must be swept clear, doors are free of rust and the ceilings kept dry and dry. This shows that the owner of the facility is concerned with cleanliness. This keeps rats and pests away. If you are looking at a storage unit it is important to be sure that there aren’t openings in your walls that lead to the outside or adjacent storage units. Small rodents can squeeze through holes that are the size of one quarter, and so small holes can permit rats that live outside of a storage unit to access your storage space.

2. Shouldn’t Eat In Storage Unit

Moving a storage space is a huge undertaking and you’ll definitely want some refreshments while you’re packing. If you require to take a break for snacking, ensure that you go outside of the storage area to eat your food and drinks. A few crumbs left from an old roll or a forgotten soda bottle with a sugary residue at the bottom can lure rats.

3. Food Shouldn’t Be Left in Storage unit

Even in the well-maintained storage facilities, rodent control is a cooperative effort between the property owners and the people who lease storage units. If tenants begin placing food items in their storage units, there’s just so much the facility’s managers can accomplish to discourage rats. Even a well-sealed container of cat food or cereal can attract rats if they are within the area.

4. CLEAN YOUR APPLIANCES

If you’re storing an oven or refrigerator, toaster, or any other appliance that is related to food be sure to thoroughly clean it prior to placing it into storage. Food residue that sticks to the fridge’s bottom or even a handful of crumbs in the crumb traps of a toaster could lure rats. Once they’ve entered the storage area they could begin causing more severe harm as they tear off clothes and chew cords to create nests.

5. USE PEPPERMINT-SCENTED SACHETS

The strategies discussed above will repel rats in most instances, however, if you need a bit more protection You can also grab some peppermint-scented capsules and scatter them around your storage space. Put a few drops of peppermint oil onto some pine cones and wrap the pinecones with the mesh or a thin piece of cloth. Rats are known to be averse to the smell of peppermint therefore a few peppermint sachets scattered on your unit can deter them from lingering if they manage to get into the storage space.

To prevent rats from entering the owners of storage facilities and those who lease storage units must collaborate. If you’re in search of an uncluttered, climate-controlled space to store your belongings call Cardinal Self-Storage. We are committed to controlling pests and our staff appreciates the new state of our facilities.