Placing Rat Traps to Best Get Rid of Rats

Ideally, rat traps should be placed along walls or pipes leading to active rat holes, near rat droppings, gnawing marks or other signs of damage, along rafters or in dark corners. Placing an empty box a few inches from a wall will create a rat "runway" from the hole to the traps.

Place single traps with the baited trigger facing the wall. Nail the rat traps in place on wooden studs or rafters if they are being upset without any rats being caught. Two traps can be placed side-by-side with triggers facing outward to increase the success rate. If rats appear to be travelling along pipes, U-shaped pipe clamps can be used to affix the rat trap to larger diameter pipes, while eye hooks and rubber bands can secure the rat trap on a smaller diameter pipe.

If rat traps are required in living spaces where children or pets reside, the rat traps should be covered.