Rats Hate This—Put One Spoon in Their Hole and They’ll Leave

Dealing with rats nesting in or around the home.

Rats Hate This—Put One Spoon in Their Hole and They’ll Leave

To deter rats effectively, one method often discussed involves using a mixture of baking soda and sugar. Rats are attracted to the sweet taste of sugar, while the baking soda is intended to react with stomach acids after they eat it. Mixing equal parts baking soda and sugar and placing a small amount near active rat holes or travel paths can be a practical, low-cost option for people dealing with mild rat activity.

A simple mix would be 1 tablespoon of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of sugar, which is about 12 to 15 grams of each ingredient depending on how tightly it is packed. Use a 1:1 ratio by volume, not 3 parts sugar to 1 part baking soda. Stir it for 30 to 60 seconds so the baking soda is evenly blended and the rats cannot easily pick out only the sugar. If you are placing it near a burrow, use about 1 spoonful at a time, roughly 1 tablespoon, rather than dumping a large pile. Put it within 6 to 12 inches of the entrance of the hole, along walls, behind sheds, near trash areas, or wherever you see droppings, gnaw marks, greasy rub marks, or repeated digging. Rats usually travel along edges rather than across open spaces, so placement matters more than quantity.

For outdoor use, keep the mixture dry. Rain, sprinklers, or damp soil can ruin it quickly, sometimes in less than 1 day. If the area is exposed, place the mixture in a shallow container, bottle cap, small jar lid, or a piece of cardboard tucked under a covered spot. For example, if the rat hole is beside a fence, place the spoonful just under a board, step, or sheltered corner near the entrance. Indoors, place it behind appliances, under cabinets, in garages, or near basement walls only if pets and children cannot reach it. If you pre-mix a small batch, store it in a sealed jar or bag in a dry cabinet for up to 30 days, away from moisture and food.

Safety is important. Even though baking soda and sugar are common household items, you should still treat the mixture like a pest-control bait. Do not place it where dogs, cats, chickens, wildlife, or children may eat it. Avoid using it in kitchens where it can spill into food-prep areas. If you have pets, use tamper-resistant bait stations or skip this method and choose traps instead. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds after handling anything placed near rat holes, because rat areas may be contaminated with urine, feces, and bacteria.

This method is discreet and inexpensive, as baking soda often costs around $1 to $2 per pound and sugar is similarly affordable. One pound of baking soda can make many small placements, since 1 tablespoon is only about 12 grams. It is best for small, early signs of activity rather than a serious infestation. If you are seeing rats during the day, hearing scratching in several walls, finding fresh droppings every morning, or noticing 2 or more burrows around the property, the problem is likely bigger than one bait mixture can handle. In that case, professional pest control, exclusion work, and sanitation will be more reliable.

Monitor the area daily. If the mixture disappears, replace it with another 1-tablespoon spoonful and look for changes in activity over the next 2 to 3 days. If it is untouched after 2 or 3 nights, move it closer to the suspected travel route, ideally along a wall or edge. A common beginner mistake is placing bait in the middle of an open room or yard, where rats feel exposed and avoid it. Another mistake is using too much sugar compared with baking soda, which may make the mix less useful. Stick to equal parts and mix thoroughly.

Also do not rely on the mixture alone. Rats usually come because they have food, water, and shelter nearby.

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