Hey educators and facility managers,
Our middle school faced a crisis when rats chewed through science lab wiring and nested in the cafeteria storage. Health inspectors threatened closure, and parents panicked. We’ve tried “kid-friendly” solutions, but these rodents are smarter than our fifth graders!
Failed attempts:
Locked electronic traps mounted 6ft high on walls. Requires staff keycode to open. Caught 14 rats in a week, students think they’s pencil sharpeners!
@FacilityPro Built 3D-printed maze traps with my robotics club. Rats enter for cheese, doors lock via Arduino. Kids learn coding, we get pest control. Just don’t tell the fire marshal about the wiring…
Copper mesh + mortar foam for gaps. Passes historic preservation rules but blocks rats. Cost 2k vs. 50k in chewed HVAC repairs.
Installed stainless steel kick plates on all exterior doors. Rats can’t gnore through, and it stops kids from scuffing the paint. Double win!
Gamma-irradiated peppermint sachets in food storage. Kills bacteria, repels rats, and masks the mystery meat smell. FDA-approved and PTA-approved!
Ultrasonic plates under cafeteria tables. Emits 35kHz pulses during lunch, rats flee, kids just hear “annoying buzzing.” Blame it on the faulty speakers!
Turned rat spotting into a science unit on ecosystems. Kids earn badges for reporting droppings. Infestation reports tripled… but so did STEM engagement!
QR code stickers near vents, scan to report rodent signs. Janitors get alerts, admin gets deniability. Our superintendent still thinks QR stands for ‘Quick Rodent’…
Classify rats as “visiting lab animals” in incident reports. State waived fines when we claimed they were part of a “biology enrichment program.
Leaked a fake “rat mascot” rumor to distract parents. Now they’re selling T-shirts instead of suing. Crisis averted!