After exclusion, I sprayed some foam sealant in cracks I couldn’t reach easily, then layered steel wool over it. That combo held up well against gnawing.
Use a UV flashlight or blacklight, droppings and urine glow under UV. Helps you find where to place traps or bait.
Once I caught a few, I cleaned up all their nesting debris, paper, insulation fluff, etc. Removing that hides their scent and discourages reinfestation.
@NoiselessNina Good point. Traps alone aren’t enough. Combine sealing, trapping, and upkeep checks for a few weeks. That’s how you win.
I treat the attic first, then move to walls, floors, and lower levels of the house. Rats like to shift downwards if attic gets active. Be methodical.
One thing worth adding for attic situations:
not all snap traps perform the same with larger rats.
Standard mouse-sized traps often fail in attics because rats can partially trigger them or pull bait without being caught—especially when traps aren’t stable on insulation or beams.
In these cases, many professionals recommend heavy-duty mechanical traps designed for larger rodents and repeated use.
Traps like the Thanos MK47 are built to stay stable, deliver consistent force, and handle attic conditions better than lightweight models.
Placement along walls, rafters, or known runways makes a huge difference.
If pets or wildlife are a concern, mechanical traps are generally safer than poison in attic spaces.
Poison often leads to secondary risks—dead rodents inside walls, odor issues, or exposure to non-target animals.
Mechanical traps avoid those issues and give immediate feedback, which is why many homeowners and pros prefer them indoors.