Instructions
Use rat feces as a tip-off as to where to place spring traps. They also blacken walls where they crawl past. Select rat traps that are large so that the rat has neither the leverage nor the time to escape. Bait it with peanut butter and wrap it in aluminum foil to increase the difficulty of stealing the bait before the trap snaps.
Check the attic for evidence of rats. Place 10 to 20 traps along different beams, since that is where they tend to crawl.
Find the indoor holes that they get through. Plug them with steel wool, douse it with peppermint oil as a deterrent, and then plaster the hole shut.
Find the holes that they get through on the outside and repair them. Bring in a handyman for a solid fix.
Reduce access to garbage. Don't leave pet food on the floor all day. You don't want to provide an alternative source of food when you want them to eat from the baited traps.
Lay traps in crawl spaces as well. You may want to hire an exterminator to do this, if you don't handle tight spaces well.
Use Eradibait, if you want to use a bait. Eradibait causes dehydration. Because the corpse has less water than usual, it doesn't smell as much when it crawls away to die, which is the common concern with bait. The Eradibait site claims it is safe around pets and children because it exploits a differing feature of the rat's digestive system.
How to Get Rid of Rats the Old Fashioned Way
Rats can carry disease, get into food supplies and chew up walls and wiring. The old-fashioned way of getting rid of rats is with traps and blocking of access. The general strategy is to seal the house so no more can get in, and then to kill all those that are left inside. Generally, poisons are avoided in a residential setting because of the dead-rat smell and fear for pets and children. With a trap, access to the corpse for disposal is ensured.