9 ways how rat problem can be damaging

Rats in Singapore are constantly occurring at many parts of the island and almost any time of the day. In fact, rat elimination remains a challenge for various spaces and businesses, as they face difficulty on how to get rid of rats effectively.

Rentokil Pest Control shares the top 9 locations and environment that is facing rat infestation and rat control services and prevention tips they can adopt to minimise damages and impact to their business.

Part 1: 9 locations impacted by rat infestation

• Food contamination and penalty imposed in restaurants
• Potential short circuit and fire triggered in office servers
• Damaged food packaging at food processing plants
• Guests complaints and negative reviews in hotels​​​​​​​
• Operational disruptions in industrial warehouses​​​​​​​
• Fear and worries among family in residential homes​​​​​​​
• Social media crisis at retail malls with running rats
• Complexities of facility agents managing tenants’ complaints
• Public scare along external outdoor environment

Part 2: Rat profile and essential facts to know

• Understanding all about rats and their habits
• Hot spots and key risk areas among rats
• Spot the early signs of rat and mice infestation
• What causes rat infestation in these spaces
• What is the difference between rats and mice

Part 3: Challenges and home remedies we tried on rats’ removal

• Challenges and mistakes encountered towards rat eradication
• Home remedy to get rid of rats
• What smell keeps rats away

Part 4: Professional rat removal services in Singapore

• Explore the various rat control services options
• Digital monitoring and pest trend analysis
• Adopt diligent rats prevention tips at all times

Part 1: 9 locations impacted by rat infestation

Food contamination and penalty imposed in restaurants

For most food and beverage owners, one of their biggest worries and fears is to experience the presence of rats in their premises. What this means is the regulatory non-compliance implications faced including business closure, financial penalty, demerit points issuance and brand reputation loss. There have been numerous news reports for failure to comply with food safety and adequate hygiene sanitation standards among food establishment businesses.

Potential short circuit and fire triggered in office servers

Another common issue raised among commercial offices is the presence of rats running along the roof or ceiling board and even found hiding in server rooms. Because rats gnaw to wear down their incisors, the probability of chewing off electrical wires along the electrical points and server rooms is high. As a result, this action can cause potential short circuits and in worse situations, fire.

Damaged food packaging at food processing plants

Some of rat’s favourite food choices include grains, fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts. These are common ingredients found in some food production plants, particularly at the raw materials section. Without a stringent rat control in such high dependency environment in place, there is a likelihood of incidents as follows:

• Damaged food packaging upon completed production
• Contaminated end goods and compromised food safety
• Business implications such as business closure for investigation
• Monetary penalty and financial loss of business
• Regulatory-non-compliance and audit failure consequences faced
• Guests complaints and negative reviews in hotels

Food handling businesses are exposed to high risk of rats infestation.

Housekeepers would agree to the pressure faced in receiving any potential complaints and criticism relating to the hotel’s hygiene and sanitation standards, especially around pests' presence. A business highly dependent on service satisfaction and positive customer reviews, rats’ problem in hotels can result in a few challenges. Firstly, the negative star ratings on review platforms. Secondly, financial consequences due to refund. Thirdly, viral marketing on poor hotel standards. Fourthly, there is an impact on occupancy rate and future patronages. Above all, the hotel’s brand reputation would be at risks.

A rat infestation may result in brand and reputation damages for organisations.

Operational disruptions in industrial warehouses

Industrial manufacturing business entails massive and complex areas around operations, facility management, health and safety and employee productivity. To run a robust process and delivery system to achieve targeted outputs such as the completed goods, it costs detrimental if any of the process is disrupted because of a rat infestation. This includes:

• Damaged finished goods ready for shipment
• Food poisoning incidents resulting in work day loss
• Business closure or operation disruptions
• Hazardous outcome such as short circuit or fire
• Reduced productivity and production efficiency

Social media crisis at retail malls with running rats

A common social media news topic on retail malls posted by shoppers and patrons on encountering rats as they shop. Imagine a scenario where a rat may fall from the ceiling or scurrying around your legs as you walk along. These frightful incidents might easily trigger a complaint to the building in charge, or instantly covered on Facebook and Stomp. However, the challenge in malls is to deal with various factors that contributes rat presence

• False ceiling or connectors leading to outdoors
• Open concept cafes around the mall that may introduce rats in
• Pest control standards among all tenants in the mall
• Drainage, sewer and piping conditions down at the basement
• The number and type of openings around the mall

Complexities of facility agents managing tenants’ complaints

It is definitely not an easy job to resume the role managing both the suppliers and their property customers or tenants. Facility management and managing agents in fact has tonnes of facility coordination and consideration to take care. From landscaping to janitor services, to pest control and hygiene, these agents face numerous complaints and issues that range from minor enhancements to major situations such as rats activity cited in their premise.

Public scare along external outdoor environment

Where do rats hide? Rats found near sewers, garbage and waste area, drains, burrows or spaces with food, shelter and water. These are also common key risk areas at the outdoor space as you move from location to location. Rats are among various pests that are nocturnal and seen at night searching for food. For those who encounter running rats and mice along the pathway in the daytime could mean that place is experiencing a heavy infestation.

Fear and worries among family in residential homes

If you think rats is more of a business environment problem, think again. Here are some reasons and causes why homeowners are worried about facing rats’ right in their house.

• Rats are good climbers and swimmers and enter via sewer, drainage and attic or roof
• They are attracted to the waste bin found in your car pouch
• Your home has an open concept design making it vulnerable for rats entry
• Poor housekeeping and hygiene standards that attracts rats over
• Neglecting the water and moist that is one of their food source

Part 2: Rat profile and essential facts to know

Understanding all about rats and their habits

The rat species we normally will encounter includes the roof rat, brown rat and house mouse. What does a rat eat for survival? This includes cereals, nuts, grains, fruits and vegetables, they also do feed on insects and other bugs that they can find.

What diseases can you get from rats due to bacteria they picked up?

• Hantavirus: Caused by the droppings and urine we come into contact with
• Leptospirosis: Bacteria causing disease that contaminates food and water
• Salmonellosis: Infection of the intestine through contaminated food consumption
• Rat bite fever: Bacterial disease that generated from the bites and scratches from rats

Rats' favourite food.

Here are some fun facts about rats that we did not know.

• Rats have really strong teeth that is able to chew hard materials such as steel and aluminium
• Outstanding memories that able to remember and navigate the route well
• They utilise their tail for many purposes. For instance, balance and communicate activities
• Happy rats tend to grind their teeth as a form of expression
• Rats can hear very well, even if it is very high pitch sounds that we cannot bear

Hot spots and key risk areas among rats

Rats hide indoors and outdoors and are commonly found running along the walls, above the attics or lingering at the basement. They favour warm nice places to rest and live in sewers and underground. This also explains how they can enter into a building by crawling their way through the drains and sewers. As they are easily adaptable, they can make do with most conditions so long as there is food. In conclusion, do keep a lookout for the burrows in the outdoor area and along grass and soil where rat activity is present.

Rat's favourite hiding places.

Spot the early signs of rat and mice infestation

It might be too late if you see physical rats running around the area. This is especially so if you spot them in the daytime, which is not a norm, time period emerging out for their meal. Here are some additional rat infestation signs to note:

• Rat droppings
• Musty and pungent urine odor
• Presence of burrows and holes dug
• Rat’s foot prints and pathway
• Gnaw marks found on surfaces
• Scratching sounds or noises

What causes rat infestation in these spaces?

The five broad areas that cause a rat infestation includes

• Poor sanitation standards: They are unhygienic pests and lingers around dirty spaces including disposal waste matters
• Vast availability of food source: Their food palette is similar to ours which is an abundance in home, production or office
• Need for shelter and warmth: Especially when it comes to wet weather and go into hiding
• Human and environment activities: Conditions such as construction or road works may chase them to another location to nest
• Rats immunity to rodenticide: Given their smart nature, their immunity to baits and lure may be ineffective, thus not controlling infestation, resulting in high population and reproduction

What is the difference between rats and mice?

The question is if there is any difference between rats and mice. While they all belong to the same rodent family, there are some differences between the both besides size wise.

• Ears: Mouse has large ears compared to rat
• Tails: Rats’ tails are thick and hairless
• Droppings: Lesser droppings in a banana shape like by rats
• Feeding: Rats have larger appetite and feed 15 to 30 gm of food daily
• Breeding: Higher volume of up to 16 pups per litter

Besides gaining more knowledge on identifying the difference, there are more reasons why it is important to know the difference. Firstly, this will help in accurate species identification. Secondly, you can adopt the right control method. Thirdly, you will know where to target them and place traps effectively. Finally, rat and mice proofing are applied adequately.

Part 3: Challenges and home remedies we tried on rats’ removal

Challenges and mistakes encountered towards rat eradication

The fear of facing these rats is stressful enough on top of busy work schedules and home commitments. Rentokil Initial shares the pest challenges and common mistakes made towards rats.

• Inadequate housekeeping and sanitation maintenance standards
• Not disposing the trash regularly. In addition, bins are not covered
• Integrity of the home foundation and structure that causes gaps and crevices
• Absence of rat proofing that allow easy multiple entries
• Leaving clutter and piles spring cleaning only to the year end
• Compromised plumbing and water leaks that is not repaired
• Using DIY home remedies such as rat traps and baits
• Environmental and urbanisation factors that promote rat activity

Rats can hide among clutter and in cartons or boxes.

The biggest challenge of course is the nature that rats are smart creatures with amazing capabilities. Firstly, rats are amazingly agile and flexible enough to squeeze in any possible gaps you can imagine. Secondly, they are very sensitive and wary of new features introduced to them, thus deterring them away from the traps you have placed. Thirdly, they are experts in hiding that makes detection and eradication a lot more difficult. Fourthly, they are highly adaptive to the environment they are in and not easily lured. Above all, is their reproduction efficiency and volume that increases the rat population in Singapore.

Home remedy to get rid of rats

Thanks to the creative innovations on coming up with the best rat repellent and effective diy rat control methods that anyone can try home. For instance, buying traps and rat boxes around the home with lures such as peanut butter, sugar or grape jam. Beside these condiments and flavouring even we love, find out what is the other unexpected food diet that rats favour. Some believe by sprinkling baking soda helps deterring in some way. Lastly, mothballs are among one of the common DIY methods in keeping rats away. They are usually placed in a bag or sachet and hang or position at strategic spots.

What smell keeps rats away?

Here is a summary of smell or pungent that potentially drive rats away.

• Ammonia: A pungent repellent smell even humans’ dislike. Simply mix them with water and detergent and place the bowl you think rats activities are presence
• Peppermint oil: Might be a favourite diffuser scent choice among us; however, this smell tends to deter rats away.
• Citronella oil: Another scent choice that not only rats hate, but commonly used to repel mosquitoes
• Onions and garlic: Definitely, a strong and heavy odour that is not everyone’s favourite In fact, it creates that unpleasant pungent lingering in your home.
• Vinegar: Also used as a flavour enhancer, it seems not the case for rats. It is widely used to deter other common pests such as termites, cockroaches, ants and bed bugs.

Onions and garlic are frequently used to repel pests due to their pungent smell.

Part 4: Professional rat removal services in Singapore

Explore the various rat control services options

The best way to get rid of rats is by seeking professional pest control specialists. They have the expertise, technology and knowledge-know-how to detect, inspect, recommend, control and monitor in an optimal manner. Some of the rat infestation solution includes:

• Placing of glue boards below shelves, cabinets, table tops and machinery
• Setting up tamper resistant rat baiting stations along the wall and around the perimeter
• Heavy infestation rodent control stations can be strategically placed at high rodent activity
• Snap traps that are place at hard to reach spaces or false ceilings that rats climb onto
• Rat control units with sensing technology that connects to a command centre for trigger

Rat control in Singapore can be costly if not delivered adequately and correctly. Firstly, re-infestation requires repeated service and treatments to resolve the issue. Secondly, placing stations wrongly might result in inefficacy in resolving the rat problem. Thirdly, additional flush out treatment may be required in the event infestation is out of control. Above all, not forgetting the business cost and financial implication when rat activity is cited by regulatory authorities.

Digital monitoring and pest trend analysis

Traditionally, pest monitoring and inspection relies heavily on human and labour, which can result in a risk of human error and slower speed of response. In addition, conventional tracking methods can result in accuracy gaps. This is especially for premises with large volumes of rat baiting stations placed. Above all, the service reports and rat population count may be taxing.

There are innovative and digital manner of monitoring and performing pest trend analysis with digital rodent control. Besides adding sensing technology to the rat stations which triggers an alert from rat activity, all information pertaining to service reports, pest recommendation, locations with heavy infestation, safety data sheets and history is all conveniently accessible on mobile and desktop 24/7.

Introducting Rentokil's digital rodent control solution, Rat Riddance.

Adopt diligent rats prevention tips at all times

Unfortunately, there is no most effective rat control solution in the industry due to the following factors

• Not just rats, but pests in general are ongoing problem due to environment reasons
• Housekeeping and facility maintenance upkeep may be neglected
• Unless proofing is done at recommended areas, rats may still enter
• Neighbouring premise and conditions may play a factor in cross-infestation
• Habits and daily operation activities can attract rats to the premise

Hence, both business and pest control specialists have to work hand in hand as partners to keep infestation in control. Firstly, there must be proactive and regular communication between both parties. Secondly, recommended actions taken seriously to proof and minimise infestation trigger. Thirdly, business should also actively observe and spot potential infestation signs. Fourthly, ongoing monitoring and review of the pest condition to conduct actively. Above all, stringent adherence to the rat control programme to avoid lapses of treatment is essential. In conclusion, practice diligent rat prevention tips to help minimise any chances of rat reoccurrence.

Call Rentokil Singapore at 6347 8138 for an integrated digital rodent control today.