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How to Make Homemade Rat Poison
From Household Ingredients Co-authored by:
Kevin Carrillo
Kill rats quickly with this natural DIY Download Article Pest Control Specialist

Co-authored by Kevin Carrillo and Carmine Shannon

METHODS Co-authors: Updated: Views:
Last Updated: August 22, 2023 References Approved 31 August 22, 1,521,771
1 Plaster of Paris, Cornmeal, and Milk
2023
Commercial rat poisons contain toxic chemicals that Poison
could pose a risk to the people and pets in your 2 Baking Soda Poison

home. As an alternative, you can make your own, 3 Instant Mashed Potatoes Poison 100% of readers found this article helpful.
+ Show 2 more...
less toxic, rat poisons from common household 1 votes - 100%
OTHER SECTIONS
items, like cornmeal, plaster of Paris, or flour. Click a star to add your vote
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Although these are less toxic, you should still keep Related Articles
them out of reach and kids and pets when possible, References
Marjorie Hague
as they shouldn't be ingested once mixed into Article Summary
Aug 7, 2017
poison. Keep reading to learn four natural methods
"Our community has been overrun with mice
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Method
1 Plaster of Paris, Cornmeal, and Milk Poison Download Article

1 Mix 1⁄4 lb (110 g) of plaster of Paris and 1⁄4 lb (110 g) cornmeal in a large bowl.
Weigh out equal parts of your ingredients and combine them in a bowl. Most craft and
home improvement stores sell plaster of Paris and you can pick up cornmeal at any grocery
store.
If you don't have a way to weigh it, just make a 1 to 1 ratio by using a cup or mug.[1]
If you don't have cornmeal, use flour in the same proportions instead.
The plaster of Paris hardens in the rats' stomach, eventually killing them.

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2 Add 1/3 cup (55 g) of sugar to make it more enticing. This step is optional, but the
sweetness of the sugar will encourage the rats to eat more of the mixture.[2] After
adding equal parts of plaster and cornmeal, add half a part of sugar.

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3 Pour in 1 cup (240 mL) of milk. Pour the milk into the powdered mixture to form a
dough.[3] You may need more milk as you go along, but start with this much so the
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mixture doesn’t get too wet, which will cause it not to work.
If you don't have milk on hand, use water. The milk gives it more flavor to draw in
the rats, but they’ll still be attracted to the cornmeal or flour alone.
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4 Knead the mixture together with your hands. This recipe isn't toxic to humans, but
plaster of Paris can sometimes cause skin irritation, so use gloves.[4] If the mixture
isn't sticking together or you still see loose powder, add more water or milk, a spoonful at a
time.
You’re looking for a dough the consistency of clay. If it seems too liquidy, add more
plaster and cornmeal/flour in equal parts, only adding a spoonful at a time until you
get the right texture.

5 Roll the mixture into different sized balls. Pinch off parts of the dough and roll
them between your hands to form balls. Make them small, medium, and large.[5]
Place the balls where you see evidence of rats (out of reach of children and pets), and
check back in a day or 2 to make sure they're eating the balls.
Rats have different food preferences, so the different sized balls will help cast a
wider net and get more rats to eat the poison.
If the balls aren’t getting eaten, you may need to move them. If the rats still aren't
interested, you may need to make a new set.
Once the rats start to die, remove their droppings and other litter to keep more from
coming back. Rats are attracted to the scent of other rats, so use disinfectant to get
rid of their smell, too.

A D V E RT I S E M E N T

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1 Mix together flour, baking soda, and sugar. Mix equal parts flour and sugar
together in a small bowl; start with 2/3 cup (135 g) of sugar and 2/3 cup (85 g) of flour.
This is what attracts the rats to the baking soda. Add another equal part of baking soda to
the mixture and stir it together.[6]
You can substitute cornmeal for the flour or hot chocolate mix for the sugar.
Pulse the mixture in a blender to make it more homogeneous.
Another option is to mix 1 part baking soda with 2 parts peanut butter.

2 Place the mixture into small bowls or lids. For the best results, use disposable
bowls or reuse food container lids; you don't want to use the containers again after a
rat has been digging around in them! Dump some of the mixture in each bowl.[7]

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3 Put the containers in areas where you've seen the rats. For instance, if you've
noticed rats near the stove or in your shed, set the bowls along the walls in those
areas. If you see places where they've dug, put a bowl nearby for the rats to snack on.[8]
Watch out for rat droppings (small, oblong feces); they’re a great indicator that
there’s a rat nearby.
The baking soda mixes with the acid in the rats' stomachs and causes a buildup of
carbon dioxide, eventually killing them.

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1 Place bowls of instant mashed potatoes in the rats' path. Pour instant potato
flakes into containers you won’t mind throwing away. Set them down where you've
seen evidence of rats so the potato flakes are right in their paths.[9]
Use shallow bowls or disposable food lids.
Put at least 1/2 cup (50 g) in each bowl so the rats can really chow down.

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2 Put bowls of water near the poison. For this method to work, the rats need to drink
water after consuming the potato flakes. They're typically pretty good at finding it on
their own, but set out small bowls of water near the potato flakes just to ensure they have
something to drink.[10]
Rats are drawn to the food, so they'll come to eat the dried flakes. Then, when they
drink water, the subsequent bloating will eventually cause their deaths.

3 Check the bowls once a day to make sure the flakes are being eaten. If they're
not being eaten, you may need to move the bowls elsewhere or add 1-2 spoonfuls of
sugar to the mix to make the food more enticing.

Method
4 Bleach Poison Download Article

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1 Combine bleach and peanut butter in a bowl. Put 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of bleach
and 2 tbsp (32 g) of peanut butter in a bowl and mix well.[11] Make sure the liquid is
fully incorporated with the peanut butter. Bad Transmission Supercharging
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Use a ceramic, glass, or plastic bowl for this method. Metal bowls react when they to Look For + Do It and How It
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come in contact with bleach.

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2 Place the poison in the path of the rats. Put the peanut butter mixture into small,
disposable containers, like takeout container lids. Look out for rat droppings to
determine where they’re coming from, then put the poison in their paths.

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3 Check the containers once a day. Check the bowls to see if the poison is being
eaten, and refill them when they get low.

Method
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1 Spray peppermint oil where rats are getting into your home. Add 15-20 drops of
peppermint oil or peppermint extract to 1 cup (240 mL) of water and put it in a spray
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bottle. Rats don’t like the smell, so spritz it in the areas where you want to repel them.[12] Do Tricks Become a Pilot

Spray the area again from time to time—at least once a week.
Peppermint may also deter spiders.
Alternatively, dip cotton balls in peppermint oil and place them in the areas where
you've seen rats.

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2 Place bay leaves around your home. Rats dislike the smell of bay leaves, plus, if
they chew on them it could be toxic enough to kill them. Sprinkle the whole, dried
leaves around or use fresh leaves if you grow your own bay plant.[13]
Keep in mind that this can also cause stomach issues in other pets, such as cats
and dogs.[14]

3 Drizzle castor oil in continuous lines to help repel rats. Castor oil tends to keep
rats away, as they don't like the smell. It's similar to how citronella works on
mosquitos. Make continuous lines of the oil where you don't want the rats to go to form a
scent barrier.[15]
If you’re using castor oil outside, remake the lines after it rains.

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4 Spritz ammonia or glass cleaner nearby. Rats aren't fond of the scent of ammonia.
Mix 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of ammonia in 4 cups (0.95 L) of water and spray it in the
areas you've seen rats. Alternatively, use a glass cleaner that has ammonia in it.[16]
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5 Consider “hiring” a cat. Some areas have “working cats” programs through humane
societies which rent out rodent-hunting stray cats to rat infested homes.[17] Not every
cat hunts rodents, but you can contact your local shelter to see if they have any that do.

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 How to Make Rat Poison
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Watch on

Tips

Add a dab of peanut butter on top of the poison to attract the rats more quickly.[18]

A D V E RT I S E M E N T

Warnings

Make sure to look for and dispose of the dead rats; a decomposing animal carcass can stink
up the house for months, and it's potentially hazardous, too.[19]

Do not place rat poison where pets or children can get to it. Even though homemade rat
poison is less toxic than those made of strong chemicals, it can still be dangerous.[20]

Wear gloves and a mask when cleaning up leftover rat poison, and don't let the poison come
into contact with your skin.[21]

Things You'll Need

Plaster of Paris, Cornmeal, and Milk Poison

Plaster of Paris Watch Articles

Cornmeal or flour

Sugar

Water or milk
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Baking Soda Poison

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Natural Repellents
Peppermint oil

Bay leaves

Castor oil

Ammonia or glass cleaner

Spray bottle

Cotton balls

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How to How to Naturally Remove and Prevent

Get Rid of Mice Fast Mice

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References

1. ↑ https://youtu.be/BB9gDMFAqWs?t=396
2. ↑ https://youtu.be/BB9gDMFAqWs?t=390
3. ↑ https://youtu.be/BB9gDMFAqWs?t=399
4. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0518.html
5. ↑ https://youtu.be/BB9gDMFAqWs?t=403
6. ↑ https://youtu.be/BB9gDMFAqWs?t=471
7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZJoXsw4vKA&feature=youtu.be&t=125
8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZJoXsw4vKA&feature=youtu.be&t=135
9. ↑ https://www.pests.org/get-rid-of-rats/

More References (12)

About This Article

Co-authored by:
Kevin Carrillo
Pest Control Specialist

This article was co-authored by Kevin Carrillo and by wikiHow staff writer, Carmine Shannon.
Kevin Carrillo is a Pest Control Specialist and the Senior Project Manager for MMPC, a pest
control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) based in the New York
City area. MMPC is certified by the industry’s leading codes and practices, including the
National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York
Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and
ABC News. This article has been viewed 1,521,771 times.

Co-authors: 31
1 votes - 100% Updated: August 22, 2023
Views: 1,521,771

Categories: Rodent Control

In other languages:

Español: hacer veneno para ratas ไทย: ทำยาเบื่อหนู

Deutsch: Rattengift herstellen 中文: 自制鼠药
Português: Fazer Veneno Para Rato Tiếng Việt: Làm bả chuột
Italiano: Fare del Veleno per Topi Nederlands: Rattengif maken
Bahasa Indonesia: Membuat Racun Tikus 日本語: 殺鼠剤を作る
Français: fabriquer de la mort aux rats Türkçe: Fare Zehri Nasıl Yapılır
‫صنع سم فئران‬:‫العربية‬ हिन्दी: चूहे मारने की दवा बनाएं (Make Rat Poison)
한국어: 쥐약 만드는 방법

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