How to Make Mouse Baits

Commercial rat baits are very effective, but they also contain toxic chemicals that can be dangerous to humans and pets. Alternatively, you can make your own rat bait using ingredients you have at home, such as cornstarch, plaster, or flour. Although these ingredients are less toxic, you should still keep them out of the reach of children and pets, as this is not edible when mixed with “poison” for intruding rats.

Table of Contents

Make rat bait with plaster, cornstarch and milk

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Mix 100 g of plaster and 100 g of cornstarch in a large bowl. Mix the above ingredients in equal proportions by weight. You can buy plaster at craft or home improvement stores; and cornstarch, any food store has it. ^{[1] X Research Source}

If there’s no way to know the weight of the ingredients, just measure out 2/3 cup (about 100 g) each.
If you don’t have cornstarch, you can substitute it with flour in the same proportions. ^{[2] X Research Source}
The plaster will harden in the rat’s stomach and will eventually kill them.

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Add 1/3 cup (60 g) of sugar for added flavor. This step is optional, but the sweetness of the sugar will lure the rats to eat more. After mixing 1 part gypsum and 1 part cornstarch, mix in half the sugar. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Start with 1 cup (240 ml) of milk. Pour milk into the flour mixture. You may need more milk, but you should start with 1 cup to keep the mixture from getting too runny. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

If milk is not available, you can also use water. The milk will make the mixture taste better and attract the rats, but they will usually eat the bait because it already contains cornstarch or flour. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Use both hands to knead the dough. This mixture is not toxic to humans, so you can use it with bare hands. But if you don’t want to get your hands on your hands, you should wear gloves. ^{[6] X Research Source}

If the mixture does not stick together and the dough is still loose, add more water or milk, one tablespoon at a time.
You need to knead into a dough that can be molded into balls like clay. If the dough seems too mushy, add gypsum and cornstarch/flour in equal proportions, adding one tablespoon at a time until desired texture is achieved. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Shape the mixture into balls the size of golf balls. Break some dough and roll in your hands to form small balls. If you like, you can make it even smaller – no matter how small, the mouse will eat the bait. Place the baits where you see signs of rats (out of reach of children and pets), and check back in 1-2 days to make sure they’ve eaten. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

If the rat won’t eat, you may need to remove the bait. If the rats still don’t touch it, you may need to make a new batch.

Kevin Carrillo

Pest control specialist

Kevin Carrillo is a pest control specialist and senior project manager at MMPC, a certified minority-owned pest control and services business based in New York. MMPC is certified to a set of industry-leading standards, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and the New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC’s work has been featured on CNN, NPR and ABC News channels.

Kevin Carrillo
Pest control specialist

Clean up excess rat bait carefully. Wear gloves and a mask, and don’t let the rat bait come into contact with your skin. If using a commercial product, always read the instructions before use and clean up the poison.

Mix baking soda into rat baits

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Mix flour with baking soda and sugar. Mix flour and sugar together in a 1:1 ratio in a small bowl; Start with 2/3 cup (135 g) of sugar and 2/3 cup (85 g) of flour – this is what lures mice to eat baking soda. Add 1 part baking soda to the mixture and mix well. ^{[9] X Research Source}

You can also simply mix together the sugar and baking soda.
Cornmeal can be used in place of flour, and hot chocolate can be used in place of sugar.
For a homogeneous mixture, put it in a blender to mix it more evenly.
Another option is to mix 1 part baking soda with 2 parts peanut butter.

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Pour the mixture into small bowls or lids. It’s best to choose disposable bowls or food container lids for this; you should not reuse these boxes after the rats have rummaged around! Pour a little of the mixture into each bowl. ^{[10] X Research Source}

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Place the rat bait bowls where you have seen the mice. For example, if you notice rats loitering near a kitchen or shed, place them along their path. If you see places where rats dig, place bowls of rat bait nearby for them to nibble on. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Pay attention to rat droppings (small, elongated pellets), as there’s a chance rats will hang out nearby.
A mixture of baking soda and acid will enter the rat’s stomach and cause carbon dioxide to build up, eventually killing the rat.

Use instant mashed potatoes

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Place bowls of instant mashed potatoes in the mouse’s path. Use shallow bowls or disposable lids, remembering to use containers that you don’t mind throwing away. Put some instant potato flour in a bowl, then place it in places where you see evidence of the presence of rats, remembering to put it right in their path. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Make sure to put at least ½ cup (50 g) of potatoes in each bowl for the rats to eat comfortably.

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Make sure the rat can access the water source. For this to work, the rat must drink water after eating the potato powder. Rats are usually very good at finding water on their own, but you can also place small bowls of water near the bowl of cornmeal. ^{[13] X Research Source}

The rats will be attracted to the food and will come to eat the cornmeal. After drinking water, they will die from abdominal distension.

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Notice if the rats eat the potato flour. You should check at least once a day. If you find the bowl of potatoes intact, you may have to move the bowls of bait elsewhere.

You can try adding 1-2 teaspoons of sugar to the mixture to make the food more appealing.

Try repellents

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Spray peppermint oil around. Mix 15-20 drops of peppermint oil or peppermint extract in 1 cup (240 ml) of water in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on the areas where you want to repel mice, as rats don’t like the smell. ^{[14] X Research Source}

You will have to spray again from time to time; Try to do this at least once a week.
Peppermint also works to repel spiders.
Another way is to dip a cotton ball in peppermint oil and place it in a place where you’ve seen rats.

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Scatter bay leaves around the house. Rats don’t like the smell of bay leaves, and if they chew on them, the toxins in the leaves are enough to kill them. Spread dried bay leaves around the house, and you can even use fresh leaves if you can. ^{[15] X Research Source}

However, you should also be aware that bay leaves can also cause stomach problems in pets such as dogs and cats. ^{[16] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

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Spray castor oil in continuous lines to repel mice. Rats often stay away from castor oil because they don’t like the smell of it. This is similar to the effect of lemongrass on mosquitoes. Try spraying castor oil in continuous lines where you don’t want rats to go to form a barrier. ^{[17] X Research Source}

You may have to reapply castor oil when it rains if it’s outdoors.

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Spray ammonia or glass cleaner nearby. Rats don’t like the smell of ammonia. Mix 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of ammonia with 1 quart of water and spray on areas where you’ve seen rats. You can also use a glass cleaner that contains ammonia. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

Never mix ammonia with bleach, as the mixture will create toxic gases.

Advice

Put some peanut butter on the rat bait to attract the rats faster. ^{[19] X Research Source}

Warning

Remember to find and dispose of dead rats; Decomposing animal carcasses can cause a house to stink for months, and it’s also potentially dangerous. ^{[20] X Research Source}
Do not place rat baits where children or pets can reach them. Although less toxic than harsh chemicals, homemade rat bait can still be dangerous. ^{[21] X Research Source}

Things you need

Make rat bait with plaster, cornstarch and milk

Plaster
Cornmeal or flour
Road
Water or milk
Bowl

Mix baking soda into rat baits

Baking soda
Road
Flour
Bowl
Disposable bowl or lid

Use instant mashed potatoes

Instant Mashed Potato Flour
Bowl

Try using rat repellents

Peppermint Oil
Laurel leaves
Castor oil
Ammonia or glass cleaner
Aerosol
Cotton

Steps

Make rat bait with plaster, cornstarch and milk

Mix baking soda into rat baits

Use instant mashed potatoes

Try repellents

Advice

Warning

Things you need

Make rat bait with plaster, cornstarch and milk

Mix baking soda into rat baits

Use instant mashed potatoes

Try using rat repellents

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