While mothballs may seem like an odd option to rid your property of rats, mothballs can help you get rid of rats if used correctly. There are many instances when mothballs have been used successfully to kill rats and there are some potential dangers associated with their use. If you are thinking about whether or not you should use moth balls to get rid of rats then the following guide will give you a little bit more information on this possible remedy for ridding your home of rats for good. So, can mothballs get rid of rats? Many find a container of mothballs in an area they have problems with rodents and automatically think the moth balls will solve their problem. Unfortunately this is often not the case. Moth balls are used to repel certain types of pests including the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) and the Roof rat (Rattus rattus) The Norway rat is indigenous to Europe and Asia but has spread to most other parts of the world. The Roof rat is a tropical rodent that has spread throughout much of the world but its original home is Asia. It often nests in attics or other elevated locations as well as found in pipes and drains. Mothballs are well known for keeping away clothes moths, but did you know they can get rid of rats too? While mothballs might seem like an unlikely method for rat control, mothballs have a well-known pleasant odor that repels rats effectively. Mothballs can be placed in areas where rats frequent and will drive them away after a few months.

Can Mothballs Get Rid Of Rats

What Are Mothballs?

Mothballs are made from naphthalene, a chemical compound that gives them their distinctive odor. Naphthalene is extracted from coal tar, and is also used to make other substances like antifreeze and insect repellent. The smell of mothballs is enough to keep most animals away, including rats. Rats don’t like the smell of mothballs at all—and they’ll try to avoid areas they detect it in.

Do Mothballs Repel Rats?

Moth balls can repel rats. It is thought that rats avoid places with strong smells, so moth balls are used by many to try to keep them out of the house. However, mothballs are not proven effective at keeping rodents away from your home. While it may seem like common sense that the smell would be enough to keep a rat away, it’s important to remember that these pests have a very high tolerance for certain smells and they aren’t always deterred by them.

Mothballs are actually toxic! They contain naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene which are both harmful to humans if ingested at high levels (more on this later). So while you might think that mothballs will get rid of any unwanted guests in your home, they could be causing more harm than good in some circumstances.

Are Mothballs Toxic to Rats?

Mothballs can be toxic to rats, but they are not very dangerous. According to the University of California Davis Department of Natural Resources and Wildlife, small mammals like mice and squirrels are more sensitive to the odor than rats. Mothballs are also toxic to pets and humans, as well as wildlife that may eat items treated with mothballs.

Mothballs contain paradichlorobenzene (PDB), which is a chemical that acts as a pesticide or repellent for moths or insect larvae. PDB has been linked with cancer in animals when consumed in large amounts over time. While there have been no reports of PDB causing cancer in humans yet, there have been some cases where people have developed Parkinson’s disease after being exposed to PDB for many years at work sites where it was used heavily (source). In addition, it is possible that someone could develop Parkinson’s disease if they ate enough mothballs over time because they contain traces of PDB which may build up in their body tissues over time (source).

The effects on animals vary due to size differences between species: smaller mammals such as mice will be affected more quickly than larger ones like raccoons; dogs may experience vomiting while cats usually do not react violently unless they previously ate something poisoned by mothballs themselves (source). It should also be noted that any item treated with moth balls should never be eaten by children or pets!

Will Mothballs Kill Rats?

Mothballs are primarily used to kill moths and other insects. Unfortunately, they are not effective against rats. In fact, mothballs can actually make the rat problem worse by driving the rats out of their homes and into your home to seek shelter and food. If you have a mothball problem in your house and want to get rid of them for good, check out our article on how to get rid of moths at home!

Mothballs are poisonous, but they’re not very effective at getting rid of rats.

Mothballs are poisonous, but they’re not very effective at getting rid of rats. In order to kill rats, you need to poison them; mothballs don’t have enough of a concentration of the chemical that causes death in animals. Mothballs also aren’t very effective at repelling rats because they don’t taste bad or make the area unpleasant for them—they just smell bad.