Hantavirus alert: Simple ways to smartly keep rats out of your house

​Summer's here, and with it comes those sneaky rats invading homes, instantly making cozy spaces- nightmares.

Spotting a rat can send people into panic mode, running, jumping everywhere. Their unsettling shadows at night, chewed packets in the kitchen, and that nagging worry about diseases like leptospirosis or hantavirus keep everyone on guard with an urge to chuck them out of the house, especially after hearing about the recent hantavirus outbreak, one on that luxury cruise off West Africa.

A hantavirus outbreak happened on a luxury cruise ship has everyone worried, as three passengers died, and others got sick. This virus lives in rats and mice without hurting them, but it can make people really sick. You catch it from their pee, poop, or spit. It usually gets into the air when rodent waste is disturbed, like sweeping old droppings. Breathing that dusty air is the main way it affects the people.

Rats carry it, and humans pick it up by touching or inhaling their waste.

Human-to-human spread is rare, but only the Andes type from South America can do so through super close contact.

Rats sneak into houses seeking three basics: food, warmth, and safety. In the summer, they ditch the outdoors for kitchens with leftover rice, fruits, or pet food. They chew anything, be it grains, plastic, or paper.

They are less seen in winter cold or rainy monsoons as they mostly remain inside. Homes offer dark corners like basements for nesting and breeding. Garbage piles and tall grass nearby act like magnets. Once comfy, they multiply fast, ignoring your efforts to shoo them.

Stop rats at the door by sealing tiny gaps, even if it is a dime-sized hole, which is enough for them. Check walls, doors, windows, pipes; fill with steel wool, mesh, or cement. Add door sweeps and window screens. Keep garage doors shut tight. Trim balcony grass and cover compost bins. Clear yard clutter like fallen fruits. These steps cut off their highways, making your home uninviting.

Rats love food smells, so store grains and snacks in airtight jars. Wash dishes nightly, keep the lids on trash cans tight. Declutter basements, store rooms; swap cardboard boxes for plastic bins they can't chew. Weekly cleaning scares them off. Keep counters bare, no open fruits. A spotless home smells wrong to rats, sending them packing elsewhere.

Skip the poisons and grab stuff from your kitchen to fight rats naturally. Soak cotton balls in peppermint oil and tuck them near doors or entry points—rats can't stand that sharp minty whiff. Drop whole garlic cloves or smear garlic paste in dark corners where they hide. Mix red chili powder with water, spray it under furniture and along walls to irritate their noses. Grind up clean, dried eggshells into powder and sprinkle on rat paths or burrows; the chalky smell overwhelms them. Refresh these every 2-3 days as scents fade. These strong odors confuse their senses, making your home unbearable so they pack up and leave fast. Safe for kids and pets too!