Mice and rats are quite different from one another, but there is one strong similarity that ties them together. Both of them pose a serious health threat to humans and pets. They carry and transmit obnoxiously dangerous diseases that often have fatal results. Knowing the difference between the two rodents can save you money on pest control companies. Instead of calling a pest technician, who will come and spray around your property for rats or mice, you can tackle this problem yourself. Here are few easy steps for eliminating rat/mouse infestations: 1. Sanitise Rats and mice need easily available food sources. Proper sanitisation can make all the difference in eliminating them. Store food in sealed plastic or metal containers, this includes dry foods and pet foods. Remove clutter such as paper and cardboards, which rodents can use to build nests. If you have a garden make sure to properly trim bushes to avoid places where they can hide. Furthermore, make sure to clean bush and grass clippings as rats and mice might use them to build nests. Store firewood away from your house and discard any fruits and nuts, which may have fallen from nearby trees. 2. Eradicate the existing population There are two popular methods to eliminating rats and mice, traps and baits. There is a variety of effective traps, snap traps, glue traps and humane live traps. Traps should be places in areas with noticeable rodent activity. Baits come in many different forms. Most common used ones include pellets, blox, cake and liquid. Baits should be placed in enclosed areas with little to no access from pets and children. 3. Rodent-proof the area Rodent-proof the area or the structure to ensure new infestations don't occur. Check the foundation and repair any large cracks or holes with copper mesh or sheet metal. Check all doors, windows and make sure they have a tight seal, be sure to repair any damage. Rats can fit in any hole the size of a quarter or larger. Mice can fit in any hole the size of a button on your shirt. These are the 3 steps to eliminate rats and mice from your property, sanitise, eliminate and proof the area. If you follow these three steps rodent infestations can be easily avoided. http://www.fantasticpestcontrol.co.uk/blog/difference-between-rat-and-mouse/