Peanut butter baking soda rat poison is gaining traction among homeowners as one of the cheapest and most convenient DIY rat bait.
If you are looking for a trap that gets the job done without the budget that comes with exterminator prices, then using common household items, like baking soda poison for rats, might be an option.
But, the most important thing is safety.
This guide outlines the peanut butter and baking soda rat poison option, when you can use it effectively, and how to ensure that it doesn’t lead to unwanted consequences.
How To Get Rid of Rats in House Fast Using Peanut Butter Baking Soda Rat Poison
Are you on a tight budget, or do you have just a minor rat infestation that you can easily handle yourself? Then, you will be glad to know that there is a homemade rat poison, aka peanut butter baking soda rat poison.
If you are thinking of “How does baking soda kill mice and rats?” The secret lies in how you prepare it.
For instance, rats are absolute fans of peanut butter, so can I mix rat poison with peanut butter? Of course, you can, and in pretty simple steps, for that matter.
So how do peanut butter and baking soda to kill mice? First and foremost, peanut butter is appetizing to rodents, not just from the rich flavor and smell but also the fact that it is highly nutritious, so it makes for the perfect ingredient.
You need only two items, equal parts of the butter and baking soda, that you will mix in small disposable containers, making sure that you achieve a thick consistency. Next, divide the bait into several tiny containers then, properly place the baking soda mouse poison trap in places where you are sure of mouse activity.
Leave them for a couple of days until the rodents get the nerve to actually eat.
How Does Peanut Butter Baking Soda Rat Poison Work?
You may be skeptical about using peanut butter and baking soda to kill rats, but what you should know is that using baking soda to kill rats is actually effective, cheap, and safer than using rodenticides.
So, how does Baking soda kill rats and mice?
Knowing that rodents don’t burp or vomit, the baking soda releases gasses that the pests cannot expel, which leads to blockage and bursting of the digestive system, which kills the rodents.
How Does the Best Rat Poison Work?
Virtually no one wants to share their living space with rodents, not when they cause so much damage to property and are capable of transmitting diseases.
But if you’re asking yourself, does baking soda kill rodents, or why does Baking soda kill rats, it’s a good question.
It is pretty simple, once rats and mice consume baking soda, it starts reacting with the acids in their digestive systems, leading to the release of gasses.
This leads to the next question, what does baking soda do to rats? The gas releases can’t find its way out because rats can’t burp.
Can rats digest baking soda then? Also, no, and what makes it even worse is the fact that they also cannot vomit it out, which is why poison works so well to exterminate rodents.
Lacking such vital reflexes is the main reason why rat poison baking soda works like a charm.
Since the rodents would never eat it alone, you have to find a way to mix it inside things that they love, peanut butter baking soda rat poison, for instance.
Will Baking Soda Kill Rats? Killing Rats With Baking Soda
As an alternative to commercial poison, more and more people are learning how to use baking soda to kill mice. Unlike using other chemicals that will harm other animals that eat rodents, baking soda rat poison doesn’t really put other wildlife at risk, and if you are keen on how can baking soda kill rats, here is how.
Baking soda for rats uses the rodents’ anatomy against it. It makes for an effective DIY extermination method thanks to the pests’ inability to burp or vomit.1
Bicarbonate of soda reacts in their stomach leading to the buildup of carbon dioxide that stays in the body, leading to blockage of the digestive system and then rapture, which instantly kills the rodents.5 It is odorless and once you know how to use baking soda to kill rats by mixing it up with the foods that they love, you will easily do away with them.
What About Rats Eating Bait But Not Dying?
One of the downsides of using baking soda mouse killer is that there are reported cases of the mouse poison not working. Either the rats not eating bait or eating it in very small doses that don’t cause that much harm.
You want the rodent to eat large quantities, or else it will not work, that is why you have to learn how to get rats to eat poison by mixing it with appetizing foods like peanut butter and chocolate powder.
Homemade Rat Poison Alternatives Besides Peanut Butter Baking Soda Rat Poison
Peanut butter and baking soda for rats have proven to work as an effective DIY treatment method for killing rodents, but apart from that, there are also so many other alternatives. These also apply when it comes to how to get rid of bed bugs and several other house bugs.
Below are some other common cheap homemade options apart from peanut butter baking soda rat poison.
- Flour and baking soda to kill mice
Did you know that you can use sugar, chocolate powder, flour, and baking soda for mice? All you need is equal parts of the above ingredients added to water to form a dough.
The sugar and chocolate powder make the bait more enticing, and that’s how easily the baking soda and flour for rats work.
- Ammonia
The same way that the smell of ammonia is repulsive to humans, is the same way rodents can’t stand it. You can use liquid ammonia to get rid of rats by mixing 2 cups with 10 ml of water and 2 tablespoons of detergent and pouring the mixture into rodent holes to kill them.3
- Baking soda and vinegar
Another deadly combination when it comes to expelling rats is using vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.6 So, how much baking soda and vinegar to kill a rat?
You may ask. Typically, 2-3 grams of baking soda will be enough when mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar, but for the best results, consider making mixtures with appetizing foods.
- Cement mix
Although this is not an item readily available at home, it is still one of the most effective methods to instantly kill rodents. You mix it with the foods that they like, say peanut butter, and as soon as they eat it, it hardens in their digestive system and kills them.
How Long Does Baking Soda Take To Kill Mice? How Quickly Does Baking Soda Kill Rats
Now that it is clear that there are several ways to use baking soda as a rodent exterminator, there is one more question that any homeowner would ask: how long does it take baking soda to kill rats? In other words, how long do mice live after eating poison?
Will baking soda kill a rat instantly, or does it take some time? Usually, baking soda rat traps take less than a day, just a matter of hours.
It all depends on the particular rodent’s immune system and, obviously, how strong the baking soda concentration is. So, you have to be very keen to make sure that you add equal parts of baking soda or whatever food you are using as bait.
Safe Alternative Methods of How To Kill Rats
Using baking soda and peanut butter to kill rats is one of the most common ways to deal with rodents, but it comes with a fair share of downsides. Will peanut butter and baking soda kill rats, yes, but the problem is how inhumane it can be, rats baking soda traps kill slowly, sometimes in several hours.
Another problem is that homemade mouse poison is dangerous when there are pets and children around. In many cases, you will have to seek alternatives, even if they are expensive.
Take, for instance, the use of exterminators when it comes to how to get rid of bed bugs permanently. How much a bed bug exterminator costs is worth it as long as the method is safe and long-lasting, and the same should also apply when dealing with rodents.
However, if on a budget, here are some safe extermination methods:
- Rat traps: There are so many cheap rat traps that you can use, either made of glue or electric ones. These ones either kill instantly or when you want to release the rats back to the wild.4
- Instant mashed potato: If you want a proven method that works but doesn’t cause any harm to your kids or pets, why don’t you try using mashed potato flakes?7 When the rodents gladly eat it, they become thirsty, and this water expands the flakes in their stomach, instantly killing them.
- Rodent repellents: Instead of killing the rats, how about repelling them from your home using scents that they would never come near to? Thanks to their powerful sense of smell, rats will never come near your home if there are onions, peppermint, and garlic sprays.
You can also use bleach rat repellents; what does bleach do to rats? Although it doesn’t do a lot to kill them, at least it works to drive them away from your home, so religiously use it for your cleaning needs. - Preventative measures: You never have to deal with rats if you stop them from coming to your home in the first place. You have to make your home the most uncomfortable place for them by making sure that they can’t find food, water, and shelter.
Check that you maintain the highest levels of hygiene and repair any tap or pipe leaks.
What To Know About Using Peanut Butter Baking Soda Rat Poison as a Rat Killer
Peanut butter and baking soda for mice is a safer alternative to rodenticides and other chemicals.
Does peanut butter and baking soda kill rats?
Yes, the mixture is an effective method in terms of homemade killing rats with baking soda, but there are a few downsides to it. If you’re curious about “How long does it take baking soda to kill mice?”
Mice dying from poison like that take several hours, and besides, there are also chances of the mouse not eating poison because they get really skeptical. What if the mouse won’t eat poison?
Then the “baking soda kill rats” recipe will be futile. Also, there is concern about how much baking soda will kill a rat.
About 2-3 grams are required for the bait to work, otherwise, the rat can easily survive after consuming it in small amounts. There is even more to that, rats, like other creatures, can easily develop an immunity to baking soda, such that it doesn’t affect them in any way.2
That aside, even when the bait does work, the rodents will have already found a safe and hidden spot to hide because they will be feeling unwell and in pain. So, that means that their bodies will rot, stink and attract more rodents.
To avoid all these problems, the best way to go is to hire a professional rodent exterminator, and it helps that their services are not even that expensive considering certain factors.8 Have you been on the lookout for a safe homemade rat poison?
Then, you will appreciate the fact that baking soda is one effective remedy. Unlike chemicals that are expensive and a danger to the environment, this common kitchen item is safe, odorless, and harmless to the ecosystem.
It takes advantage of the rodents’ anatomy, causing death in a matter of hours. However, how effectively does baking soda and peanut butter kill rats?
You may ask. Although it does have a fair share of downsides, it doesn’t take away from the fact that baking soda mixed with other foods that rats love makes for the perfect poison.
So, go ahead and try peanut butter baking soda rat poison, especially if you are dealing with a minor infestation, but if not, you may have to go for professional rodent extermination services near you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Peanut Butter Baking Soda Rat Poison
Do Rats Like Peanut Butter?
Rats love how peanuts smell and taste, easily drawing them, and they can’t smell the baking soda mixed inside and will gladly devour large amounts, which is what you want in a bait trap.
Does Borax Kill Mice?
Borax is one homemade poison that works wonders for various pests around the house, from roaches to ants and silverfish. It is also effective when it comes to mice, even though there are arguments that it is more of a repellent than a rodent killer, however, if you mix it with peanut butter or other appetizing foods, it could serve as an effective rat poison.
What Food Kills Rats Instantly?
When it comes to what food kills mice instantly, not many fit the bill, but it is reported that instant mashed potatoes work. The rats get thirsty after devouring it, and when they drink water, the flakes expand in their digestive systems, killing them on the spot.
References
1Angelo. (2022, June 23). How To Make Safe and Effective Rat and Mouse Baits Using Baking Soda. Deep Green Permaculture. Retrieved December 8, 2023, from <https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/2022/06/24/how-to-make-safe-and-effective-rat-and-mouse-baits-using-baking-soda/>
2Rat Poison Facts. (2023). Does Baking Soda Kill Rats? Rat Poison Facts. Retrieved December 8, 2023, from <http://www.ratpoisonfacts.org/baking-soda/>
3Hoseck, N. (2023, November 14). Homemade Rat Poison: 9 Tried and Tested Recipes (Some Unusual Ideas Inside!). Primal Survivor. Retrieved December 8, 2023, from <https://www.primalsurvivor.net/homemade-rat-poison/>
4Murray, J. F. (2023, October 28). Can You Kill Rats With Baking Soda? Should You? A-Z Animals. Retrieved December 8, 2023, from <https://a-z-animals.com/blog/can-you-kill-rats-with-baking-soda-should-you/>
5uwxbecky. (2011, September 16). Baking Soda — The Everyday Miracle ™. Microsoft Word – Baking Soda. Retrieved December 8, 2023, from <https://oconto.extension.wisc.edu/files/2011/02/Baking-Soda.pdf>
6Donahoe, M. (2016, January 29). Controlling Rats and Mice around the Farm. University of Florida. Retrieved December 8, 2023, from <https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2016/01/29/controlling-rats-and-mice-around-the-farm/>
7United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2023, May 31). Do’s and Don’ts of Pest Control. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved December 8, 2023, from <https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/dos-and-donts-pest-control>
8United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2023, February 21). Tips for Hiring a Rodent Control Professional. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved December 8, 2023, from <https://www.epa.gov/rodenticides/tips-hiring-rodent-control-professional>
9Do Rats Like Peanut Butter Photo by Karolina Grabowska. (January 31, 2021) / Pexels License. Resized and changed format. Pexels. Retrieved January 18, 2024, from <https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-creamy-peanut-butter-6659898/>