Skip to content 
Tired of rats running rampant in your home or business? You’re not alone! Rat infestations are a common problem, especially in urban areas. The good news is, there are effective solutions available. Choosing the right rat poison can be overwhelming. With so many options on the market, it’s natural to have questions about safety, effectiveness, and how long it takes to see results. Let us help you navigate the rat poison maze and find the perfect solution for your specific needs.
In the below article we’ve picked out some of the best rat poison choices and written a complete buying guide to accompany it, answering any questions you may have about the process, how humane it is, and more.
Let’s get stuck in! You can quickly navigate through this large article by using the table of contents highlighted below:
Table of Contents
Best Rat Poison Buying Guide
Through our research, we have been able to answer some of the most common questions we have found that people have around rat poison solutions. If you have a question that we haven’t provided the answer to, then don’t hesitate to get in touch and we’ll do our best to help.
How does rat poison work?
Rat poison is made of Bromethalin, which is the only type of rat poison that is considered safe for use in your home. The term, rat poison, covers three different types of rodenticides acute toxins which are no longer available due to their high rate of accidental poisoning, anticoagulants and calcium releasers. Typically rat poison is sold as a powder, block, pellet or treated seeds. These items will include both the rodenticides mentioned above.
The way that they work is the Bromethalin shuts down the rat’s ability to recycle vitamin K, which is needed to clot blood, and once it runs out the rodents blood thins and it bleeds to death. It can take several days for the rat to die, but one feeding is enough to be lethal.
How long does Rat poison take to kill a rat?
Some poisons can be extremely fast-acting, with many claiming that they can act in as little as 12 hours, however, it’s more likely that you should expect it to take 2-3 days for best rat poison to effectively kill the rodents.
It’s unlikely you only have one rat, however, so make sure you replenish the bait as soon as it looks eaten to ensure you get rid of the whole infestation. You also need to ensure that you find and remove the dead rat if it’s within your property or an area that it may be eaten by other animals, as there is a risk of secondary poisoning.
Is Rat Poison humane?
Rat poison is effective, but it’s not the most humane way to kill a rat. Here are 3 of the most humane ways you can do it:
- Asphyxiation by CO2 – in which you can use common household materials like baking soda
- Blunt force to the head – this isn’t exactly an ideal way to do it, and not for everyone, but a blunt force hit with a hammer to head, you need to ensure the rodent is trapped and can’t move to hit it accurately
- Spring traps can be humane if they catch the rodent cleanly, but that isn’t always the case
Can I use rat poison for other pests?
It’s a common question, and most of the time people are thinking of using it for other animals such as mice or small pests. The answer to this one is pretty simple, yes, it works the same for other animals as it does rats.
Which type of rat poison is most effective?
In this guide all of our top picks are effective, they all contain Bromethalin which once eaten by the rat is guaranteed to kill them. That being said, a lot of the effectiveness of the rat poison depends on yourself, you need to ensure that you are refilling or replacing the bait at any sign of it being eaten. The placement of the bait is also important, you need to make sure it’s an area the rats are regularly travelling in, you might have to move it around a few times to get the desired result.
Is rat poison safe for pets?
Not all rat poison is safe for pets, a regular rat poison solution could do some serious harm. There are several solutions out there, such as our top pick “The Big Cheese All-Weather Block Bait” that are pet friendly. They offer lower toxicity than some of the other formulas and therefore won’t harm your pet. However, we do recommend placing the poison where your pet wont be able to reach it, just to be safe.
Can rat poison go out of date?
Rat poisons do have an expiry date, so be sure to check it. When rat poison expires it becomes less effective as time goes on, it may still work for a while but it’s a reduced concentration and after quite a while it may not be effective enough to kill the rodent.
Can you get rat poison without an odour?
Unfortunately not anymore, there used to be a product that was odourless but it is no longer used in rat poison. The odour in rat poison is what attracts the rats, it’s strong garlic-like smell from the phosphine.
Can you create a DIY rat poison?
Yes, you can, and it can be really effective if used and made correctly. The most commonly used DIY rat poison is with baking soda. Here’s how you can make rat poison:
- Mix thoroughly 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of baking soda
- Get something like a jar lid & fill it with the bait mixture
- Set down the bait where you’ve noticed the rats or droppings
- Monitor the area until the dropping stop
It’s an effective method, but can be a little bit trickier than buying purpose-made rat poison and you may find it takes a longer time.
Our 3 Best Rat Poison Picks (Reviews)
Without further ado, here is our best rat poison picks that will assure you that you rid your home of any infestation.
- ULTIMATE RODENT CONTROL – Experience effective control of rats and mice with the all-weather bait block. This moisture-resistant rat poison stays fresh even in damp conditions making it suitable for indoor and outdoor use
- HIGHLY EFFECTIVE – Specially formulated super strength rat poisoning block made with high-quality food materials and flavours to create a palatable bait that attracts and kills mice and rats in just a few feeds. The fast-acting formula delivers safe and reliable control of rodent pests
- SAFETY FIRST – Use All-Weather Block Bait with The Big Cheese Rat & Mouse Bait Station (STV179) to ensure safety around children and pets. A tamper-resistant bait station is required by law. Gloves are included for safe handling. It offers a safer choice for your home and garden use
- EASY TO USE – Each pack includes 15 ready-to-use bait blocks. Simply place 6-10 blocks every 5-10 metres for rats and 2-3 blocks every 2-5 metres for mice. Regularly check stations, remove rodents and refill as needed. Multi-packs available: 15 x 10g (2 pack) and 15 x 10g (3 pack)
- RODENT CONTROL MADE EASY – Tackling rodent infestations around the home can seem daunting. With bait formulations for every situation, as well as low toxicity, The Big Cheese takes the stress out of controlling rodent pests. Solve your rodent control problem with The Big Cheese pest control products
This fast-acting rodent poison is perfect for both outdoor and indoor use, it’s specially formulated by Home Choice and has made our best rat poison list. The product has been designed with high-quality materials that will kill rodents quickly. It’s a solution that is effective and 50% less poisonous than their previous versions meaning that it’s less dangerous towards pets. One of its great selling points is that it’s moisture resistant, unlike some other mixes you can buy, which means it can withstand a variety of different weather conditions. It’s also suitable to use in any kind of bait station should you require one.
The Big Cheese brand also offers a bait station, which is suitable for their best rat poison product, and you should use whenever you are trying to kill rodents.
Main Features
Here are some of the main features and selling points of this poison:
- Suitable both indoor and outdoors with its moisture resistance
- 50% less poison than previous models – making it alright to have pets around
- Chew through sachets, there’s no need to touch the actual bait
- It’s so safe you can use it in kitchens
- Fast acting
Why We’ve Chosen It
We’ve chosen this bait in our top 10 best rat poison list because of a variety of reasons. It has some great features which we’ve listed above, the reviews are terrific and the price is reasonable for what you get. It’s also a quite well-known range & offers the option to buy a bait station with it.
- Our bait blocks have been professionally formulated to achieve optimal results, and all of our products are quality tested by professional pest controllers prior to public release.
- Multi feed poison which means that unlike many other baits on the market, This poison is specifically designed to reduce bait shyness and to maximise bait take and delivery of poison to each rodent and maximise effectiveness from day 1!
- These Rodent Blocks are a highly effective rodent killer, which leads the way against many other baits on the market.
- These easy-to-use pre-formed blocks simply fit onto rods for housing in our durable bait stations, which are specifically designed for this purpose.
- If you are baiting externally and/or within public areas, it is required that all baits are to be contained within lockable bait stations. These can be purchased separately or as a package.
These professionally formulated bait blocks by OPKill are tested to achieve optimal results. These like most others are a powerful concentration of Bromadiolone poison and they are an effective rat killer with a high concentration. It’s a multi-feed poison and sets itself aside from some of its competitors by being specifically designed to kill rodents over a few feeds, the difference being they consistently come back to the bait, which increases the kill rate and encourages other rodents in the vicinity to also join.
It’s recommended with this product that you use a bait box, to ensure other animals such as your pets don’t eat it.
Main Features
We’ve pulled out and highlighted some of the main features and selling points for the OPKill Rat poison:
- Professionally formulated & tested by professionals
- It’s designed to reduce bait shyness, meaning the rats continually come back to the bait and it attracts other rodents
- They claim to lead the way against many others in the market
- It’s easy to use and put in durable bait stations, the pre-formed blocks make it easier than some of the loose bait options
- Safe for both professional and domestic usage
Why We’ve Chosen It
This rodent killer solution by OPKill has made our list for several reasons, the main one is that it’s a great value for money product which is evident by a lot of the great reviews. The fact it’s also used and tested by professionals must mean it is a reliable rodent killer.
- PROVEN FORMULATION - Bromadiolone is a UK approved formulation for the control of rats and mice; the bait works as a multi-feed which is considered the best long-term rodenticide method. Multi-feed baits reduce the likelihood of bait shyness and are safer to use around non-target animals compared to single-take alternatives.
- ATTRACTIVE BAIT - Wheat is considered one of the best options for active rats and mice infestations and is considered highly palatable; to further entice feeding, additional adjuvants and sweeteners have been added, which helps attract rodents to find and consume the bait
- EASY TO USE - Our sachets have been designed to be placed directly within a bait station; rats and mice will chew through the outer packaging to gain access to the contents. No previous experience is required for using rodenticide; a guidance sheet with support video is available, which helps the user with the application.
- MADE IN THE UK - We are proud to source 100% of our wheat used within this kit from British farmers. We are a UK company with extensive knowledge of eradicating and preventing rodent control and fully understand the importance of reducing our carbon footprint.
- 600g KIT SIZE - This multi-kit listing includes 4 packs of 150g Roshield Whole Wheat Bait (UK-2016-0990-0009) and would be suitable for an average mouse or small rat infestation. Instructions are included within the kit, and additional support videos are available if required. All bait must be used within a tamper-resistant bait station.
Roshield’s rat poison solution can be used both domestically and commercially and is suitable for anything between small houses to farms. It’s a ready to use product with high temperature treated wheat.
The micronisation of the bait prevents any germination and allows it to convert from starches to sugars which sweetens it and becomes more appealing to rodents. It’s not odourless, but this bait doesn’t smell as bad as some others, it has a chocolatey smell which improves the bait take. It’s highly effective and is an ideal bait to use in most conditions.
Main Features
Here are some of the main features and selling points of the Roshield Whole Wheat Bait:
- It’s in ready to use bags
- A unique chocolatey smell, which means it doesn’t smell as bad as most other baits
- Red dye in the bait allows to easily monitor when it’s eaten
- The small bag is suitable for light to medium infestations
- Includes Bromadiolone like most other best rat poisons, but it’s a whole wheat solution
Why We’ve Chosen It
Like the others we’ve chosen this mostly because of its affordability, however, the unique point we liked about this was its the chocolatey smell. As you can find above, we regularly get asked if you can get odourless bait, which is tricky, but this is one of the nearest things you can get to it.
