Rats are really troublesome especially when they start to destroy your belongings and trash everything else around them. But there are a few things that you can do to end their party pretty soon. In this article, we are going to show you how to use antifreeze to kill rats.
Will antifreeze kill rats you might wonder? – yes it will. Once the rats drink antifreeze they will die in a matter of hours because the antifreeze will plug up their kidneys. Ethylene glycol also known as antifreeze is extremely toxic and therefore they don’t stand a chance against it.

What Will You Need to Kill Rats With Antifreeze?
This is very easy to do, you only need:
- An empty bottle
- Pair of scissors
- Antifreeze solution
How to Kill Rats With Antifreeze?
1 – Grab an empty bottle and make a small round hole with some scissors in it, just enough for a rat to enter. Cut the hole on the side and a little above the bottom.
2 – Then, pour some antifreeze coolant inside of it. It doesn’t matter which one it is, as long as it smells good it will work.
3 – Place the bottle strategically in the area where you have seen signs of rat activity, make sure to keep it off limits for pets and small children.
Many rats fall for these traps if they are not used to them, once they’ll taste the antifreeze liquid they will end up dying in a matter of hours.
Pro tip: If you are looking for some DIY rat extermination check our guide.
Other Things That Will Kill Rats
Here is a list of many other things that will kill rats in case you have them at hand in your home.
Will Ammonia Kill Rats?
Ammonia does not kill rats, but the strong smell of ammonia works great as a deterrent. If you want to keep rats away from a specific area just pour some ammonia strategically and they will avoid those areas for sure.
Will Baking Soda Kill Rats?
Baking soda (AKA sodium bicarbonate) will kill rats if they ingest it. When baking soda starts to be digested it will produce a lot of gas and rats will die from the internal pressure caused by it. They are not able to pass gas through their intestines and release it, thus ending up dead.
Will Cats Kill Rats?
Cats will kill rats because it’s part of their nature, they are hunters and rats are the perfect prey for them to chase. Unfortunately, cats are not the solution for a large infestation of rats but can handle a rat or two that appear once in a while.
Will Dcon Kill Rats?
d-CON products have many solutions to kill rats, from baits to traps they are effective in their own way. You can use them around your home in strategic places to kill any rats that might be there. Decon usually takes 4 to 5 days to kill rats after feeding themselves with bait.

Will Ferrets Kill Rats?
Ferrets will definitely kill rats, in fact, many farmers use them to exterminate rats around the farm from time to time. Ferrets are predatory animals that have the instinct to hunt, usually, they are fed with pre-killed rats to start sharpening their senses and prepare them to kill rats.
Will Gopher Poison Kill Rats?
Gopher poison will kill rats but it is not labeled for such a task. Gopher poison is known for having a highly toxic gas to rodents and other animals. This will happen due to zinc phosphide poisoning which is the main ingredient of it.
Will Instant Potatoes Kill Rats?
Instant potatoes also known as potato flakes will kill rats when they eat them. Once rats eat instant potato mix they’ll become thirsty, after drinking water the mashed potato mix expands in size rats will either die from the pressure of it or from starvation because new food will not be able to enter.
Will Mouse Poison Kill Rats?
Mouse poison will kill rats as well but it might take longer than expected. Rodenticides are designed to kill any type of rodent but specific ones have higher concentrations to become more efficient. Larger quantities of mouse poison given the time will kill a large rat as well.
Will Tomcat Mouse Killer Kill Rats?
Yes, tomcat mouse killer bait can kill up to 10 rats. Although is mainly produced to kill mice it is also effective against rats. Rats will enter the station to eat tomcat mouse killer bait and then will exit to go to their nests, after 1-2 days later they end up dying.
Will Uncooked Rice Kill Rats?
Uncooked rice will not kill rats, it might be effective against mice but not with rats. This is a common misconception by popular beliefs but when testing against rats uncooked rice had no effect in killing rats effectively.
Will Vinegar Kill Rats?
You can use vinegar to kill rats if you mix it with baking soda. When you mix vinegar and baking soda together you can create a poison that is able to kill rats effectively. If applied strategically in rat-infested areas it will work well against them.

Key takeaways:
- You can create an efficient rat poison trap by using an empty bottle and antifreeze solution.
- Keep it away from pets, small children, and other mammals because it is also deadly for them.
Can Rats Die From Antifreeze?
Rats will absolutely die if they drink antifreeze coolant. Usually, the sweet smell of antifreeze attracts rats and they end up drinking it. After a few days, they die from the intoxication of ethylene glycol poisoning.
What Liquid Kills Rats Instantly?
A liquid solution of ricin can kill rats instantly in a matter of minutes. This is an extremely toxic plant that will produce one of the deadliest poisons ever. But it is not so effective against rats because there’s no appealing factor to drinking it.
How Long Do Poisoned Rats Take to Die?
It takes about 1 to 3 days for a rat to die from poisoning. Variables such as the size of the rat and the quantity of poison consumed play a role in the time factor needed for death to happen.
Will Windshield Wiper Fluid Kill Rats?
Yes, windshield wiper fluid will kill rats because when they ingest it, the ethylene glycol contained in this solution will affect the nervous system the metabolic processes, and the rats’ kidneys. It will kill them in a matter of days without any doubt.