Keep Rats out of Large Holes or Gaps Using Great Stuff Pest Block

How to keep rats and rodents out of a big gap. Link to products below:
Great Stuff Pest Block: amzn.to/3RVdKKX
Copper Mesh: amzn.to/3RruBoJ

[@jodyjohnsen]

Denatonium Benzoate is the additive. Even in preparations of 10ppm it is unbearably bitter to most humans, rodents agree apparently. It is mildly toxic in high doses but is used effectively in much smaller doses to eliminate inappropriate ingestion. Fascinating!

[@alexrosenthal2887]

thank you thank you thank you! precisely what I wanted to know : )

[@rruizproductions]

What makes this unique is if they try to chew on it, it gives them a bad taste in their mouths and they avoid it.

[@jdstep97]

Thank you so much!! I'm a girly girl trying to figure out what to do, almost in tears. I think I can make it now. 😀

[@rayver723]

Should I do a double layer of steel wool and staple a stainless steel mesh sheet to wall and then spray foam on top? Or put a layer of foam in between each layer?

[@karimnassar8117]

Inspiring video. Thank you very much for a meaningful contribution, and taking the time to produce this. Many thanks from Canada.

[@allent1034]

Can you give us an update? Is the foam still intact?

[@johnhannibalsmith1607]

I just got back from Home Depot. I should have watched this before I went. I guess I'm going back tomorrow. 👍

[@nancylesny8877]

Thanks! Using it now. I appreciate your assistance.

[@MikeCee7]

Rats can easily eat through thst copper mesh. (I know from first-hand experience) I had copper covering up a previous rat hole in my drywall. When I cover that opening with copper mesh. They ate right through it like it was butter.

[@rayver723]

Currently have a fairly big and long gap at the bottom of a garage door jamb which has rotted wood which caused and opening for mice. Do you suggest I first fill it with steel wool, then use foam? I also bought some wire mesh sheets. Should I staple it first and then foam on top? Also is it necessary to put steel mesh and foam at both the exterior entry point and the place inside the garage? I would assume the mice that are still in the house could just go from the indoors backside area if it’s not protected as well. I’m thinking from the exterior gap, fill it with steel wool, add some spray foam, then staple wire mesh sheet to wall and then cover that with foam spray. I also have a excluder stainless steel weather strip piece that can stick to the current lower area deteriorating weather strip. Would I just stick the 5 inch weatherstrip by itself!

[@odawn]

Is that stuff safe to use around a hot water pipe?

[@chearacheetah1503]

If you’d read the instructions and warnings, then I say so

[@dancearoundtheworld5360]

your good ,unless pipe is red hot

[@alleycat1387]

Thanks for the video and explanation! I live in an RV that has exposed electrical wires underneath and it leads into a hole that they may still be able to enter into that leads into the RV. Do you know if I can use Great Stuff on electrical wires? I won't attempt to put steel wool in it because it's exposed electrical wires, but just spray the spray foam around it to block that hole the wires lead into.

[@MarcKlark]

Other videos say mice will eat through the foam , so which is it , does it or does it not work ?

[@propertymanagementguy6619]

Rats will eat through the standard great stuff, but in my experience they won’t touch the pest block version because it tastes bad. I’ve had problem spots I used it on 2 years ago and they haven’t touched it

[@MarcKlark]

@@propertymanagementguy6619 thank you for your help

[@ΟΚΟΚ-θ7ω]

You just made a great sunday ice cream for the rats !!!

[@MarcKlark]

Will they eat the foam ?

[@schlomoshekelstein908]

@@MarcKlark yeah lol

[@jc2091]

Great video, thanks for posting👍

[@mmcder03]

I have a hole the size of a baseball at the apex of my unfinished attic. Standing on the joists, I can probably get my hand up 2-3 feet away from the hole. Does this stuff have enough projectile power to shoot out 2-3 feet?

[@propertymanagementguy6619]

Hi there @mmcder03, it doesn’t really shoot out. You want to be able to reach the actual hole

[@davebean2886]

Is copper mesh better than steel wool?

[@CH-hb3li]

I'd love to know the same thing

[@propertymanagementguy6619]

Both work equally well, but copper mesh is cleaner and easier to work with than steel wool which breaks down and leaves metal filaments laying around more easily. The downside of copper mesh is that it costs more

[@jrosalia]

I have used this in a gap in my kitchen kickplate but they are still trying to chew through it. Im probably going to redo it but with steel wool as well

[@speedy5622]

Use hardware cloth and than foam it. Steel wool is okayish but determined rats with chew through that.

[@propertymanagementguy6619]

Agree with Speedy that it probably depends how determined the rodents are. Often just Great Stuff Pest Block is sufficient by itself. But if food is particularly scarce, then they may be more determined to try and chew through it. Agree to stuff the hole with some steel wool or copper mesh as seen in my other videos and reapply the pest block foam. Hope this works!

[@siberianhuskymum3232]

I have battled with the rats for 2 months now. They pulled out the wire wool and in some places it is as though I never put it down. They are in the crawlspace and I think they use it as a pass through. You hear them squabbling and they don't just come at night. They have chewed through the boards and caught one in a blackcat rat trap. They like liquorice and coconut. Had to wait 4 days before they would go near new trap that easily takes a finger of so be careful! Once they began taking food from the un set trap, I then set it and bingo. Got one! I have still yet to find where they are coming from. No holes outside on walls, air vents intact so its a mystery. I used caulk, cayenne pepper, steel mesh, peppermint oil.... you name it I've tried it.... they still come back. I know they have bad eye sight, use muscle memory to get about hence the dirt marks along walls etc and I have also learned if they have a water supply for them then they won't ever leave. Aledgedly 2 days of no water and they move on. They choose water over food. I will give this foam a try if I can find in the uk. The battle continues!

[@dancearoundtheworld5360]

​@@siberianhuskymum3232tried to feed them peanut buter and baking soda mix if that doesnt kill them fill in holes with solid metal like aluminum flashing but houses are soft and flammable

[@techstuff1276]

is the wire mesh necessary or is the pest block alone enough to stop rodents?

[@propertymanagementguy6619]

The wire mesh is not necessary. The pest block will stop rats without the wire. I just use it in larger gaps as something for the pest block to adhere to so I can use less pest block to fill the gap. Thanks for asking!

[@kayceerugan3931]

What if you use it on the outside and you trap the mice or whatever the heck this animal that’s getting into my home is, inside the house ??

[@joshruehlig]

@@kayceerugan3931 They animal will die without access to food and water. It will smell when decomposing, and eventually be so dry it wont smell. just be leather and bones. At least thats my experience in a warmer dry climate of NorCal

[@sherylpierson5935]

i was going to ask how long the straw is able to be used with breaks intetween - will it harden up?

[@propertymanagementguy6619]

So the newer versions have a thicker grey tube that they advertise as reusable. Those they say last up to 30 days after first use.

[@sungrebes]

Do you need to clean out the spray dispenser after use? Should you remove it and put the top back on?

[@propertymanagementguy6619]

So with older versions of Great Stuff Pest Block (like the one used in this video with the skinny white dispenser), it is very challenging to reuse a partial can at a later date because it loses pressure pretty quick. The good news is, they improved the dispenser since this video was made, which is better for reusing. So if you have the newer grey, thicker dispensing tube (like the one shown in the Amazon link in the description), when you first use it, make sure the dispenser is tightly screwed on, and when you are done using, leave excess foam coming out the tip of the dispenser in tact and let dry that way. It acts as a plug keeping pressure in the can. Then when you are ready to use it next, break away the dried foam from the tip, shake and use. It should keep pressure for up to 30 days from first use. You can do the same method with the old cans, but it's harder to clear the skinnier dispensing tube of clogs. Hope this helps!

[@semiramismunoz8948]

How long it last in the storage after used?

[@propertymanagementguy6619]

It doesn’t last long after first use since it loses pressure pretty easily. I’d plan to use the whole can in a day or teo

[@msistah247]

Just bought this! Hope it works

[@propertymanagementguy6619]

It’s easy to use and for us has worked great! No rodents getting in.

[@anikagreen3735]

Did it work ?

[@msistah247]

@@anikagreen3735 yes it did. I lived in an old building and this helped to block them for the most part.

[@failedfishermanBC]

​@@msistah247thanks for the update!

[@MarcKlark]

Other videos show mice chew through this is this true then why say it will prevent mice and rats and bats and squirrels

[@propertymanagementguy6619]

Appreciate the feedback. But we’ve never had a rat or mouse chew through it, and trust me, there are plenty in Chicago so if they didn’t mind the taste they would. But note this is the “pest lock” version of great stuff. Regular great stuff insulating foam they would chew through in 2 seconds.

[@214mannygarza]

Shit doesn't work a small mice ate threw ours and it was the same product

[@MarcKlark]

Really ?

[@TheeOwlette]

I use tomcat expanding foam. They mainly stay away from it

[@propertymanagementguy6619]

Appreciate the feedback. But we’ve never had a rat or mouse chew through it, and trust me, there are plenty in Chicago so if they didn’t mind the taste they would. But note this is the “pest lock” version of great stuff. Regular great stuff insulating foam they would chew through in 2 seconds.

[@jamescole3152]

Thanks. I hate mice and rats.

[@AmberaeSettle]

So normal great stuff wont work because they will eat it? Crap i just bought a bunch of regular stuff.

[@propertymanagementguy6619]

Correct, you need the pest block version. Sorry boss!

[@angelastanislowski8862]

The can says nothing about mice and rats. Just bugs.

[@LubaLuba1]

The fact that they call it pest block is this different from reg great stuff ???

[@propertymanagementguy6619]

Yes their regular Great Stuff Foam is for insulation of holes and cracks but rodents can eat through it. With the Pest Block they don’t eat through it because it has a bitter taste due to some additives.

[@LubaLuba1]

@@propertymanagementguy6619 I see I looking to block a return line on my pool because it is leaking. And instead of capping it from the the T which will require to break up concrete I rather block where the crack is. So need something good.