Takoma Park Rodent Control
Family-owned & local since 1968
Mice in the walls of your Victorian? Rats near the compost? Our 4-step plan clears them out, and we come back free if they return.
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From Your Takoma Park Neighbors
Trusted Rodent Control in Takoma Park, MD — in Our Customers' Words
Hear what Northern Virginia and Maryland homeowners have to say about our service — in their own words. Real customers from real homes, sharing why they trust Better Termite with what matters most.
- Homes protected
- 100k+
- Google reviews
- 4.9★
- Years local
- 58+
Why Better Termite
Rodent Control in Takoma Park you can trust — from $49/mo with no binding contracts.
Lower-Impact Products
Hand-picked, EPA-approved treatments selected by our research team — without 9 of the harshest products still used by most companies.
Local Rodent Control Experts
Family-owned since 1968, with 300+ years of combined experience protecting Takoma Park homes. A licensed local tech answers the phone.
The Better Promise
Unlimited free re-services and no binding contracts — we keep coming back until your problem is gone. Cancel anytime with 30 days notice.
About Better Termite
Rodent Control for Takoma Park's Old Houses and Green Habits
Mice and Rats on Both Sides of the DC Line
Takoma Park is about two square miles, and it packs in a lot of what rodents love. Century-old porches with lattice skirts. Backyard compost bins and vegetable beds. A curbside food waste program. Busy food strips on Carroll Avenue and at the Takoma-Langley Crossroads. And a border with DC, where rats are a year-round fact of life. When nights turn cold in the fall, mice and rats move in close.
You may hear scratching in the ceiling after dark. You may find droppings behind the stove or in the basement, or a burrow under the deck. None of this means you did anything wrong. It means rodents found food, water, and a way in. Our job is to find all three and cut them off.
Better Termite & Pest Control has served Montgomery County since 1968. Call (703) 683-2000 and a licensed technician picks up, not a call center. Rodent plans start around $49/month plus a one-time $200 setup fee, with unlimited free callbacks and no binding contract. More than 1800+ families have left us 5-star reviews.
Local Knowledge
What Feeds Takoma Park's Rodents
Every town has mice. What makes Takoma Park different is where they find food and shelter. We see three drivers here again and again.
1. A Town That Composts
Takoma Park takes its green values seriously. The city started collecting curbside food waste in 2013 and is rolling it out to large apartment buildings in 2026. Many homes also keep backyard compost bins, raised vegetable beds, fruit trees, bird feeders, and leaf mulch piles. All of that is good for the earth. It is also a steady food source for Norway rats when a lid is loose or a bin sits on bare soil. The same leaf piles and mulch that make Takoma Park gardens thrive give mice cover right up to the foundation.
2. Houses Built Across 140 Years
B.F. Gilbert laid out Takoma Park in 1883 as the capital's first railroad suburb. The Takoma Park Historic District is now the largest in Montgomery County. It is full of turreted Queen Anne and Stick Style homes, and later Craftsman bungalows and American Foursquares. Past the historic core you find brick colonials, 1950s garden apartments, and small rental buildings. Almost half of Takoma Park residents rent, and most rental units sit in multifamily buildings. Old houses have settled sills, porch voids, and decades of patched-over pipe holes. Attached housing lets mice travel wall to wall. Each needs a different plan.
3. The DC Border and Busy Transit Corridors
Takoma Park shares its southern edge with DC's Takoma neighborhood and the Takoma Metro station. New Hampshire Avenue and University Boulevard carry heavy traffic, restaurants, and dumpsters. The Takoma-Langley Crossroads is the largest bus-only transfer center in the DC area, and Purple Line construction along University Boulevard is set to wrap up with an opening in late 2027. Digging and utility work can disturb old rat burrows and send rats looking for new ground. Homes near these corridors often see rats first and mice second.
Compost & Food Waste
Keep Composting Without Feeding the Rats
You should not have to give up your compost to get rid of rats. You just have to take away the free meal. Here is what we check on almost every Takoma Park rodent call:
- The city food waste bucket. The lid seals tight, but only if it is snapped shut. Rinse it out, keep it off the ground, and do not store it against the house between pickups.
- Backyard compost bins. Open piles and bins on bare soil are easy for rats to tunnel into. A closed bin with a solid or wire-mesh bottom makes a big difference. Leave meat, dairy, and cooked food for the city bucket, not the backyard pile.
- Bird feeders. Spilled seed under a feeder feeds rats and mice every night. Use a tray, or move the feeder away from the house.
- Gardens and fruit trees. Dropped tomatoes, figs, and apples draw rats in late summer, right before they look for winter shelter.
- Leaf and mulch piles. Thick piles against the foundation give mice a covered path to the sill. Pull mulch back a few inches from the siding.
Then we place tamper-resistant bait stations along the routes rodents use between that food and your house. For more ideas you can use today, see our guide on tips to keep mice out.
Old Homes & Apartments
Victorians, Bungalows, and Garden Apartments: Different Houses, Different Mouse Problems
Historic Homes in Old Takoma and North Takoma
The big porches that make Old Takoma so charming are also a mouse's favorite front door. Lattice skirts hide a dark, dry void right against the house. Mice nest there, then work their way in through the sill plate, old coal chutes, and gaps where gas, cable, and plumbing lines were added over the years. Inside, they run the gaps behind plaster walls and between floors. Our guide to mouse and rat prevention covers the gaps to watch for in older homes.
In these homes we use traps inside instead of loose bait, so rodents do not die in a wall you cannot open. We seal gaps only after activity drops. Sealing first can trap mice inside.
Small Rentals and Garden Apartments
Along Maple Avenue, Flower Avenue, and in the east-side neighborhoods that joined Montgomery County in 1997, you find many garden apartments and small rental buildings. Here, mice rarely belong to one unit. They travel through shared walls, pipe chases, and trash rooms. If you own the building or rent out part of your home, we treat the shared routes, not just the unit that called.
Mouse or Rat?
Mouse or Rat? What Takoma Park Homeowners Usually Find
The answer changes how we treat, so it is worth knowing.
House Mice: Inside the Walls
House mice are behind most indoor calls we get from Takoma Park. They are small, 2 to 4 inches long, with big ears. Their droppings are about 1/4 inch and pointed at both ends. You find them in kitchen drawers, behind the stove, and in basement storage. One female can have up to 10 litters a year, so a few mice in October can be a colony by January.
Norway Rats: Burrows Outside
Norway rats are bigger, 6 to 10 inches long, with blunt snouts. Their droppings are about 1/2 inch and shaped like a capsule. In Takoma Park they burrow under decks, sheds, and compost bins, and along alleys near the DC line and the commercial strips. You often see the burrow holes before you see a rat. If rats are already inside, read how to get rid of rats in your house, then call us.
Family-owned for three generations. Call and a licensed technician answers, not a call center
House mice hug walls and walkways. In Takoma Park they find their way in through porch lattice, old sills, and utility lines
Norway rats nest in burrows under decks, sheds, and compost piles, then forage at night in yards and alleys
Protecting DC-area homes since 1968, back when Takoma Park still straddled two counties (it joined Montgomery County fully in 1997)
Licensed technicians, scheduled visits three times a year, and free callbacks in between
Everything We Do
Every service we offer in Takoma Park — one local team, one phone call.
Core Programs
- Home Pest Control in Takoma Park
- Termite Control in Takoma Park
- Rodent Control in Takoma Park
- Mosquito & Tick Control in Takoma Park
- Extermination Services in Takoma Park
- Eco-Friendly Pest Control in Takoma Park
- Sentricon® Termite Baiting in Takoma Park
- IN2CARE® Mosquito System in Takoma Park
- Commercial Pest Control in Takoma Park
- Pre-Construction Termite Control in Takoma Park
Insects & Spiders
- Ant Control in Takoma Park
- Carpenter Ant Control in Takoma Park
- Sugar Ant Control in Takoma Park
- Spider Control in Takoma Park
- Roach Control in Takoma Park
- German Cockroach Control in Takoma Park
- Oriental Cockroach Control in Takoma Park
- American Cockroach Control in Takoma Park
- Flea Control in Takoma Park
- Silverfish Control in Takoma Park
- Carpet Beetle Control in Takoma Park
- Pantry Pest Control in Takoma Park
- Stink Bug Control in Takoma Park
- Lady Bug Control in Takoma Park
- Boxelder Bug Control in Takoma Park
- Cricket Control in Takoma Park
- Tick Control in Takoma Park
- Earwig Control in Takoma Park
- Millipede Control in Takoma Park
- Centipede Control in Takoma Park
- Pill Bug Control in Takoma Park
- Springtail Control in Takoma Park
- Clover Mite Control in Takoma Park
Stinging & Flying
Rodents & Wildlife
What Families Near Takoma Park Are Saying
1800+ 5 Star Reviews on Google "We had a bad cockroach problem - we knew it was bad because of all the baby cockroaches we spotted. It took a while but Better Termite ultimately solved it and our house is cockroach free. Cindy in particular, was quick to help out and made it pain free."
"I highly recommend this company for your home pest control. Their technicians are thorough and have prevented any unwanted problems from happening on our property. During our last treatment, Jasmine took care of our outdoor spider webs without us even asking. Last summer they removed a mud dauber's nest under our deck and above our patio door. That attention to detail speaks volumes. Thank you for taking care of us!"
"The team at Better Termite & Pest control are phenomenal! I feel like my family and my home are in good hands. Everyone I have come into contact with has been responsive, pleasant and professional. The price is right and the service is superb!"
"Joann is amazing! She always takes time to talk with me and check inside boxes. I so appreciate her!! I have been using Better Termite and Pest Management for over 20 years."
"I love Darren over at Better Termite. He is always so attentive and kind, and really goes, IMO, out of his way to do a fantastic job. And I am so happy that I had NO MOSQUITOES this summer in my backyard in spite of the fact that there is a drainage area right behind my house, and that is 100% because of Better Termites services."
"We had a bad cockroach problem - we knew it was bad because of all the baby cockroaches we spotted. It took a while but Better Termite ultimately solved it and our house is cockroach free. Cindy in particular, was quick to help out and made it pain free."
"I highly recommend this company for your home pest control. Their technicians are thorough and have prevented any unwanted problems from happening on our property. During our last treatment, Jasmine took care of our outdoor spider webs without us even asking. Last summer they removed a mud dauber's nest under our deck and above our patio door. That attention to detail speaks volumes. Thank you for taking care of us!"
"The team at Better Termite & Pest control are phenomenal! I feel like my family and my home are in good hands. Everyone I have come into contact with has been responsive, pleasant and professional. The price is right and the service is superb!"
"Joann is amazing! She always takes time to talk with me and check inside boxes. I so appreciate her!! I have been using Better Termite and Pest Management for over 20 years."
"I love Darren over at Better Termite. He is always so attentive and kind, and really goes, IMO, out of his way to do a fantastic job. And I am so happy that I had NO MOSQUITOES this summer in my backyard in spite of the fact that there is a drainage area right behind my house, and that is 100% because of Better Termites services."
How It Works
How Takoma Park Rodent Control Works
Talk to a Licensed Technician
Call (703) 683-2000 and a licensed technician picks up. Tell us what you hear, where you found droppings, and how old your house is. You can get a plan and a price on the phone.
78-Point Inspection
We map the hot spots: droppings, gnaw marks, rub marks, and nests. Then we look for what feeds them. In Takoma Park that often means the food waste bucket, a backyard compost bin, bird feeders, and pet food in the basement.
Stations Outside, Traps Inside
Tamper-resistant bait stations go on the outside travel routes. Inside, we lean on traps and small stations for mice, and traps for rats, so nothing dies and decays in the walls of a 100-year-old Victorian.
Follow-Ups at 1 and 3 Weeks
We come back to read the stations and traps, move what is not working, and add coverage where activity is heaviest. Sealing entry points comes after the numbers drop, so no rodents get trapped inside.
Long-Term Maintenance
This is where most rodent jobs fail. We stay on a set schedule, usually three visits a year, to re-bait and check activity. Homes close to the DC line or a busy commercial strip may need more frequent visits.
Free Callbacks, No Contract
Hear something between visits? Call and we come back at no extra charge. Plans start around $49/month plus a one-time $200 setup fee. Cancel anytime with 30 days notice.
Your Local Office
Rodent Control Across Takoma Park, ZIP 20912
From Old Takoma, Takoma Junction, and North Takoma to Pinecrest, Hillwood Manor, New Hampshire Gardens, Carole Highlands, and the Takoma-Langley Crossroads.
Get in Touch
Call Us
703-683-2000Email Us
info@bettertermite.comVisit Our Alexandria (Headquarters) Office
2647 Duke StreetAlexandria, VA 22314
Office Hours
- Mon, Tue, Thu7:30 AM – 7 PM
- Wed, Fri7:30 AM – 8 PM
- Sat, Sun9 AM – 6 PM
Good to Know
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? A licensed local tech picks up at (703) 683-2000.
Our Free Callback Promise
See pests between scheduled visits? We come back and retreat at no extra cost — as many times as it takes. No binding contracts, cancel anytime with 30 days notice.
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Your Local Office
Takoma Park is served by our Alexandria, VA team.
Alexandria (Headquarters) Office →