Once rats get a foothold, things can escalate quickly. Now a solution developed by LTU professor Örjan Johansson is spreading — and SLU's tests point to clear results.
It's the middle of the night when many people first notice it.
A faint rustling that's hard to place, a small gnawing sound behind the wall, or a feeling that something is moving around in the insulation. At first you want to believe it's your imagination — that it's the wind or the house making noise as the temperature drops. But the sound comes back. And for anyone who has experienced it before, the thought is immediate:
"Please… not rats."
And that's exactly where many people say the stress begins. Because rats in the house are a problem that rarely stays small. They can quickly find their way between walls and spaces, build nests in the insulation and gnaw on materials you never want to have to think about — like cables and pipes.
And that's why one name is now coming up more and more frequently in homeowner groups, comment sections and conversations between neighbors: Repello.
👉 Read more about the method that homeowners talk about right now!
"Many people are surprised by how quickly it can escalate"
When we speak with Örjan Johansson, professor at Luleå University of Technology, he says that most people underestimate how quickly a rat problem can grow.
"Many people think it's a single rat. But once rats find a place where they feel safe, things can move fast. They establish themselves quickly, and then the problem becomes harder to deal with," he says.
He believes this is why so many people also feel caught off guard.
"They're good at working in the shadows. You often don't see them at all at first. You hear something, but it's easy to want to deny it. And then suddenly you see clear signs," says Örjan.
When the "ordinary" isn't enough – that's when people look for something else
For those affected, it's not uncommon to start with classic methods. Traps. Bait. Sealing gaps. Clearing out and trying to create order. But many describe the same frustration: you feel like you're doing everything right – and yet the problem keeps coming back.
"That's often when people start looking for an approach that feels more long-term. Many don't just want to solve the situation for the moment, but want to reduce the risk of them coming back," says Örjan Johansson.
This is where Repello has found its place.
Because the method isn't built on "chasing" a rat, but on influencing behavior and creating an environment that rats don't want to stay in.
The SLU study that makes people stop and take notice
The reason Repello attracts such great curiosity is also due to its connection to a study conducted at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).
This leads many to feel that there is more than just claims to go on.
"When people see that something has been tested in a serious environment, it carries a completely different weight. You become much more interested in what the method is actually based on," says Örjan.
He says that many of those affected have one thing in common: they are tired of taking chances.
"When you have rats in your house, you don't want to try things at random and hope for the best. You want to know that there's a thought behind it. And that's why test results matter to a lot of people," he says.
👉 See what the SLU study shows about Repello
"We have worked with how rats react"
Örjan explains that the work behind the method has been built on an understanding of how rats perceive their surroundings, and how they react to certain types of stimuli.
"It's about understanding the behavior. If you just remove one rat, you haven't made the place any less attractive. The next one will often come along. But if you influence the environment, then the conditions change," he says.
And that is also where, he argues, many people want to see a difference.
"The goal is for them not to want to be there. Because that's when you get peace in your home again," says Örjan Johansson.
"There is an early sign that many people ignore"
At the same time, he says that many people wait too long, and that this often happens for a simple reason: they don't want to believe it's rats.
"The most common early sign is the sound. Rustling, small gnawing noises. Many people ignore it because it's uncomfortable to think about. But the earlier you act, the easier it becomes," he says.
Örjan argues that this is especially important during colder periods, when rats seek out warmth and food.
"Things move fast once they've decided to stay. And that's why it's largely about staying one step ahead," he says.
That's why so many people are reacting to the method right now
The fact that Repello has become such a topic of conversation is really not that surprising.
Rat problems stir up both worry and frustration. Many feel they have tried everything. So when a method is perceived as both different and serious, and is also linked to universities and testing, it creates an entirely different kind of interest.
It's not just another product.
It's a new way of thinking about a problem that can leave people completely stressed out in their own home.
And that is why Repello is something that more and more people want to understand – and more and more people want to try.
