Snap traps are easy and effective, while electric traps are quick and typically hide the mouse from view. Bait stations can deal with large infestations, and catch-and-release traps allow you to evict your unwanted guests instead of killing them.
Snap traps are one of the oldest and most reliable devices for controlling rodents. These traps use a kill bar to swiftly contact the rodent's neck in one powerful stroke.
Snap mouse traps
Snap traps for mice have been used by Virginia pest control companies for hundreds of years—making them a solid choice for mouse control. The trap's bait platform is typically baited with peanut butter, chocolate icing, or specially-designed rodent bait that is palatable to mice.
You can bait traps with foods like peanut butter. Place traps in areas where you have seen mice or rats, nesting materials, urine and droppings, nibbled food, or gnaw marks. Place traps in closed areas, such as behind the stove and refrigerator, and in the back of cabinets and drawers.
As for my own family, we tried a few different types of traps during our infestation, including the humane ones, glue traps (which I wouldn't recommend due to the painful experience that both you and the mouse will experience when it comes time for disposal), and snap traps. Snap traps were the clear winner.
To discourage mice, remove all food sources by storing grains, pet food, and other dry goods in metal containers. Make sure mice won't find nesting material by storing all soft, fluffy material like fabric, rugs and blankets in heavy plastic or metal boxes.
People often think cheese is the best food to catch mice, but there is an even better option. Peanut butter is the most cost-effective food that rodents seem to love. Its strong nutty aroma and sweetness make it the perfect mouse trap bait. How do you prevent pantry pests?
Mice Might Learn to Avoid the Trap in the Area
Although traps are new to them at first, they'll eventually know what it does and find different ways to get the bait while avoiding it.
Dry Peanut Butter: If peanut butter dries out and loses its scent, it becomes far less appealing to mice and will mean your peanut butter mouse trap is not working as it should. Over time, exposure to air can cause this beloved bait to become less effective.
Despite popular belief, mothballs are not an effective solution for deterring mice. While these pesticide products contain strong smelling substances like naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene, their efficacy against rodents is minimal at best.
Where to put a mouse trap. Snap traps are most successful when placed along active runways, in dark areas along walls, and behind objects. Ideal placements are along both sides of interior and exterior doorways. To prevent non-target exposure, snap traps can be placed inside tamper resistant bait stations.
Two of the most commonly used trap types are jawed or snap traps and glue boards.
If you're looking for better and more humane ways to eliminate the pesky mice at home, other options like snap traps, live traps, and electric traps are the best alternatives.
Mice are natural seed eaters, but inside homes they're very attracted to high-calorie sweets and fatty foods. Tiny bits of peanut butter or soft cheese have always worked well. Stick a pinch or two of marshmallows, gum drops or beef jerky to the trigger and the trap will spring when mice take a bite.
The best way to get rid of rats or mice is by using traps. If using spring loaded traps for rats, bait three of them in a row without setting them. Bait with dried fruit, peanut butter mixed with oats, or cheese.
You need to replenish the mouse bait station daily if you have many mice. As you start to get rid of mice and they become fewer, you can change them once a week until you think once a month is enough. Replace bait in the mouse trap after a few days with fresh ones.
The strong scent of peppermint is overwhelming to mice. Similarly, essential oils such as eucalyptus oil, bergamot oil, clove oil, and cinnamon oil are potent in keeping mice at bay. One study noted that eucalyptus oil applied once a day was more effective as a rat repellant than once a week.
To get rid of mice, inspect for signs of mouse activity, remove sources of food and shelter, seal the gaps and cracks mice use to enter your home, set mouse traps strategically, and monitor for decreased mouse activity. Bait traps with peanut butter or seeds.
Do Dryer Sheets Keep Mice Out? While some people believe the strong scent may deter mice, dryer sheets are not considered a reliable or long-term solution. Other proven methods like sealing entry points and professional rodent control services are recommended for better results.
Irish Spring soap is not likely to keep mice away from your house– and the strong fragrances could even be attractive to them. Rats & mice might initially be deterred by the overwhelming odor, but after a while they'll get used to it, and may even take a nibble to test it as food.
Staff at PaulB Hardware in Lititz, which serves a large agricultural customer base, recommends a product called Fresh Cab. It can repel rodents for up to 3 months, by using a smell that would be extremely offensive to pests, but smells like air freshener to humans.
Zinc phosphide is an acute toxicant that causes the death of a house mouse within several hours after a lethal dose is ingested. It appears to be the fastest way of getting rid of mice by reducing their population.
Now that we know mice hate strong, fresh smells, loud noises, bright lights, and anything that signifies danger, it's important to consider what may attract them to your home. These critters are omnivores and can eat almost anything.