Traps, Bait Stations or Ultrasonic Plugs: What Works on Mice

Walk into any hardware store in Indianapolis in November and there's a whole aisle of mouse stuff. Snap traps, electric traps, glue boards, bait blocks, plug-in gadgets and peppermint sprays. Some of it works well. Some of it doesn't do much at all. Here's a plain rundown.

Snap Traps

Cheap and still one of the best tools there is. Set them along walls where you find droppings, with the trigger end against the wall, since mice run along edges. Use a little peanut butter. Set more than you think you need. Put them where kids and pets can't reach, or inside a covered trap box.

Bait Stations

Bait is poison, so it belongs in locked, tamper-resistant stations, not scattered loose. Pros usually put stations outside along the foundation or around a garage. Bait indoors can leave you with a dead mouse in the wall and a smell that lasts. If you have kids or pets, ask the tech where every station is going and what's in it.

Glue Boards

They catch mice, but they also catch pets, birds and anything else that steps on them, and many people find them cruel. Snap traps do the job better.

Ultrasonic Plug-Ins and Sprays

Purdue Extension says ultrasonic frightening devices are generally not effective against house mice. We haven't seen good evidence for peppermint sprays or dryer sheets either. They may make you feel better, but they won't close the gap the mice are using.

What Actually Ends It

Every tool on that shelf deals with mice that are already inside. None of them stops new ones from coming in. That's what entry point sealing is for. Trap what's in, seal what's open, and the problem stops. If you've been at it a few weeks with no end in sight, call and get connected with someone who does mouse control every day.

Services mentioned here: Mouse Control, Entry Point Sealing, Garage and Car Rodent Control