How to Set a Mousetrap?

If you’re looking for how to set a mousetrap, your house has probably been invaded by some unwanted guests. It is crucial to put an end to mice infestation as soon as it takes over your home. Here, we will give you the best possible ways to work on this.

It is easy to learn how to set and bait a trap all by yourself. When you choose a type of mousetrap, you need to know how to position and lure in mice. Here, we will give you all the possible ways to catch as many mice as possible. You just need to be careful about using the traps and know how to position them well.

Types of mousetraps and setting

It is important to first know the types of mousetraps that are available in order to set them right:

1. Bait and set snap

These kinds of mouse traps have a thin and hooked metal bar that you can raise over the back of your trap. You need to add bait right on the middle or on the pedal of the track. Put the rectangular metal bar at the back of the trap and put it overhead to set the trap. The snap traps are loaded with springs and there is a spring release bar that kills the mouse immediately.

2. Electronic traps

There are electronic mouse traps that you can bait by opening its lid and placing the bait inside. You need to open the lid of this trap and place the bait in the given bait station. It is usually the back of the trap and the mouse enters the trap and gets electrocuted. These traps lure in the mouse because of the bait you put and their entry inside the box-like device and ends up killing them. Make sure you keep kids away from such mousetraps and use them properly so they don’t end up hurting you.

3. Glue traps

You can also place glue traps on the bait or near the bait. When you open the glue trap from the package, set it on the ground and find the glue facing upward. You need to place the bait next to it or on the top of the glue trap. This is lure in the mice easily.

The glue mouse traps come with scented elements and glue traps. These attract the mice and once their step into it, they sink further in the trap and die. Note that these traps are least humane as they kill mice with suffocation and starvation. These can take days and that’s why you should avoid it.

4. Set, catch, release traps

There are traps that make you set, catch and release the mouse. These are the most harmless and recommended kind of mousetrap. You need to place the bait inside, allow the mouse to go it, trap it, and then release it outside. It is better than killing mice but you need to throw them far away so that they don’t come back inside the house.

How to set a mousetrap

Now that you know what type of product you can buy, you need to know how to set a mousetrap. Check the way out as given below:

1. Position traps in late afternoon or eve

As mice are nocturnal, it will be best for you to set the trap right before you go to bed or by the afternoon. Position the traps latest by evening and make sure the mice don’t get the smell or find your approach towards it. Don’t position the traps at night as you can scare them away from coming close.

2. Place traps in spots where you see the mice

Mice have specific holes from where they get in and travel through. You need to place the traps in ‘high traffic’ areas where they pass through. If you know their nesting area, you can place it right near it.

To find the pathways, you must look for dropping, small paw prints, and bite marks. Mice tend to hide in the attics, closets, basements, inside walls, storage boxes, and wooden piles.

3. Put traps near walls and corners

Mice tend to avoid open spaces but you shouldn’t place the traps in the middle of the room. Keep the traps against the wall or near corners so mice can find them more frequently.

4. Position traps near entry points

Mice tend to enter your home through openings and cracks. You need to inspect the home for such opening and place traps in those places. You also should fix such opening to prevent further infestation.

5. Feeding areas

Mice infest in your house because they want your food. This is most common during colder months than hotter. Place the traps in the kitchen, pantry, and other places where you keep food. Mice carry diseases and if they contaminate your food, you can have fatal diseases.

How to use and maintain a mousetrap?

Find out how to maintain traps and what all you must do while figuring out how to set a mousetrap:

1. Wear gloves

The first thing you need to do is wear gloves. If you touch the gloves with your bare hands, the scent that scares away the mice. You need to wear gloves to cover or mask the smell of your body and not limit dexterity. Try to get baits that have a strong smell like fried bacon, candy, or peanut butter.

2. Check traps regularly

You need to check the traps frequently because once you set it up the mouse shouldn’t be able to eat the bait and run. You must clean it up before every use as mice can smell a dead mouse and get scared. Moreover, if your traps smell foul as it has a dead mouse in it, the trap can spread diseases if you take too long to check.

3. Set a new trap

You must dispose of the mouse or mice as soon as you catch them. After throwing them far away from your house, you need to use a new mousetrap to repeat the activity. Make sure you have the right baits to do the rest of the trick for you and attract more mice. If your mousetrap is reusable, make sure you clean it well and then reuse it.

Now that you know how to set a mousetrap, choose the kind of product you want to buy and set it up.