3 Different Ways to Catch a Mouse in Your House
It’s mouse season — and two friends of mine have found critter droppings in their kitchens, which has thrown them into a tizzy. I’ve been through this before, and it was so difficult to catch the mice. They have patterns that you can expect, and then they break them. Learning how to trap a mouse took days and a lot of patience. Read below for different ways to trap mice, including using a standard mouse trap and making a DIY mouse trap.
How to Set Up a Mouse Trap
Apartment Therapy reader SunnyBlue1 swears by standard wooden mouse traps and using an aromatic bait to catch them, such as peanut butter or raw bacon.
- Slide the trap inside a brown paper bag down to the end. Alternatively, you could use an empty cereal box.
- Place the bag on the floor, nestled under the edge of the cabinets.
- Ideally, you’ll be able to catch a mouse through this method, then toss the whole bag (mouse, trap, and all) into the dumpster.
Humane Ways to Catch a Mouse
Make a DIY Humane Mouse Trap with Toilet Paper or Paper Towel Roll
Learn how to make an easy DIY humane mouse trap by following the steps below.
- Take a toilet paper or paper towel roll and fold it to have a flat bottom.
- Balance the roll half-on and half-off a table or counter with a few pieces of bait toward the edge.
- Place a bucket beneath the roll so when the mouse enters the roll, he’ll tip it over and fall into the bucket.
Use a 2-Liter Soda Bottle to Make a DIY Humane Mouse Trap
This DIY version does the trick with a 2-liter soda bottle and a bunch of other household items, but requires a lot more steps than the one above.
- Remove the cap and cut the plastic ring from the soda bottle using wire cutters or dikes.
- Measure 8 inches from the bottom of the bottle with a measuring tape or ruler, and mark the spot with a permanent marker. Do this all around the bottle.
- Put a rubber band around the bottle and line it up with the marks you just made.
- Use the rubber band as a straight-edge and draw a circle all the way around the bottle.
Use a pocket or utility knife to puncture the bottle on the line you just drew. - Take your scissors and finish cutting along the line completely around the bottle.
- With your drill and 5/32″ bit (or around that size) make two rows of holes near the base of the bottle (about 20 holes altogether).
- Drill three holes about 1/2 inch from the top of the bottle. The holes should be at least as equally spaced from each other as you can get them without having to measure.
- Use three clothespins to hold the top of the bowl flush with the top of the container.
- Use a permanent marker and trace through the holes to mark their positions on the bowl.
- Using a drill and 5/32-inch bit or an ice-pick, make holes in the bowl where your marks are.
- After suspending the bowl in the container with the holes lined up, use the three 4-inch pieces of small gauge wire to hold the bowl in place. Keep the wire tied in such a way that most of it is outside of the bowl.
- Make the base with a 8-inch-by-8-inch piece of at least 3/4-inch plywood, particle board, or whatever is available. Measure to and mark the center of the base using a measuring tape or ruler and permanent marker.
- Place the bottle on the mark in the center of the base.
- With the 8-inch-by-3-inch drywall screws at an angle, screw the trap to the base on either side; the screws are sharp enough to make the holes in the bottle by hand, then you simply use a screwdriver to screw it into the base. You may have to take the bowl off and use your hand to hold the trap down while you screw the trap to the base — make sure the trap sits flush onto the base. The screws will stick out — this makes them easier to remove when you go to clean the trap, and ensures that you do not over-tighten them and go completely through the plastic.
- Now, put the bowl back on and you are finished!
How to Get Rid of Mice for Good
To learn more about how to get rid of mice in your home, including how to know if you even have a mice infestation and spot where they are coming from, read this article on The Best Way to Get Rid of Mice in Your Home (and Keep Them Out!), According to a Pest Expert.