Do DIY Mouse Traps Work?

Rodents can get into Knoxville homes all year long, but they have more incentive during the cold winter days to seek warmth. When they do, you may consider addressing your rodent problem with DIY trapping methods — and some do work! 

As a rodent scurries past an exterior door and senses heat radiating through the door or warm air leaking from a gap in some weatherstripping around the door, it will want to know where that heat is coming from. This can inspire a rodent to chew through the rubber protective barrier and slip right into your home. 

We’re going over some of the methods you might use and some of the ways they fall short of appropriately dealing with a rodent infestation.

Not-So-Great DIY Rodent Control Ideas

We’re always being asked questions about natural rodent remedies, such as, “What scent will keep mice away?” “Do mothballs keep mice away?” “Does cinnamon keep mice away?” and, “Do mice like vinegar? All of these questions center on controlling mice and rats with natural products that rodents find repelling. 

But repelling rodents isn’t going to completely solve a rodent problem. These animals can climb up and down through your wall voids and chew access holes in locations you haven’t sprinkled with something repelling. They aren’t likely to leave your home, especially if it is cold outside. 

Repellents are best used for keeping mice and rats from getting into your home in the first place. Some common repellents that may be successful at deterring rodents are: 

• Used kitty litter (in an open container)
• Peppermint oil
• Instant potatoes
• Mothballs
• Vinegar
• Onions

DIY Rat Poison as a Homemade Solution

Another solution people turn to is natural forms of poison, such as mixing dry plaster and cocoa powder together. It is believed that mice will eat this mixture and then leave a home in search of water. When they do, they die outside. But don’t count on those rodents to eat this concoction or to go outside to die.

Once rodents have gotten in, you’re probably going to think about trapping them. This is another way DIY methods can fail. Many traps just don’t work. And if a trap does work, it can become ineffective when placed in the wrong location or when the wrong type of bait is used. There are many ways trapping can go wrong.

Effective DIY Rodent Control Tips

When we provide rodent prevention tips, we focus on environmental modifications to exclude and resist rodents rather than “control” rodents with natural remedies and DIY products. Some ways to naturally conduct rodent management are:

• Remove unnecessary clutter and vegetation from landscaping.
• Seal holes, gaps, and cracks in your exterior.
• Address conditions that promote moisture or create puddles.
• Place trash in sealed receptacles.
• Put foods in sealed, hard plastic containers.

Using rodent management, you can make your Knoxville home less interesting to rodents. But, when it comes to “controlling” rodents, it is best to hire a professional. A rodent control professional uses tamper-resistant traps that are appropriately selected for the animal being trapped and placed in a way that will achieve the desired results. 

Most of all, a professional can monitor rodent activity and ensure that no rodents remain in your home after the service is completed.

We Get All The Rodents in Knoxville

The best solution for rodent control in Knoxville is to reach out to the rodent control experts at Russell’s Pest Control. Our pest control team knows what is required to monitor rodent activity and effectively eliminate rodents. So don’t trust DIY rodent control to protect your health and property from mice and rats. It just isn’t worth it.

At Russell’s Pest Control, our licensed rodent exterminators possess specialized skills and advanced equipment designed to ensure the rapid and efficient eradication of rats and mice from your property. We carefully strategize the placement of traps to enhance capture rates effectively, all while placing the highest priority on the safety of every household member. 

You can trust the expertise of Russell’s Pest Control to handle your rodent control challenges. Don’t hesitate to reach out, contact us today to begin with a complimentary quote!