The Best Mouse Traps

For this report, our experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute started by shopping the market for mouse traps to identify the products you’re most likely to find in stores and online. We also consulted with outside experts at the Penn State Extension and the Building Performance Institute who develop standards for the management of pest-free homes.

We then based our brand and product selection on a combination of this collective expertise and at-home tests performed by Good Housekeeping Institute staffers. Finally, we checked online reviews for red flags related to performance, safety and usability.

Think about what type of trap you want to use. The four main options are outlined below and they vary by cost, ease of use and squirm factor (i.e. how much you'll actually have to see or handle the rodent).

Note that we do not recommend rodenticides, which should never be used in homes because of the risk of accidental poisoning, especially of children and pets.

✔️ Snap traps are the most common type of mouse trap, with a quick trigger system to catch mice. There are several kinds of snap traps, including bar, clam and hidden kill. When used correctly, snap traps can swiftly eliminate a population of mice in your home. They are also inexpensive and often reusable. The downside is they're a little tricky to set (watch those fingers!) and you have to deal with disposing of the dead mouse. Here's a breakdown of the variations:

• Bar traps are the most traditional kind of snap trap. To set a bar trap, place bait on a pressure-sensitive switch to attract mice. Once a mouse tries to move that bait, a spring-loaded bar is activated.
• Clam snap traps feature a spring-loaded "clam" jaw that's activated once the bait is moved.
• Hidden kill snap traps are designed with a chamber that has a baited switch at the end. Once a mouse enters the chamber and tries to move the bait, the hidden snap trap will kill the mouse in much the same way as a bar or clam trap would, but you don't have to deal with seeing a dead rodent.

✔️ Electric traps, also referred to as electronic traps, work by luring mice into a chamber then delivering a quick, fatal electric shock. These traps are typically designed with no-touch, no-see disposal and are engineered to prevent humans and pets from being shocked. Electric traps have a light or other signal that indicates when a mouse has been caught. These traps are typically larger than most other trap types, run on batteries and are among the more expensive kinds of mouse traps. Electric mouse traps work especially well in places where there are fewer rodents.

✔️ Live catch traps are often similar to other traps for larger mammals — they catch but don't kill the mice. They are essentially chambers or cages outfitted with trigger-activated doors. The trap's door shuts once the mouse is inside the chamber, and it won't reopen until you release the captured mouse. These traps are relatively easy to use and can be effective, but they are typically larger and less discreet than many other trap types, and, of course, they involve handling a live mouse. It is important to release the mouse at least three miles from your home in order to prevent it from finding its way back. Captured mice that return are often wary of traps and harder to catch a second time.

✔️ Sticky traps are comprised of an adhesive glue board, usually made from either cardboard or plastic, and involve little to no setup or mechanical skill. These traps often don’t even need to be baited — their adhesive surface simply traps mice and prevents them from escaping. A sticky trap or glue trap is easy to set, but it can only be used once, does not work well outside and must be kept away from pets and small children. Due to the inhumane killing method of sticky or glue mouse traps, we do not recommend them. "They're also not as effective since adult mice will quickly learn to avoid them," said Lerman.

Once you've found the mouse trap that works best for you, maximize its efficacy by baiting it properly. Mice have a keen sense of smell, so choosing a bait that has a powerful scent is important if you want to trap mice successfully.

"Mice don't like stale food," said Lerman. "You often see cheese, but it dries out quickly, so it's not the best choice." Peanut butter used to be common, but pros use it less because of concerns around nut allergies. Here are some of the current favorites:

• Hot dog
• Chocolate
• Bacon
• Bird seed
• Nuts

Placement is key. "Put the traps anywhere you know the mice have been," said Lerman. Common traffic routes include along walls, in dark corners, under appliances and behind the kitchen faucet.

If you're dealing with a serious infestation, you'll need to set a bunch of traps. "No fewer than six traps, and often a dozen or more," said Lerman. "It might take a couple of weeks, but you'll eventually knock down the population.

Experts recommend a strategy based on Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which posits that there's no single cure-all solution to pest control. "Multiple things must be done to prevent pests from entering the home and to make the home a less desirable habitat if they do enter," noted the Building Performance Institute. Here are the key best practices.

• Deny mice a food supply. Mice search for a warm and comfortable source of food (especially in colder temperatures). Make sure to keep your kitchen area extra clean. Wiping the table and counters and sweeping the floor after meals to ensure there’s no tempting crumbs or spills left behind is a good practice. It's also smart to store all unsealed food — including pet food — in airtight plastic, glass or metal containers.
• Promptly remove extra paper goods. Mice will also eat cardboard and paper, so be diligent about throwing away all food packaging in a sealed trash can and putting pantry items in sealed glass or plastic containers.
• Contain your trash well. Make sure that your trash container is entirely mouse-proof by using a can with an airtight lid and/or rubber cords to fasten the can.
• Seal all potential mice entryways. Search for holes in your foundation and seal around pipes in the basement or other entry points with caulk. "A quarter-inch crack is all a mouse needs to enter your home, said Lerman. Be sure to fill all larger holes with steel wool, which mice cannot chew through, and place screens on vents and chimneys.

Courtney Campbell, who has written product reviews on a variety of topics over the course of her career, wrote this article under the guidance of Dan DiClerico, director of the Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab.

In his role as director of the Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab, Dan DiClerico brings more than 20 years of experience to the Institute, having reviewed thousands of products for Good Housekeeping, as well as brands like This Old House and Consumer Reports. He has also written extensively on the topic of healthy homes, including the negative impacts of pests and other allergens on indoor air quality. He has personally used all of the mouse traps covered in this review.