Got a mouse problem this winter? You might not be alone

By Bill Seymour, Special to the Independent
Jan 23, 2025

There’s nothing mousey about evicting invading mice. Even someone with Mickey ears couldn’t lead this troupe of Mouseketeers away.

In the cold fall and winter months, they charge in like uninvited holiday guests who eat all your cookies, leave crumbs - and other telltale signs - everywhere, and refuse to leave.

"You see droppings on the floor, in kitchen drawers, on the counters. They scamper around in attics, get in the walls and die, and they really smell," said Dave Chappell, who’s been in the hardware business for nearly 30 years.

Ah, yes, it is the season of crackling fires and cozy blankets when homeowners prepare for snowfalls, but tiny, furry freeloaders also greet them with a penchant for overstaying their welcome.

It’s prime time for Chappell, the local hardware guru, to field a flurry of frantic phone calls and watch confused customers pace the "mouse aisle," pondering the best tools for their whiskered woes.

Just when they think they’ve vanquished the invaders, more droppings appear—like pesky confetti from a surprise party you never wanted. Back to the aisle customers go, eyes wide and wallets open, stocking up on traps and bait like they're prepping for a rodent apocalypse.

These whiskered trespassers, says Matthew Bernier, who works with Chappell at Jerry’s hardware in Narragansett, aren’t just here for a quick snack. Oh, no—they come with a hefty bill.

These unexpected tenants can cost anywhere from a few bucks for basic traps to thousands for full-scale eviction efforts, he said. Nothing says “winter wonderland” like a mouse in your pantry!

James Marron, store manager at Ace Hardware in Wakefield, chimed in with tales of four-wheeled mouse mishaps.

"I've had a few customers say they've had to rewire the whole car when coming back after the winter," he said, referencing the surprise left behind by these unseasonal stowaways.

And it’s not just the damage—it’s the catching that can turn even the bravest homeowner into a squeamish wreck.

"There are a lot of people who don't like looking in the eyes of dead mice," Bernier added with a laugh, conjuring visions of folks tiptoeing around traps with their eyes squeezed shut.

In the Northeast, where winters are notoriously frosty, mice seeking refuge in homes are no small issue for homeowners. Each winter, millions of American homes play host to these furry invaders, with infestations peaking between October and February.

The colder it gets outside, the cozier your walls, basements, and attics look to a mouse on the move. And if the frigid weather doesn’t get them, climate change might be helping them stick around.

Even Mother Nature seems to be giving these critters a boost.

“Milder winters have been linked to rising rodent populations. Warmer temperatures allow more mice to survive the season, leading to larger populations in subsequent years,” according to one expert. It’s like a rodent reunion.

So, what’s a homeowner to do?

The experts at Jerry’s Hardware and Ace Hardware in Wakefield are full of time-tested advice. First, there are the trusty snap traps, baited with some peanut butter—a classic, but trapping is not for the faint of heart.

"But a lot of people don't like them," Bernier pointed out. "Setting them can be hard."

For the trap-shy, Chappell recommends the “jaws” traps, featuring shark-like teeth that snap shut with a decisive "chomp" when a mouse dares to nibble.

As for the baiting technique?

"I've never had an issue putting it in the center. You've got to really put it in, can't leave it loose, and you've got to really make them work for it," Chappell said. And when it works—snap goes the trap. Less fumbling without tricky metal arms brings more efficient mouse-catching.

If you prefer a less direct approach, Marron suggests bait boxes with poison that drive the mice outside in search of water, where they meet their demise without turning your walls into a graveyard.

There are also glue pads, he said, but squeamish folks don't like handling living mice with staring eyes upwards, saying, "Save me from this sticky stuff." This isn't a mouse rescue effort.

But wait—there’s more. Cars, it turns out, can be prime real estate for mice looking to ride out the winter.

"You can use some mothballs in the engine compartment—and some in the basement, too, if you have mice there," Bernier advised. And if your car could stand to smell more minty fresh to ward off mice, peppermint and spearmint sprays are popular mouse repellents for vehicles.

Near rivers and the ocean, homeowners have another foe to contend with—rats. But fear not, similar remedies are on hand at your local hardware store for those bigger, more ambitious intruders.

Still, prevention is better than the cure. Here’s the cheat sheet for keeping your home rodent-free:

• Seal Entry Points. Mice can squeeze through holes as small as a dime. Walk around your home with a tube of caulk or steel wool and block those sneaky openings.
• Maintain Cleanliness. No mouse can resist a kitchen buffet. Keep counters crumb-free, stash food in airtight containers, and sweep up regularly.
• Proper Storage. Firewood piles are cozy nests waiting to happen. Store them well away from your house to avoid any rodent tenants.

And if all else fails? Well, there’s always technology.

Electronic devices that emit high-pitched ultrasonic waves promise to send mice running for the hills—or at least the next house over.

Results are mixed, Chappell admitted. But in the ongoing battle between humans and house mice, every little advantage helps.

Meanwhile, the mouse aisle stays busy, the traps keep snapping, and the quest for a rodent-free winter continues.