By DoMyOwn staff
Glue boards are great for catching rodents, household insects, and even snakes. They can also be used for monitoring the pests you have.
Hi! I’m Nicole with DoMyOwn.com. Today we’re talking about a simple and effective tool for controlling rodents and other pests in and around your home: glue boards. These non-toxic sticky traps are easy to use and work well for monitoring and capturing rodents, insects, and more. Let’s walk through what they are, how they work, and how to use them safely.
Glue boards, also called glue traps or sticky traps, are flat pieces of cardboard or plastic coated with a strong, adhesive surface. When pests walk across the board, they become stuck and can’t escape. Glue boards are ideal for catching rodents like mice and rats, monitoring what pests you have, and trapping insects, spiders, and sometimes even snakes. These are a great, effective way to catch crawling insects, and great monitoring tools, especially if you're not sure what type of insect you are dealing with.
Glue boards vary in size. You should use mouse-sized boards for mice and insects. We have rat-sized boards for larger rodents. If you are not sure what pests you have, we recommend the larger size that will catch smaller pests too.
Glue boards can be laid flat or folded, often into a tunnel or box shape. Folding them is great because sometimes rodents and snakes prefer the tunneling effect for hiding or tracking prey. It also keeps dust and debris off exposed glue, and it keeps the insects hidden.
If you're going to lay them flat, you want to expose the glue by peeling off the sticker on top. If you choose one that folds, follow the printed instructions on the board for proper assembly of folded traps.
Now let’s talk about where to place them. You want to place glue boards against the baseboards, inside corners, or near entry points where you’ve seen activity. Rodents tend to follow walls and edges, so placing it flush against the wall and behind doors and tight hiding spots they travel, helps ensure they cross naturally.
Check glue boards daily. If you catch something, dispose of the board in a sealed bag and throw it in the trash. Always wear gloves when handling boards that have pests on them, as rodents can carry disease.
Make sure to place glue boards where children and pets cannot access them. The glue is extremely sticky and while non-toxic, it can unintentionally trap curious little hands or paws. If the adhesive accidentally gets on your skin, simple household oils like vegetable or mineral oil will help remove it. When you are finished, they are easily discarded for quick and easy cleanup.
Use glue boards as part of a complete pest-control strategy. Combine them with good sanitation, sealing entry points, and other traps and insecticides if needed. They’re a great tool for monitoring, detection, and initial control of pest activity in your home.
Ready to DIY like a pro? DoMyOwn.com has all the pest control and lawn care products, customer service, and resources you need. Subscribe to our channel for more DIY and product videos.
