How to remove sticky mouse trap glue from skin

HOW TO REMOVE A MOUSE GLUE TRAP FROM A CHILD

Oh No!! Dad’s in trouble. Mom told him not to place those mouse glue traps where the kids could reach them. Now we have a 4 year-old who is freaking out because he has a glue trap stuck on his arm and a mother who is freaking out because she doesn’t know what to do to get it off. The package might have had instructions, but that’s long gone. She’s tried soapy water and rubbing alcohol but that’s just made a mess! Meanwhile, the screaming continues…

Too bad Mom doesn’t know how really easy (and painless) it is to remove a mouse glue board or sticky trap. It’s as simple as cooking oil – honestly, that’s the antidote. And if you don’t have cooking oil at hand, almost any other type of food or pharmaceutical-grade oil such as mineral oil or baby oil will work.

THE CURE REQUIRES OIL AND A LITTLE TIME

If the trap isn’t stuck too tightly, you might be able to gently pull the trap off of the child, but then you still need to get rid of that sticky glue that remains. In either case, you can: (1) saturate the glue area by dabbing it with a cloth soaked in the oil of choice, or (2) slowly pour cooking oil over the trap glue or, (3) spray the glue with cooking oil in a pressurized can. Let the oil sit for several minutes to soften the glue while reassuring the tiny victim that this method really will work.

Finally, completely remove the trap and using a dry cloth, rub the oiled area to remove the softened glue residue. Repeat the process if necessary. Then wash the skin (or hair) with soap and warm water to remove the leftover oil. By the way, I understand that this method works for getting chewing gum out of hair, too.

If your situation is a little different and you have trap glue on clothing, or upholstered furniture, or the family pet, check out this blog for more information on how to deal with those scenarios: How to Unstick Your Child (or Your Pet) From a Mouse Glue Trap.

This unfortunate drama could have been avoided if Dad had placed the glue trap inside a cardboard or metal trap station or bait station designed so that mice can reach the trap but little hands cannot. Or, Dad could have picked up the phone and called Colonial Pest. Our technicians know where and how to safely place rodent traps and Dad wouldn’t be in the doghouse! Call Colonial!

Have you been using mouse traps in or around your home only to have gotten the glue stuck to your skin? Even worse, has the glue found its way into your pet’s fur?

If so, this could lead to several problems that you may be unsure of how to solve. Thankfully, there are simple solutions you can use. Read on to learn a few short and easy-to-understand steps you can take to remove mouse trap glue from fur and skin!

Is Mouse Trap Glue Poisonous?

First and foremost, glue traps aren’t necessarily poisonous to animals unless they somehow ingest the glue itself. But you should consider glue traps detrimental to the health and safety of your pets.

According to the Humane Society of the United States, glue traps are cruel. They result in a prolonged death to the animals trapped on them, causing more suffering than any other product on the market. Oftentimes, a rodent on a glue trap is starving, exhausted, but still alive. This means it could end up biting your pet or even you!

The Humane Society explains, “Glue boards are also dangerous to household pets and other animals that aren’t the user’s intended target. If the board is small, a larger animal may be able to pull it off, though they will likely lose fur or skin. Smaller animals, however, have no means of escape. Larger glue boards can entrap medium-sized animals, including pets. Cats often require veterinary help and surgery to remove glue boards.” 

So, glue traps may not be initially poisonous, but they can pose a serious risk to you, your pets, and your children.

How Can I Remove Rat Trap Glue from My Skin?

If you do happen to get the glue from one on these traps on your skin, thankfully, there’s an easy process to remove it!

1. The first and most important step is to sit down and remain calm. Getting overly stressed out and making rash decisions – like tearing the trap from your skin – will only make matters worse.
2. That being said, the first thing you want to do is cautiously and gradually pull the trap away from your skin.
3. As you do this, most of the glue will probably stay on the trap but some will stay on your skin. Once you’ve removed the trap from your skin, use a cotton ball to dab the affected area with oil, such as olive oil or vegetable oil. If you don’t have any oil on hand, you can even use non-chunky peanut butter. Let whatever substance you choose sit on your skin for several minutes.
4. Next, using a soft, dry cloth, rub the affected area. The glue will slowly soften and come off.
5. You may need to repeat this process if the glue is slow to come off.
6. Finally, when you’ve managed to remove all the glue, wash your hands and the affected area carefully with soap and water.

How Can I Remove Trap Glue from My Pet’s Fur?

If your pet happens to get stuck on a glue trap, this can also lead to an unfortunate situation.

If your pet is small and the glue trap is covering most of its body, it’s in your and your pet’s best interest to seek veterinary help right away. This is probably not a problem you can solve on your own.

Otherwise, if it’s a medium- to large-sized dog or cat caught in a small glue trap, you’ll want to take a similar approach as to with human skin.

1. First, soak the affected area in basically any type of oil. Common options you can find around the home include canola, vegetable, olive, or corn oil.
2. As you pour it on, massage the affected area with your hands until you see the trap loosening from the fur. You may have to apply generous amounts of oil to the fur. Eventually, the trap will release.
3. To get the rest of the glue out of your pet’s fur, continue to add oil and massage the affected area.
4. When the glue has lifted, be sure to give your pet a thorough bath with soap and water!

How Can I Get a Mouse Off a Rat Trap to Release It?

You’ve caught an animal in a glue trap. Perhaps it wasn’t the intended target or perhaps it was and you want to go ahead and release it. Either way, you have a short, but fairly simple, set of steps you can follow. 

First, it’s always a good idea to involve a veterinarian. Often, when animals find themselves stuck in a glue trap, they struggle to get away. This only gets them more and more stuck, making the situation increasingly worse. A vet can ensure both the animal and yourself remain unharmed during the removal process.

1. The first thing you want to do is try to keep the animal calm. Avoid getting its nose in the glue at all costs. Remember, the more an animal struggles, the worse the entanglement will be. 
2. Before touching the animal, make sure you’re wearing thick protective gloves. 
3. Proceed to pour the oil of your choice on the parts of the animal attached to the trap. Massage the affected area(s) and add more oil as you see fit.
4. You may have to repeat this process many times. 
5. Once the animal has been removed from the trap, it’s would be a good idea to take the animal to the vet to ensure it’s unharmed.

Conclusion

Sadly, glue traps can cause potential headaches for you and your pets. Thankfully, as you learned in this article, there are easy ways to remove mouse trap glue!

Remember to always error on the side of caution when using glue traps and consider their potential negative side effects. Do whatever you can to keep your pets away from glue traps!

If an unfortunate situation does arise though, you now know how to handle it! When in doubt, talk to your veterinarian.