Silver Bullet Pest ControlYou plugged in three of them, the little green lights are on, and you still hear scratching in the ceiling. Here is what ultrasonic pest repellers really do, why they rarely solve a mouse, roach or bug problem, and what works instead in North Jersey homes.
4.9 stars on Google • NJ License 90568B • 15+ years • Based in Garfield, NJ • Hablamos español
Still hearing mice with the plug-ins running? Text a photo of the droppings to 973-510-2585 and we'll tell you what you're dealing with.
For most homeowners, ultrasonic pest repellers do not work well enough to rely on: they may make a mouse or rat hesitate for a few days, but rodents get used to the sound, and roaches, bed bugs, ants and spiders show little or no reaction at all. The sound also can't pass through walls, cabinets or furniture, so it never reaches the places pests actually live. Lasting control comes from finding the pest, removing it and sealing the way in. Silver Bullet Pest Control (NJ License 90568B) does that for homes in Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties — call or text 973-510-2585.
An ultrasonic repeller is a small box that plugs into an outlet and gives off high-pitched sound, usually above what adult humans can hear. The idea on the package is simple: the noise is so unpleasant that mice, rats, roaches and other pests leave the area and stay away.
Many models also claim an "electromagnetic" or "ionic" effect that supposedly travels through the home's wiring and drives pests out of the walls. Some switch between several frequencies so pests "can't adjust." The boxes often show a long list of pests — from mice to spiders to bed bugs — and a coverage area in square feet.
The trouble is that a box in an outlet can't change the three things that keep pests in a house: food, shelter and a way in. As long as those are there, a sound — even an annoying one — is a small problem for a mouse compared with a cold night outside.
Independent testing over the years has mostly found weak or short-lived effects, and federal regulators have warned sellers in the past about advertising claims they couldn't back up. That doesn't mean every box does nothing in every case. It means you shouldn't count on one to fix an infestation.
What we see in the field, pest by pest:
| Pest | Effect of ultrasonic repellers | What actually works |
|---|---|---|
| Mice | Sometimes a short pause in activity; mice get used to it, often within days | Trapping, sealing entry points, cleaning up food sources |
| Rats | Same as mice — brief avoidance at best, especially when food is nearby | Inspection, trapping, locked outdoor stations, sealing at the foundation |
| Cockroaches | Little or no reaction in most tests | Gel bait plus growth regulator (IGR) and a follow-up visit |
| Bed bugs | No meaningful effect — they stay where people sleep | Professional treatment, including heat treatment |
| Ants and spiders | No meaningful effect | Finding the nest or entry points; targeted treatment |
| Mosquitoes | Not effective; many "mosquito" plug-ins and apps fail in testing | Removing standing water, treating shady resting spots |
| Squirrels, raccoons, bats | Not a solution — and may trap animals inside if they stay | Licensed wildlife removal and exclusion |
If the box lists every pest under the sun, that's a hint: the biology of a mouse and a bed bug are completely different, and one sound can't work on both.
High-pitched sound is easily blocked by walls, cabinets, couches and boxes. Mice live inside walls, under appliances and in attic insulation — exactly where the sound can't reach.
Rodents adapt to steady sounds. A noise that bothered them on day one is background by day ten, especially if there's food on the other side of it.
A mouse that has found crumbs, pet food or bird seed will put up with a lot to keep eating. A sound never removes the reason it came in.
Even if one mouse leaves, the hole it used is still there. The next mouse comes in through the same gap next week.
The "electromagnetic through the wiring" claim has even less support behind it. Wiring doesn't run everywhere a mouse travels, and there's no good evidence it bothers pests at all.
We hear this a lot, and people aren't imagining it. There are a few honest reasons a plug-in can seem to work:
The tell-tale sign that a repeller isn't working: fresh droppings. If you're still finding new droppings in drawers, under the sink or along the basement walls a week or two after plugging it in, the mice are still living there. Our guide does one mouse mean more? explains why a single sighting usually means a few more.
For people, these devices are generally considered low risk, though some adults, children and teens can hear the higher tones or feel a faint ringing or headache near them. If someone in the house says the room "buzzes," believe them.
Pets are the bigger question. Dogs and cats hear higher sounds than people do, and some pets act stressed around these devices. Small pets — hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, pet rats and mice, and rabbits — hear in the same range the devices are built to bother, and the device can't tell your hamster from a house mouse. If you have small pets, we suggest leaving the plug-ins out of the rooms they live in, or skipping them altogether.
The bigger safety issue is indirect: a family that trusts a repeller may wait months before dealing with a real infestation. Mice contaminate food and counters with urine and droppings, chew wiring, and nest in insulation. Rats can do more. A plug-in that buys time doesn't buy safety.
Cleaning up droppings? Don't sweep or vacuum them dry. Wet them with disinfectant first and wipe up with gloves on. See our mouse droppings cleanup guide.
Match the method to the pest:
Rodents need a way in. Traps placed along the walls they travel take care of the ones inside, and sealing pipe gaps, vents, door bottoms and foundation cracks with materials they can't chew keeps the next ones out.
Roaches ignore sound. What works is gel bait placed where they hide, an insect growth regulator so the young can't mature and breed, and a follow-up visit. Our roach treatment carries a 90-day warranty.
Bed bugs live within a few feet of where people rest and feed every few nights. No plug-in will drive them out. Professional treatment — including heat treatment — is the reliable route.
| Situation | Reasonable DIY | Time to call a pro |
|---|---|---|
| One mouse seen in fall | A few snap traps along the wall, seal obvious gaps | Droppings keep showing up after 1–2 weeks |
| Noise in the ceiling or attic | Listen for timing — night vs. daytime | Heavy thumps, daytime noise or chewing (could be squirrels) |
| Rats outside | Clean up food, close trash, remove wood piles | Burrows along the foundation, rats seen in daylight |
| Roaches in the kitchen | Clean, fix leaks, use bait (not spray) | Seen during the day, or in more than one room |
| Multi-family building | Report to the landlord in writing | Activity in several units or the basement |
How we handle mice: we inspect inside and out, trap the rodents inside where kids and pets can't reach the traps, and seal the entry points. Mouse service includes 90 days of coverage with unlimited free service calls in that time. Details on our mice and rat exterminator page.
Tell us what you're seeing and where, and text a photo if you can. We'll identify the pest and give you a free quote for a plan that actually removes it.
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Not reliably. Mice may avoid the area for a few days, but they get used to the sound, and it can't reach inside walls or under appliances where they nest. If you still find fresh droppings a week or two after plugging one in, the mice are still there and you need trapping and sealing.
No, not in any useful way. Cockroaches show little or no reaction to the sound in most testing, and they stay close to food, water and warm hiding spots. Gel bait, an insect growth regulator and a follow-up visit are what clear a roach problem.
Sellers often say a few weeks, but if a repeller were going to make a difference you'd expect to see it quickly. In practice, any drop in activity tends to fade as pests get used to the sound. Judge it by fresh droppings or sightings, not by how long it's been plugged in.
They usually don't cause physical harm, but dogs and cats hear higher pitches than people, and some act stressed or avoid the room. Watch your pet's behavior. If it seems bothered, unplug the device — it isn't doing much against pests anyway.
We don't recommend them around small pets. Hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, pet rats and rabbits hear in the range these devices are designed to annoy, and the device can't tell a pet from a pest. Keep them out of those rooms or skip them.
No. The idea that a signal through your home's wiring drives pests out of the walls has very little evidence behind it. Wiring doesn't run everywhere mice travel, and pests don't appear to react to it in a meaningful way.
No, and it can make things worse. Sound won't evict a squirrel or raccoon with young, and bats are protected and must be excluded at the right time of year. A licensed wildlife company should handle attic animals so none are trapped inside.
Usually because the gap they used is still open, or the mice just moved to another part of the house or the next unit. New things make rodents cautious for a few days, which can look like success. Sealing entry points is what keeps them out.
Trap the mice that are inside and seal the gaps they use with materials they can't chew. Clean up food, store pantry items in sealed containers and keep pet food put away. Our mouse service uses traps inside the home, placed where kids and pets can't reach them.
It depends on how many mice, how long they've been there, the size and type of building, and how many entry points need sealing. We give a free quote after seeing the property, and mouse service includes 90 days of coverage with unlimited free service calls in that time.
No de forma confiable. Los ratones se acostumbran al sonido y el sonido no atraviesa paredes ni muebles. Lo que funciona es atrapar los ratones y sellar los huecos por donde entran. Llame o mande texto al 973-510-2585 — hablamos español.
Silver Bullet Pest Control is based in Garfield and serves Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties.
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
