This article focuses on the method for aging Putange traps, a key step in our comprehensive guide to learning how to trap moles.
If you have new Putange traps where the trigger slips easily—a common problem with non-traditionally made traps—and you are not catching any moles, this is normal. This page will explain how to solve the problem. If this is the case, you have new, slick traps that smell of metal. It’s normal not to catch moles with these traps; they need to be aged, and this guide will explain the process.
Be aware that a mole can smell an earthworm through 7 cm of clay soil, so if you place a new mole trap in the middle of its tunnels, it will detect it immediately. This is why, when trapping a mole, the traps must be aged by following a very specific process.
By aging your traps, you gain two major advantages over using a new one:
✅ Scent is eliminated: The trap no longer carries an artificial, metallic scent, so the mole will not be alerted to its presence.
✅ Grip is created: The trap’s surface becomes rougher, which means the trigger no longer slips. This stability is the essential condition for achieving a precise and sensitive trigger setting.
This guide covers the process for properly aging your Putange traps, which typically takes 2 months. If you are short on time, traps from specialist suppliers (like QuickTaupe) often come pre-aged, saving you the effort.
The most effective method is to use the natural properties of soil to create a uniform layer of surface rust.
Select a Location: Find a patch of consistently damp soil in your garden, as moisture is key to the rusting process.
Bury the Traps: Place your traps in the soil, ensuring they are fully covered by at least 2-4 inches (5-10 cm).
Wait and Monitor: Allow the traps to remain buried for two months. You can check a single trap after two weeks to monitor progress.
Assess the Result: The goal is a light, even coat of rust that feels rough to the touch. Avoid deep, flaking corrosion which can weaken the trap’s spring mechanism over time.
For those without garden access, an effective alternative for aging Putange traps is to use a standard planter box. Simply fill the box with soil, bury the traps completely, and allow them to cure for two months.
The objective of this process is to neutralize the trap by eliminating all traces of its industrial origin: the factory scent, the odor of new metal, and any residual grease from the manufacturing process.
This conditioning step is critical. While some may claim that traps are effective without being aged, experience demonstrates that skipping this stage results in a significantly higher trapping failure rate. Properly rusting your Putange traps is therefore essential to maximizing your capture success.
For those without garden access, an effective alternative is to rust Putange traps at home using a standard planter box. Simply place the box on a windowsill, fill it with soil, and bury the traps completely for two months.
The primary objective of this conditioning process is to neutralize the trap by removing all traces of its industrial origin: the factory scent, the odor of new metal, and any residual grease from the manufacturing process.
This step is critical. While some may claim that traps are effective without this treatment, experience shows that skipping this stage leads to a significantly higher trapping failure rate. Properly rusting the Putange mole trap is therefore essential to maximizing your success rate.
Aging a Putange trap is a straightforward but highly time-consuming process. Meanwhile, the mole continues to dig its tunnels and create more molehills.
For this reason, all our traps at QuickTaupe are sold pre-conditioned—and are often more thoroughly aged than what can be achieved in 2 months in a home garden.
When you place an order, we pack the aged traps in jute bags specifically to prevent scent contamination from plastic packaging, ensuring they arrive ready for immediate deployment. (Please note: shipping times may vary depending on your location).
While many online forums suggest burning or boiling traps as a method of aging them, these approaches are ineffective.
The crucial factors for successful conditioning are the combined effects of time, ambient air, and direct contact with the soil. This natural process yields two key benefits:
It creates a rough surface texture (asperities) that holds the trigger mechanism more securely in place.
It allows the trap to absorb the natural scent of the earth, eliminating any man-made odors.
It is this combination of mechanical and olfactory conditioning that makes a naturally aged trap truly effective.
Aging traps outdoors in a natural environment is the ideal way to produce high-quality equipment. Burning them will neither develop surface roughness (asperities) nor impart a natural scent. Boiling them will simply remove existing grease, but nothing more.
Based on extensive testing as a professional mole trapper, I can confirm that the natural method is consistently the most effective for aging Putange traps.
Some recommend aging traps in salt water. I have tested this and saw no discernible difference, despite an extended trial period. I have also tried the hydrochloric acid method and strongly advise against it.
The acid method is problematic for several reasons. Firstly, the traps do not age properly; the steel simply loses its copper coating rather than developing a true patina. Secondly, it takes a very long time for the first asperities to appear. Finally, even after they form, the process requires further steps:
The traps must be thoroughly rinsed.
They must be aged outdoors for a minimum of 10 additional days to lose their acidic odor before they can be used to successfully capture a mole.
One might expect drastic methods to be a shortcut for rapidly rusting traps, but in reality, they are not particularly effective.
The hydrochloric acid method is a poor choice for aging traps. It is hazardous to the user and, most importantly, it cannot replicate the effects of nature. One must always return to natural elements—actual soil and outdoor air—to properly age traps and impart a natural scent.
Because new mole traps are slick, the most effective aging method remains a two-month outdoor burial in soil, accelerated by a quick, light sanding beforehand (using a medium-grit sandpaper, such as 120-grit, is ideal to scuff the surface without damaging it).
Alternatively, for a ready-to-use solution, pre-aged traps are available from QuickTaupe.
