Re dead mice...
This is not usually a problem - most mouse baits make the rodent thirsty and he (hopefully) goes somewhere else to look for water. Or you may end up with a very dessicated mouse somewhere, which is not usually a smell problem. But if the little guy dies on a heat coil or some place like that, it can get unplesant!
The "sticky strips", which capture animals alive are an alternative. The are available at Lowes, Home Depot, and hardware stores. We caught a small rat in the motorhome that way last year. The glue on these strips is incredibly sticky and even one paw on it will trap the pest. Be sure to where leather or heavy canvas gloves to get rid of the srip and rodent.