Keeping mice out of RV:
 

Seems like this was covered previously here but not finding it with a simple search. Any and all ideas welcome to keep mice out of my RV and also under the hood of vehicles stored in the desert of SoCal.

I’ve tried traps and dryer sheets with no success. Not one single mouse in many traps of different types, these are some smart mice. A cat is not practical because it would have to live in the RV and I’m not out with it for periods of time. Help! TIA.

grandpa Gus's and Irish Spring.

What should I do with the Irish Spring? Slice it up like the garlic in Goodfellas and sprinkle it around everywhere? That’s not a smell I mind.

This is something I've been thinking about recently with the new shop.

My sense is the only way a mouse can get into a car is scrabbling up a tire and then figuring it out from there. I was thinking of going to a ducting shop and having steel boxes made that can wrap around each tire and fastened together at a corner. I think the sheet metal is too hard for their little claws to gain purchase and climb up. Also thinking of a curl over at the top to make it impossible for them to get over the steel wall.

Just a thought.

Now if mice can parachute down, all bets are off.

Go to the bulk store and buy some clove, spread it around the interior or put it in and old nylon stocking. I've done this for years in my cars and seems to work good. Got this tip years ago from a guy at a storage facilitiy where I stored my car.

Pretty sure they can jump fairly high onto something under the car.

One trick I have heard that doesn’t keep them out, but keeps their damage down is to leave lots of easy bedding material for them to get to so they don’t tear apart foam and fabric from places you like.

Cats, snakes, poison, traps….

Googling says you are right with one YT video where a guy built a bucket trap and kept cutting it down to see when they would escape, 16" was the highest they could jump and escape.

Escaping is one thing but I could see them jumping up to the bottom of a car purely out of curiosity, mostly because they do find a way inside.

Maybe a continuous ring of fire around a car would work.

Maybe a coincidence. I have been storing my car the last couple winters and I put cat poop and urine clumps in baggies on the floor around the car, near the tires, under the motor and slso stick socks in the muffler. Seems to work. Kitty liter boxes can be handy. I periodically check various areas as well.

Poison packs. The red ones….

And seal up any points of entry

For small points of entry, use steel wool. I’ve used it. It works.

Thanks for the replies, I'm going to try several of them. The mice are also getting under the hood of my PU truck, there is no way to seal that off so I need a solution that is something that repels them. I will put steel wool in the openings I can find but I fear that there are other hidden ones.

We recently got a cat for our shop downtown, (stray kitten just appeared), They are the ultimate solution if it's practical but it isn't in the RV situation.

Poison might not be the best idea. They may crawl in some hidden spot to die and begin to stink.

I avoid anything that attracts the mice. So bucket traps or snap traps that you load with peanut butter are out. And no poison. My black lab likes to visit the shop.

I place glue traps anyplace I can be confident the lab won’t visit, deep in the corners. And I also put them at the tires of reg car on the inside of each wheel. The mice avoid the middle of the shop.

The other one, I leave the trunk and engine lids open and leave some lights on. The rodents are far more active in the dark areas.

6 for $10

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Dryer sheets

Peppermint oil, if no dogs will be around it. Peppermint oil is toxic to dogs, maybe other pets.

Where do I get it and how do I use it?

Peppermint Oil Rodent Control for Your Home

Google all suggestions. Not everything works. or works well. but you'll at least be minty fresh if it doesn't in your application. Can't hurt to try

I am partial to these with the metal bail loaded with cheese or peanut butter. I have tried other brands and styles but always come back to these Victor originals.

I set several in my motorhome when in storage as my wife flips out if she ever sees mouse poop in it. She will basically empty the whole motorhome including drawers and cupboards and wash clean every thing if she thinks a mouse was in there. My motor home lives in my shop when not in use, but on occasion I have mice infiltrate the shop so I always try to keep some trap set and make an effort to check them every other week or so.

I hate the messy little bastids.