Mice!!!!

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Wife went out yesterday to put a bathroom bag back in the camper and found mice had been in there! They had been in most of the compartments and had even chewed the dinette seat cushion a little. So...we cleaned it all up and I went to crawling under the camper to find a possible hole. It looked as though they had gone in around one of the tubes that come through the floor where they spray foamed. There was also a hole about the size of a half dollar in the plastic weatherproof covering near the outside edge of the camper. Not sure if that was there although the insulation in there was clean so I suspect it was chewed open. Placed SS wool in the hole and taped over it with some awning repair tape. I then removed much of the excess spray foam the factory installed and used the non leveling lap sealant I had to completely seal it up. We also set some mouse traps.

Went out this morning and had caught one! Hopefully this one was in there to make a nest for the babies and was still in there after we got done. Reset the traps and will check everyday.

Does anyone have a fool proof way to keep mice out? We loaded the camper with dryer sheets and placed everything into sealed totes for storage. There is nothing in the cabinets except dryer sheets.

[jdorant]

I have never gotten mice in my pop-up which I had for a few years, but I think it was all luck. As far as the dryer sheets go, that is a myth I hear and does not work although it does make the trailer smell nice.

[Iraqvet05]

Removing food is a good preventative measure but during the winter, they are most likely seeking shelter from the cold.

[tinlizzie23]

One other thing you might try is a product called Mouse Off. Can be found in farm supply stores, such as Farm Bureau or Tractor Supply. Farmers use it to keep mice off their field machinery when not in use. It is put around anyplace that touches the ground, such as wheels, jacks, etc. Have never needed to use it myself, but farmer neighbors say it really works.

[canuckowner]

I have also heard that mothballs work as well OUTSIDE the trailer (on the ground around the tires, jacks, etc.). But I have yet to try this.

[rickjp]

When i get seed corn i sprinkle moth ball flackes around pallet keeps mice away . Maybe do this around tires! I also have been told that mice can jump. I put the bags of organic stuff in mine and also use it my combine cab seems to have worked so far!

[LiftedAWDAstro]

That Mouse Off stuff will be great to try. We are very anal about taking all food stuffs into the house at the end of the season as well as running all dishes except for cast iron through the dishwasher and then place everything into totes for storage. We also completely wash the inside to remove any odor of food although we rarely cook inside. Almost 100% of our meals are cooked over an open fire. Going to check our local TSC. Thanks and oh yeah, we kinda knew the dryer sheets didn't work but they had worked for the last 5 or 6 winters and the camper does smell good in spring!

[tlhdoc]

I have always put mothballs under the camper. I also put brass wool in the opening where the plug is. No mice.

[paflyfisher]

A cat, do you have a cat, a big cat? It works every time!!!

[308rets]

Best of luck as you hunt mice!

Moth Balls & Dryer Sheets inside our 308RETS "Did Not" work. We caught 3 mice in traps with moth balls & dryer sheets right next to the traps. We also put steel wool around all the openings, cleaned the camper spotless before we covered her up. Still the critters found their way in.

Our campground has a product that is put on the underside of the camper (brushed on I believe)! On a new trailer it comes with a guarentee. Fairly expensive if I remember correctly. It's called "Mouse Free". http://www.mouse-free.com/ If anyone has used this, please let us know. I may consider spending the money on it if our problem continues.

Seems to be quite a challenge with mice and RV's.. Best of luck to you!

[mcfarmall]

Never met a rodent I didn't hate!! Seal up every hole regardless of the size and use bait stations around the outside of the unit.

[Allamuchy Joe]

My wife and I use both dryer sheets and cottonballs with peppermint oil on it. So far, knock on wood, no issues with either our old popup or new X17Z.

We also have a neighbor that has a ton of cats that patrol the neighborhood. Perhaps they keep the local population at bay.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Wife found 2 more dead mice in traps this morning. Going to try to spray some "Repels-All" stuff she got at TSC. She also got 4 more traps. So Frustrating. I looked over the Mouse-Free website and think I may order it. Problem is the camper is in the back yard about 200' from the house and I don't have that long of an air hose!

[LiftedAWDAstro]

We haven't had any more mice in there. I sprayed the Repels-all (that stuff stinks bad!) all around the outside perimeter of the camper and all around the tires and between that and sealing all the holes underneath, we seem to have gotten them. We'll keep checking everyday...we have 8 traps in there so if they get in we should find them.

[Proud Grandpa]

Had mice problems before. Read on internet to place Irish Spring soap bars thoughout camper. Do not open box, just place it anywhere mice might hide. This helped some, but still have some problems. Also read to put cinnamon bark strips through out trailer. This seemed to work. Found a place online I could order 1 lb bag and placed them in storage areas, kitchen drawers and cabinets, under bathtub, sink, etc. Haven't seen a mouse since I put them in. I also bought some of that material that they use to put rice in at weddings, tied mothballs inside and hung that from areas under the trailer. Not sure which did the trick, but something helped.

[TX_Arvee]

"Fresh Cab" from Tractor Supply. I have been putting the packets around the RV at storage and various places in my garage. The smell of it is strangly pleasant. It is proven to deter them form coming into the area.

[VicS1950]

Originally Posted by LiftedAWDAstro

...Problem is the camper is in the back yard about 200' from the house and I don't have that long of an air hose!

A friend of mine claims that keeping the grass cut low and weed whacking regularly helps keep the mice away from his TT. The theory is that they don't like being out in the open and crossing exposed areas to get to the trailer.

Sealing holes to keep them out generally doesn't really require anything too special UNLESS they have been inside and recognize it as a good place to live. Once they know it as home it is more difficult to keep them out. They have nothing better to do than poke around looking for places to enter. It is their job.

I don't like the idea of bait packs outside the trailer because pets can easily get into it. It can also poison the mouse predators like owls that are beneficial, not to mention your neighbor's cat. Oops... mentioning the neighbor cat may not be supporting my point. vic

[RSGentry]

Maybe I am just overly cautious but I do live in the country surrounded by crop land and store my trailer outside. To begin, I park over a well mulched area. Not sure it helps any but again, never had mice. I park my tires on 2x6's to keep them out of the mud and put down moth balls around each set of tires and also pour 1/2 bottle of Peppermint oil around each set. You can get the Peppermint oil right next to Vanilla Extract in the grocery store. I have read they don't like the strong smell. I also buy the mouse baits that are inside a little plastic housing, the kind where the mouse has to go in a bit to get to the poison and set them under the trailer with bricks on top to keep other animals out. As an added precaution, I put dryer sheets around in the areas a mouse could get into. I know some say it is an old wives tale, but again, 15 years of doing this an no mice. I put any thing I wouldnt want a mouse to chew into large plastic bins with lids and put some sticky traps out in strategic places. Check the traps once or twice a month and good to go. DO NOT LEAVE FOOD in the trailer. It may not attract them, but will sure make them stay. Like I said, all of this may not have any affect but again, no mice in 15 years.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Just an update...Ordered the Mouse-Free and got it in 3 days. Sprayed it on today. I ordered 2 gallons and it came with free shipping and an undercoating spray gun. Took almost 1.5 gallons but I covered everything really thick! Nice thing about it is that it is a lubricating undercoating so It will help with keeping the minimal rust we have from getting worse. I will have to get some pics later. I'll post back the results in the spring I guess!

[3firetrucks]

Originally Posted by TX_Arvee

"Fresh Cab" from Tractor Supply. I have been putting the packets around the RV at storage and various places in my garage. The smell of it is strangly pleasant. It is proven to deter them form coming into the area.

X2 I used fresh cab last year from our local John Deere dealer with positive results. I bought it again this year from camping world and saved ten dollars. TT is stored out in a farm area. I don't know if i would have problems without fresh cab, but I will keep using it. I like the smell as well.