A Nasty Find

chrismoore701 · 12-04-2018, 06:27 AM

Trailer has been in storage for about a month. Went to check on it and noticed mouse crap in the sink. Looked around a little more and found five (5). Yes five mice floating in my toilet. I had about 2 cups of antifreeze in there. And they drowned in it. We left a bag of dog food on there and that must had attracted them. I rarely get grossed out but this did it.

So this may be a good mouse trap, I think the smell attracted them to the toilet. But would really prefer to cut them off at the source.

So what do you guys do to keep mice out. We forgot the dryer sheets. Won’t do that again.

So Nasty

bearcat77 · 12-04-2018, 06:35 AM

Glue traps on the leaf springs.

Screwby · 12-04-2018, 08:24 AM

Get a couple cans of PestBlock expanding spray foam. Start underneath your trailer and spray full any hole you see from wires, plumbing, or anything else going up into camper. If it’s a hole, fill it, no matter how small. Now go inside and look under couches, cabinets, beds, sinks, and anywhere else a hose, cord, wire etc come in or up into camper and fill that hole too. Think like a mouse and fill any spot it will try to get in. Mice have their whole lives to figure out how to chew or crawl in so make it near impossible and not worth the effort and they will move on. Take the time to seal it right the first time and you’ll be happy. Set a couple regular traps under cabinets and whatnot at first or always just to make absolutely sure your covered. I also throw a couple packs of Cabfresh in storage areas to deter them even wanting to check it out. Almost three years later and I’m still good.

RogerR · 12-04-2018, 04:01 PM

As Screwby said you have to fill EVERY hole! But before you foam the holes I recommend as many other have plugging it with aluminum screen wire scraps, stainless or brass Brillo pads, or anything they can't chew through! Don't use regular steel wool as it will rust out eventually or anything with soap in it. Foam the hole after you plug it, leaving enough room to get a good plug with the foam to stop ants and other bugs. Take a bright flashlight so you can find every hole.

Go inside, find the other side of each hole and do it from the top also.

Don't forget the furnace, refrigerator, water heater or any other holes that they will ( not can ) but will get in through.

The glue boards are a last resort. In my case they also trap spiders and ladybugs that get in.

**Crabman** · 12-04-2018, 04:05 PM

Yikes!

Screwby · 12-04-2018, 04:30 PM

From what I understand the PestBlock version of spray foam has a bitter chemical mixed into it so mice and rats won’t chew it, bugs don’t like it either. Probably doesn’t hurt to add steel wool too but I bought this for that reason.

Jagiven · 12-04-2018, 05:42 PM

Jayco drills lots of big holes to run grounding wires, gas lines, pipes etc.

I'm not a big fan of any of the spray foams. I stuffed the holes with brass or SS Brillo wool. Then I applied marine silicone caulk to seal the hole. I then go inside and look for holes too, and repeat the process. There are lots of holes. So far never have I had a mouse.

Each fall I place sticky traps around the tt. So far I have only caught a few stray bugs.

chrismoore701 · 12-05-2018, 02:22 PM

Would the antifreeze attract these guys? I emptied the toilet, and planned to put more antifreeze in it. I had about 2 cups to keep the seal wet. Should I add less? I obviously dont want to attract them, but it sure did work as a good mouse trap.

RogerR · 12-05-2018, 03:53 PM

I believe you said there was dog food in the bathroom. They ate some and got thirsty?

Any food, even crumbs will attract them to the inside if they can find a way in.

A lot of others agree that you should remove all food, even canned, and clean all possible food smells like the stove, counter top and cabinets of crumbs, grease, etc.

Some add smells that may be repellent to mice. Cab Fresh is a pine scent, dryer sheets, peppermint are recommended by various people. I use Cab Fresh.

The real/best/only? way to stop them before they get in. I like to block them with a physical barrier(stainless or brass Brillo pads or in my case aluminum screen wire in strips poked into the holes and then held there with silicone caulk or Pest Foam, inside and out. You also have to block all vents (furnace, water heater, refrigerator and power cord hole.

chrismoore701 · 12-05-2018, 04:13 PM

Thanks, the food was in the kitchen and no doubt was the attraction. But my concern is, will adding more antifreeze to the toilet also be an attraction? I am going to seal up all I can see and add mothballs, soap, dryer sheets and peppermint to the trailer.

thanks

RogerR · 12-05-2018, 05:01 PM

Regular antifreeze is toxic to mice. There is a warning that it is attractive to pets. I don't know if "pink" ie: non toxic antifreeze is attractive or toxic to mice. But they might be or just wanted a drink? I leave pink in mine to protect the seal but have always done so and even in my prior trailers they never got into the toilet but I always left the lid down.

chrismoore701 · 12-06-2018, 06:30 AM

I have also done this every year on my old trailer. This year I had a little more than usual, but not a ton. Lid was up. But again, made a good trap, hope I got them all.

oldmanAZ · 12-06-2018, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrismoore701

Thanks, the food was in the kitchen and no doubt was the attraction. But my concern is, will adding more antifreeze to the toilet also be an attraction? I am going to seal up all I can see and add mothballs, soap, dryer sheets and peppermint to the trailer.

thanks

Caution with mothballs IN the trailer. They, IMO, STINK and that stink takes virtually forever to dissipate.

I do hang a couple of mothCAKES outside of our TT. I don't know if it's BECAUSE of the mothcakes outside or the Cab Fresh inside or some other reason, but we've never had a sign of mice in the trailer when doing that so I'm not going to change what I've been doing.

chrismoore701 · 12-07-2018, 06:40 AM

Wife put a quick no to moth balls inside. Always planned to drop them around the trailer. Dryer sheets, soap, and the peppermint inside

Dancingqueen · 12-12-2018, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrismoore701

Thanks, the food was in the kitchen and no doubt was the attraction. But my concern is, will adding more antifreeze to the toilet also be an attraction? I am going to seal up all I can see and add mothballs, soap, dryer sheets and peppermint to the trailer.

thanks

as a full timer, I’m always cautious about mice having experieced their charming company deposits in my kitchen. Once I got rid of them, I took the advice of some ole timers. Put out led string down the middle of my coach. ( 3 solar powered strings). Also put a strand under my tow jeep if staying more than a couple of days. Has worked like a charm so far. Good luck, they are a nuisance. Bobbie

Iraqvet05 · 12-12-2018, 02:01 PM

I found two mice floating in our winterized toilet once. I suspect they are attracted to the scent of the RV anti-freeze. I set snap and glue traps if I see mouse droppings in the TT and winter seems to be the only time I get them.

Jack N Janet · 12-12-2018, 02:37 PM

I'm lucky enough to be able to plug in during storage. I use a Global Instruments Model PAC-1C inserted into a 110v outlet in the trailer. It sends a thumping sound that annoys rodents through the trailer wiring. It has worked for the past 5 years so I'm a fan. No muss no fuss.

cfarley351 · 12-12-2018, 03:07 PM

don't leave food of any type in the rv. Water attracted them not antifreeze.

cfarley351 · 12-12-2018, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrismoore701

Trailer has been in storage for about a month. Went to check on it and noticed mouse crap in the sink. Looked around a little more and found five (5). Yes five mice floating in my toilet. I had about 2 cups of antifreeze in there. And they drowned in it. We left a bag of dog food on there and that must had attracted them. I rarely get grossed out but this did it.

So this may be a good mouse trap, I think the smell attracted them to the toilet. But would really prefer to cut them off at the source.

So what do you guys do to keep mice out. We forgot the dryer sheets. Won’t do that again.

So Nasty

don't leave food of any type in the rv. Water attracted them not antifreeze.

Iraqvet05 · 12-12-2018, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfarley351

don't leave food of any type in the rv. Water attracted them not antifreeze.

I don’t leave food in my TT when it’s in storage. I’m curious about this theory now...does RV antifreeze attract mice? My new, unused 28BHBE sits in storage now with nothing in it just like the day we brought it home from the dealer. If I see mice droppings in it over the winter, I’ll report back.

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