Preventing Mice

[Ironhorse]

I tried doing a search but came up with no matches even after changing words and phrases. I know I have seen some info on stopping the little critters from making a home in a stored vehicle during the fall and winter months but don't seem to have any luck finding it. Haven't had any significant damage to date but not wanting any either. What works that is available and where to get it? Guy at work told me to use " Mouse Out" ?? Never heard of it before and he had never actually used it himself, just was told of it? Urban legend, ??

[oldschooler]

get a bfhc. BIG F'N HUNGRY CAT

[jay_shy]

Moth balls work pretty good.

Jason

[PanelDeland]

There have been a few posts on this.One claimed moth balls would do the trick.I don't know,I've been lucky enough to live south of the area where you put up your nice car and drive a winter/salt beater.

[70GMCer]

Put moth balls around each tire

[northerngmc]

I have worked on keeping mice out of my RV over the past 10 winters.

Moth balls..... may work, one winter I had mice build a nest in my rubber boot about 1 foot away from the open moth ball container!

Sprays... I was given a can of spray that was supposed to get rid of mice..... NOT

I am now going on three years being mouse free over the winter in my RV. I leave electronic mouse deterants running in my RV. They produce an electronic ultrasound that is supposed to keep mice away. I have battery operated ones in my RV. Secondly I have attempted to seal all entrances with steel wool. I understand they will eat through almost anything but steel wool. Thirdly I am aggresively trying to poison them by leaving poison around my RV for them to eat before they get to the RV. I have purchased sealed boxes with small openings from a farm supply store that house poison inside but do not allow cats, dogs and other animals to get to the poison.

A few good hints.

[northerngmc]

Sorry hit enter before I had finished typing....

A few good hints....

Park it on gravel or hardtop, NOT tall dead grass

Make sure there are no food sources in the vehicle

[68shortstep]

Several years ago, we had lots of "those cute little guys" as my wife called them, running around outside at our lake house the first year we were there. So darn many of them that the cat didn't even bother to chase 'em any more.

Then, we found out that the mice & chipmunks ate up literally ALL OF the wiring insulation in the harness and the underhood insulation blanket on my wife's new Cadillac, in the Fall, before it was hardly a month old. More & more things quit working on it, even before the first oil change.

I was cussin' at the poor workmanship & quality of new cars, and then one day, it wouldn't start. Tow-in & a few days later: $ 1800 repair bill, and thank you !!! State Farm - yes they paid for it all, including the tow. Mouse & chipmunk damage was "covered." I'm amazed the car didn't burn up, because there were places where you could see a foot or more on multiple harness wires --- just bare copper --- wire insulation all gone.

Dealer said: "We see it all the time."

I put opened packages of D-Con out under the hood of our cars, and the little buggers ate FIVE packages completely before we stopped seeing so many of them. Then they were all gone.

At that time, I was driving a Toyota pickup, and the mice & chipmunks didn't touch it, while they about ate my wife's car up. Should have taken it as a sign: "don't touch foreign vehicles."

Now I always have D-Con sitting under the hood of all my cars.

[IvelDesigns]

we've stored boats out at my parents acreage for a couple years now, and what has worked well for us is to use dry sheets. granted, there are lots of cats around too, but we've never had any issues with mice after throwing a few dryer sheets in each boat. I also left my truck out there last winter, threw a few in the cab and couple under the hood and had no mice issues.

that, and they leave a nice smell for you in the spring.

can't hurt right?

[corn]

Yep, dryer sheets or irish spring soap works pretty good too. I hate the smell of moth balls but they do work. If you are gonna get a cat for the job, get a young female. They love to kill mice...

[Ironhorse]

Thanks guys for the replies. I will try the dryer sheets first before I try the BIG F'N HUNGRY CAT. Don't need him getting cat hair all over the interior of the truck. Any brand work better than others? In the cab, under the hood for the truck and under the hood, in the interior and the trunk for the Chevelle SS. Same treatment for the '57 2Dr. Sedan. Strictly a Bowtie type
of guy here.

[LockDoc]

-
I heard that sprinkling Comet Cleanser around the tires will work but I haven't tried it. I used dryer sheets and didn't see any signs of the little buggers last winter...... Like Iveldesigns said, be sure and put some under the hood and if you have a vehicle with a trunk be sure and put some in there too.

LockDoc

[DieselEater]

For keeping rodents out of the engine bay, there is an easy fix, and all the old guys around here swear by it!!! Leave the hood popped up about a foot...........??????????? Can't argue with true life testimonials!? I guess its less appealing of a home if its less secure feeling for the mice?

[oldschooler]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

Thanks guys for the replies. I will try the dryer sheets first before I try the BIG F'N HUNGRY CAT. Don't need him getting cat hair all over the interior of the truck. Any brand work better than others? In the cab, under the hood for the truck and under the hood, in the interior and the trunk for the Chevelle SS. Same treatment for the '57 2Dr. Sedan. Strictly a Bowtie type
of guy here.

Your right about the cat hair, and if its like my cat it will just watch the mice run by. I am not a big fan of poisoning. About 15 years ago my wife and I lived in a house trailer, the wife decided to put poison out for the mice. The only problem was that they crawled inside the walls and died. Boy, that is an unforgettable smell. I sure wouldnt want that smell in my truck. I am sure the dryer sheets will smell much better

[Spray-Bomb]

We have a van that we use for storage & @ some point in it's past somebody put a bunch of mothballs in it & I don't think anything could survive in there, on a hot summer day you can smell over 50' away !!!