Every now and then we come across the stories of critters getting in the recreational vehicles and cars of campers and we thought it may be a great idea to give you some tips on how to get rid of these pesky mice and just what you can do to prevent it in the future.
1. First make sure there is no food anywhere on the counters or stored around the RV. If you leave food out you may attract much more than mice or bugs. Wild bears and raccoons have been know to scavenge the campground looking for their next meal. We've all heard horror stories of people in tents being visited by a bear in the middle of the night. So make this a priority to put all food away before you retire for the evening.
2. There are a host of items that you can purchase at your local Home Depot, from bear spray to snake repellant and you should make sure you check the label for the problem you are having, just make sure that you keep all poisions out of the reach of your children and your family pets.
3. Make sure all of the cracks and crevices are sealed by pest proofing your rv or tent and keeping food well sealed and securely locked away, knowing your pests habits, likes/dislikes, and eliminating any water sources.
4. Look for natural ways to take care of the issue: One of our favorite things to do when we get to a new place in our motorhome is to spray the ground with ant killer first. Make sure you put it around your tires and areas where you think you may run into an insect issue. Keep all sources of infestation out of the bays in your motorhomes. We once had some plant media stored for our plants and the ants decided that it was now their new home. When we opened the bag, we found the nest.
We also decided to use Borax around the tires, as that is a natural pest control and not hard on the environment. One of the other natural things was pure Peppermint Oil on a cotton ball or make up sponge. You simply place a few drops on those and keep it in your bays and places where you think they may be tempted to come in. You can purchase this on Amazon or pick some up at your local retailer. One other thought is to use Cloves. Since the smell is so strong, it works a lot like peppermint oil. Just make sure to use the essential oil.
5. You may want to adopt a kitten, while we know that isn't for everyone, one kitten in your bus or 5th wheel will take care of any mice issues you will have.
6. How about a spicy little concoction that that doesn’t involve manufactured chemicals or toxins-although I would recommend wearing goggles and gloves when you apply it!
You will need…
-1/2 cup chopped habaneros
-2 tablespoons hot pepper flakes
-16 cups (1 gallon) of fresh water
-Two 2 gallon buckets
-A gallon jug and a spray bottle
-Cheesecloth
-Gloves/goggles
-A large pot
Directions
Wear gloves and goggles when making and applying this powerful mixture. A surgical mask isn’t a bad idea either, as it can cause some respiratory irritation in some individuals.
In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Put peppers and flakes in a food processor and blend until they are a little more roughly chopped up. You can do this by hand, but I find it less irritating to the eyes to use the food processor. Put the pepper blend into a 2 gallon bucket, and then pour the boiling water over them. Cover the mixture and allow it to sit for 24 hours. Using cheesecloth, strain out the pepper bits by pouring the mixture into another 2 gallon bucket. Fill your spray bottle and spritz around entrances and affected areas. A little goes a long way! Don’t use this on carpets as it may discolor the surface. I like to apply around the outside perimeter of my house, but if you want to apply it indoors, after a day or two wipe the old spray up with some water and reapply. Always test a small area first to make sure it doesn’t affect the color.
The mixture, covered, keeps for months out of direct sunlight, so simply refill your bottle when needed.
7. Dryer Sheets from any brand and stuff them in the corners of the opening to where the cables come in or put them in your tent. Mice don't care for the smell and we think it may also be a good mosquito repellant as well.
8. Copper wool, or copper wire mesh, is something you can put at the opening to your septic bay and is woven finely to make it that much harder to chew through or pull out. If you have a deep crack, you can tightly stuff several layers of the copper into it which is usually sufficient to hold it in. It is very difficult for then to chew and will keep them out of your bay space.
9. Get a mouse trap, you know they work and you can buy them pretty much anywhere.
10. The last little trick may be a waded up piece of aluminum foil. Have you ever bitten into a piece? Well, they don't like that either. Do you have more ideas we can share? Please feel free to contact us and we will be more than happy to share with our local community.
We all want to make sure we take care of any critter issues. I have been told that they will do terrible things to your engine wires in your cars in the winter time, so please remember to include your two behind vehicle when taking care of these issues. Good Luck!
