Do you know that mice, rats, squirrels, and different rodents could cause HUGE injury to your motorhome, RV or camper? In reality, only recently a good friend of mine had her journey RUINED as a result of a mouse chewed her gas line.
That will help you keep away from the identical drawback, we’ve put collectively this information on the BEST mouse deterrent for campers to guard your van from rodents, and different suggestions and residential cures you may wish to attempt too.
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Mice in Your Motorhome – The Downside
Till you’ve found a mouse in your motorhome or campervan, it’s tough to elucidate the injury they will do.
We discovered mice in our motorhome a few years in the past, after we’d been wild tenting in Scotland. That they had eaten into ALL the dried meals (together with the pet food) and had destroyed my folding yoga mat to make a nest beneath the fridge.
To say it was a large number is an understatement.
The Injury {That a} Mouse Can Do to Your Motorhome
Nevertheless, it seems we obtained away frivolously.
Again in 2023, I met a good friend of mine known as Leah up in Scotland and we have been planning a route across the North Coast 500 with our motorhomes.
We obtained barely an hour north of Edinburgh, and he or she stated she might scent diesel. After we stopped, diesel was POURING out… and we found {that a} mouse had chewed via her hose.
Sadly, this meant she needed to be towed again and missed out on your entire journey. 🙁
We wish to enable you keep away from this trauma.
We’ve rounded up the very best deterrents to maintain mice, rats, squirrels, snakes and different rodents out of your motorhome, campervan, caravan or RV, plus some pure or residence cures which you’ll be able to decide up from wherever.
Watch the Injury Mice Can Do to Your Motorhome or Camper
When you’d wish to see the video of our Scotland tour, together with discovering the mouse injury, right here you go:
We hope you discovered the video helpful. When you did, we’d like it if you adopted us on Youtube. New movies with suggestions for motorhoming and campervanning within the UK and Europe are launched weekly.
How Do Mice and Different Pests Get into Your Van?
Because the temperatures drop, the animals begin in search of someplace heat to make their nests… and your van is the PERFECT place (particularly if there’s meals saved inside too.)
So be ESPECIALLY cautious for those who’re motorhoming in winter or planning a UK winter highway journey– you’re extra more likely to appeal to undesirable company!
Mice have two high skills- they’re small and so they’re nice at climbing. This implies they will and can discover entry factors into your camper, even for those who suppose it’s too excessive off the bottom for them.
They’ll enter by ducts, exterior vents, holes in roofs, flooring or partitions, tubes, aerial holes and the commonest choice is that they climb the tyre into the engine bay.
Different pests and bugs can get entry through:
- Actually tiny openings between panels or exterior (equivalent to the place pipes cross via)
- Cracks within the ground or air flow holes
- By way of doorways, home windows or hatches left ajar
How Do You Know if You’ve Obtained Mice or Pests in Your Motorhome?
The Biscuit check!
When you’re shutting down your van for the winter, and wish to know if any unwelcome ‘company’ have moved in (I don’t imply the in-laws!), then put a bit of biscuit on the ground of your van if you depart it.
If it’s nonetheless there if you come again, you will be moderately positive you’re protected from pests and rodents in your van.
If it’s not… ?
Shutting down your motorhome/ camper for winter?
Seize your FREE winter shutdown guidelines right here
The right way to preserve mice out of camper throughout storage or parking?
The simplest strategy to keep away from injury to your camper from mice or rodents is to not allow them to in within the first place.
You are able to do this by:
- sealing all factors of entry (though you’ll nonetheless want some for air flow)
- utilizing rodent scarers and deterrents
- not storing meals in your van, particularly in decrease lockers
- maintaining your camper clear inside
- Not storing meals or leaving garbage luggage exterior your van to take to the bin within the morning!
How do I preserve mice or bugs out of my RV camper within the winter or in storage?
Most undesirable pest ‘invasions’ occur over winter or when your van isn’t getting used usually.
It doesn’t at all times should be in storage. Leah’s van was broken after she wild camped subsequent to a loch in Scotland!
However the majority of rodents discover a manner into autos which aren’t getting used quite a bit. To assist cease this, you possibly can match issues like exterior vent covers, seal up filling factors and even placing a canopy in your van may help.
How do you retain mice from climbing into your van?
It at all times surprises me simply how HIGH these critters can soar and climb. Tyres, standing, awnings- you identify it, they’ll climb it.
If you wish to cease mice from climbing up your tyres, you possibly can wrap rings of sheet steel round your tyres, jack stands or anything you don’t need mice to climb up! Make the rings a couple of foot tall and no mouse will have the ability to scale it.
What’s the Greatest Mouse Deterrents for Campers and Motorhomes?
There are a number of issues you are able to do to discourage mice from selecting your van. The primary choices are:
- Sprays with important oils (like Peppermint)
- Ultrasonic Pest Repellents (Battery, plug-in or 12v variations)
- Humane traps
House cures and sprays with Important oils
Peppermint oil is the commonest type of rodent deterrent we’ve heard of, and is the very best pure treatment too.
Mice apparently hate the scent of peppermint, in order that they received’t go close to the van.
Lavender and eucalyptus has additionally been identified to have an identical impact.
The right way to Use Peppermint Oil to Repel Mice
A very powerful issues is the power of the mix- the stronger the scent, the extra poor Mr Mouse doesn’t prefer it.
Nevertheless, with important oils, it is advisable to contemplate
- Your well being situations
- Pets you’ve
Some folks can react badly to important oils, so use a bit of to begin with and construct up. Additionally, ensure you put them someplace a pet can’t drink or chew them. ]
To make use of Oil with cotton balls to repel mice in your van
Soak cotton balls in peppermint oil and put throughout your motorhome or RV. When you put them in a jar, be sure that the lid xis off.
In fact, you’ll must replenish and substitute the oil/ cotton wool pretty recurrently.
To make use of oil with spray- for exterior use
In a 400ml spray bottle, add the peppermint oil drops and water. Make this as potent as you would like. You possibly can add approx. 10-15 drops to 400ml for a robust combine. Shake nicely to combine collectively.
Spray onto across the parameter of your van on the bottom exterior. This can create a scent barrier that the mice is not going to wish to cross. Do that as soon as per week or after heavy rain.
However for those who spray round your van beneath, this could assist with not having it dilute/wash away with rain.
Use the Oils and Spray for Inside use
Create a weaker spray (use 3-5 drops of peppermint oil per 400ml). You don’t need it too robust, particularly for those who’re travelling with canine.
Spray this onto areas the place there’s an inlet or gap into the van.
CAUTION: Don’t spray onto something the place there’s going to be direct heat- this spray is oil based mostly and flammable!
In case your van goes into storage for winter, you might most likely make a stronger mixture of the interior spray and depart it there while you’re not utilizing your van.
Does Peppermint Spray Actually Hold Mice Away?
Apparently so! Many individuals have used this spray with success- so it’s price making an attempt.
Greatest mouse deterrent for campers- pre-made sprays
When you don’t wish to make your individual, you should buy pre-made sprays
Ultrasonic 240v pest repellents
These are extensively offered, however have very combined evaluations and so they’re not the very best answer to maintain mice away from motorhomes or RVs.
For a begin, they require energy, which will probably be a continuing drain in your motorhome leisure battery.
Subsequent, they don’t work immediately, however work over time, by emitting completely different frequencies of ultrasonic waves to annoy the nervous system of bugs and rats. This makes the pests really feel uncomfortable in order that they transfer away.
Intermittent modifications in ultrasound frequency forestall them from creating immunity and adaptableness.
They’re purported to be imperceptible to people, however many individuals have reported feeling complications or listening to high-frequency noise.
They can be utilized exterior or inside (relying on the mannequin), so will be fitted into engine bays or beneath the van.
12v or Battery Operated Rodent Scarers
It’s additionally potential to purchase 12v or battery-powered variations of those rodent scarers. These will be simpler to suit, however it is advisable to keep in mind to alter the batteries or that there’ll nonetheless be a drain in your battery.
Personally, we used these in a storage a number of years in the past and didn’t have nice success, however be at liberty to try to see in the event that they give you the results you want. That is the best rated one on Amazon.
Observe: These are designed for effectiveness over a prolonged time period and are NOT an instantaneous repair.
Mothball Sort
One other scent mice don’t like is mothballs, so contemplating placing a few of these round your van.
Different scents rodents don’t like embody; vinegar, clove oil and cayenne pepper.
Do dryer sheets preserve mice out of camper?
Apparently so! Within the UK, we don’t use dryer sheets as a lot as they do in America, however many individuals have advised them as an ideal answer to repel mice in your RV or motorhome. Once more, you’ll want to exchange recurrently to take care of effectiveness.
Humane Traps
In case you have an present drawback with mice or rodents in your van, you may wish to use a humane entice to catch them.
Lastly- the BEST Mouse Deterrent for Campers, Motorhomes and RVs…?
Get a cat.
I’ve by no means ever heard of a motorhome or RV proprietor who travels with a cat who’ve a cat who has an issue with mice of their van. Co-incedence? I feel not…
Many because of Leah for her photographs and suggestions when scripting this submit. Observe her on Instagram
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Final replace on 2024-07-11 / Affiliate hyperlinks / Photographs from Amazon Product Promoting API