Except you propose to reside in your RV all winter, it’s formally time to place your RV away for the season, and meaning doing sure issues to ensure the rig is prepared for storage.
To be trustworthy, we don’t usually retailer our RV for all the winter since it’s our residence. That mentioned, we have now put it in storage for a couple of weeks at a time on a number of events, so I do know the drill. You’ll have to winterize the plumbing, disconnect the batteries, and naturally, do what you’ll be able to to stop pests from taking up when you’re gone.
That final step could be difficult. Pests are sneaky and might squeeze into the tiniest of holes and gaps, making it darn close to unimaginable to dam them out fully. Sadly, pests can even tear issues up in an RV fairly shortly.
Fortunately, we have now in some way managed to maintain a (largely) pest-free residence for the last decade we’ve been RVing. Right here’s how we maintain them away whereas we’re away.
Take away all Meals
At the start, it is very important take away any and all meals out of your RV. This consists of canned items, which might freeze and burst. Leaving meals in your RV is mainly inviting pests in—one thing you undoubtedly don’t need to do—so despite the fact that it’s a ache within the neck when our RV kitchen is our solely kitchen, we at all times make a degree of eradicating meals earlier than storing the rig.
When you’re at it, you may also need to take away all clothes and linens. Whereas these items are much less doubtless than meals to draw pests, mice and rats do like to make use of cloth to construct cozy nests to maintain heat throughout the winter. In case you do find yourself with pests, any cloth you allow mendacity round is more likely to be torn up.
Fill all Entry Factors
Now that you just’ve eliminated something which may invite unwelcome guests, let’s have a look at methods to actively maintain them away. Step one to doing this? Filling all potential entry factors with metal wool.
It is a tedious job to make certain, but it surely is among the simplest methods to ensure rodents can’t get into your RV. Search for any and all holes or cracks. Examine each the within and the skin of the RV, making a degree of crawling beneath the RV, as that is the place entry factors typically are. Keep in mind, mice can squeeze by extremely small holes, so you actually do must fill EVERY crack.
Select Enclosed Storage
Whereas it’s no assure, you’re much less more likely to find yourself with pests (particularly bugs) if you happen to park in an enclosed storage spot. Actually, even simply parking in a paved spot and away from fields the place mice are likely to reside will help. Basically, you need to put your RV as distant from the pure habitats of those pests as potential, and placing partitions between your RV and the pests habitats is a serious bonus.
Contemplate an RV Cowl
After all, not everybody can afford enclosed storage. On this case, I like to recommend parking on pavement and contemplating an RV cowl. Whereas this received’t block potential entry factors into your home-on-wheel utterly, it’d make it tougher for pests to get in.
Simply make it possible for no matter cowl you select is made particularly for overlaying an RV and matches your RV correctly. Common tarps can’t breathe correctly and are more likely to result in mildew and different points. In the meantime, a canopy that’s too massive in all probability received’t do a lot to maintain rain or pests at bay.
Make Use of Deterrents
You’ve coated all entry factors and moved your RV away from the place the pests reside. The subsequent factor to do is put out no less than one deterrent. We’ve used cotton balls coated with peppermint oil, and whereas I can’t promise they did something, we didn’t come again to pests. We’ve additionally used Grandpa Gus’s Additional Power Mouse Repellent Pouches. They’d an excellent robust scent, but additionally appeared to do the job.
Different choices I’ve heard of individuals using embrace Ultrasonic Rodent Repellers and lights arrange beneath the RV, which is alleged to repel mice since they’re nocturnal. I can’t attest to both of those strategies, however they is perhaps price attempting together with one of many choices above.
Set Traps
Clearly, the aim is to keep away from having pests fully. That mentioned, it doesn’t harm to set a couple of traps simply in case. You may after all use conventional snap traps. Sticky traps are additionally an choice, although I don’t use them as a result of they’re inhumane.
An alternative choice is to arrange a DIY bucket mouse entice. I like this concept as a result of it traps the mice in such a manner that you just shouldn’t return to a horrible scent if you happen to don’t verify on the RV for per week or so.
One choice I do NOT suggest is poison. Poisoning mice or rats is a foul thought as a result of they don’t die instantly after consuming the poison, which means they normally find yourself dying behind a wall or someplace equally troublesome to succeed in. This implies your RV smells terrible for weeks or months.
Examine on the Rig Usually
Final however not least, be sure that to verify in your rig commonly. As soon as per week is right if potential. While you go to, be sure that to verify the cupboards, drawers, and storage bays for indicators of pests. You’ll additionally need to verify any traps you’ve set and ensure your deterrents are nonetheless working.
Visiting commonly could seem to be a problem, but it surely’s properly worthwhile if it means catching a pest infestation early on so you’ll be able to nip it within the bud.
That’s it! Comply with these steps and you need to be capable to maintain the pests out of your RV in the course of the winter. That mentioned, if you happen to do find yourself with pests, the common check-ins and traps will assist do away with them ASAP, guaranteeing your rig is prepared for tenting as quickly as you’re.