Do you know that mice, rats, squirrels, and different rodents could cause HUGE harm to your motorhome, RV or camper? Actually, only recently a good friend of mine had her journey RUINED as a result of a mouse chewed her gasoline line.
That can assist you keep away from the identical downside, 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 harm they will do.
We discovered mice in our motorhome a few years in the past, after we’d been wild tenting in Scotland. They’d 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 multitude is an understatement.
The Injury {That a} Mouse Can Do to Your Motorhome
Nonetheless, it seems we obtained away flippantly.
Again in 2023, I met a good friend of mine referred to 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 by means of her hose.
Sadly, this meant she needed to be towed again and missed out on the complete journey. 🙁
We wish to provide help to keep away from this trauma.
We’ve rounded up the perfect deterrents to maintain mice, rats, squirrels, snakes and different rodents out of your motorhome, campervan, caravan or RV, plus some pure or house cures which you’ll decide up from wherever.
Watch the Injury Mice Can Do to Your Motorhome or Camper
When you’d prefer to see the video of our Scotland tour, together with discovering the mouse harm, right here you go:
We hope you discovered the video helpful. When you did, we’d adore 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 on the lookout for 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 should you’re motorhoming in winter or planning a UK winter street journey– you’re extra prone to entice undesirable company!
Mice have two prime skills- they’re small they usually’re nice at climbing. This implies they will and can discover entry factors into your camper, even should you 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 most typical possibility 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 (akin to the place pipes go by means of)
- Cracks within the ground or air flow holes
- Via doorways, home windows or hatches left ajar
How Do You Know if You’ve Obtained Mice or Pests in Your Motorhome?
The Biscuit take a look at!
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 once you depart it.
If it’s nonetheless there once you come again, you could be moderately certain 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
Find out how to hold mice out of camper throughout storage or parking?
The simplest option to keep away from harm 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 hold 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 typically.
It doesn’t at all times must 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 so much. To assist cease this, you may 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 leap and climb. Tyres, standing, awnings- you title it, they’ll climb it.
If you wish to cease mice from climbing up your tyres, you may 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 be capable of scale it.
What’s the Finest 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 principle choices are:
- Sprays with important oils (like Peppermint)
- Ultrasonic Pest Repellents (Battery, plug-in or 12v variations)
- Humane traps
Dwelling cures and sprays with Important oils
Peppermint oil is the most typical type of rodent deterrent we’ve heard of, and is the perfect pure treatment too.
Mice apparently hate the scent of peppermint, in order that they gained’t go close to the van.
Lavender and eucalyptus has additionally been recognized to have the same impact.
Find out how to Use Peppermint Oil to Repel Mice
A very powerful issues is the energy of the mix- the stronger the scent, the extra poor Mr Mouse doesn’t prefer it.
Nonetheless, with important oils, you could contemplate
- Your well being circumstances
- Pets you may have
Some folks can react badly to important oils, so use slightly to begin with and construct up. Additionally, be sure to 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, ensure the lid xis off.
In fact, you’ll must replenish and change 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 want. You possibly can add approx. 10-15 drops to 400ml for a robust combine. Shake properly to combine collectively.
Spray onto across the parameter of your van on the bottom exterior. This may create a scent barrier that the mice won’t wish to cross. Do that as soon as per week or after heavy rain.
However should you 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 sturdy, particularly should you’re travelling with canines.
Spray this onto areas the place there may be an inlet or gap into the van.
CAUTION: Don’t spray onto something the place there may be going to be direct heat- this spray is oil primarily based and flammable!
In case your van goes into storage for winter, you might most likely make a stronger mixture of the inner spray and depart it there while you’re not utilizing your van.
Does Peppermint Spray Actually Maintain Mice Away?
Apparently so! Many individuals have used this spray with success- so it’s value making an attempt.
Finest mouse deterrent for campers- pre-made sprays
When you don’t wish to make your individual, you should purchase pre-made sprays
Ultrasonic 240v pest repellents
These are broadly bought, however have very combined critiques they usually’re not the perfect resolution to maintain mice away from motorhomes or RVs.
For a begin, they require energy, which shall be a relentless drain in your motorhome leisure battery.
Subsequent, they don’t work immediately, however work over time, by emitting totally 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 adjustments in ultrasound frequency stop them from growing immunity and adaptableness.
They’re presupposed 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 could be fitted into engine bays or beneath the van.
12v or Battery Operated Rodent Scarers
It’s additionally doable to purchase 12v or battery-powered variations of those rodent scarers. These could be simpler to suit, however you could 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 attempt to see in the event that they give you the results you want. That is the very best rated one on Amazon.
Word: These are designed for effectiveness over a prolonged time period and are NOT an instantaneous repair.
Mothball Kind
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 embrace; vinegar, clove oil and cayenne pepper.
Do dryer sheets hold 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 steered them as a terrific resolution to repel mice in your RV or motorhome. Once more, you’ll want to interchange recurrently to take care of effectiveness.
Humane Traps
When you have an current downside with mice or rodents in your van, you may wish to use a humane lure 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 due to Leah for her pictures and suggestions when penning this publish. Comply with her on Instagram
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Final replace on 2024-07-10 / Affiliate hyperlinks / Photographs from Amazon Product Promoting API