It is no fun providing rodents free room and board in your RV. Learn how to mouse proof your RV and stop pesky rodents from ruining your stuff.
So many times I’m loading up the RV for a trip and open a drawer only to find, you guessed it, mouse poop! Oh how I hate that!! It literally gives me chills to know that there are rodents invading my RV!
Mice are very cleaver little things and can squeeze their bodies into the smallest of spaces. Any holes in an RV or camper that are open to the outside are fair game to mice. RV makers just don’t close things up tight enough to keep mice out. It sure would be nice if they did, but they don’t. Now it’s time to figure out how you can mouse proof your RV.
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Why You Don’t Want Mice in Your RV
There are many reasons why a person doesn’t want mice in their RV or travel trailer. First being, rodents carry diseases. If that isn’t enough of a reason, please read on.
Aside from them being dirty and disease ridden creatures, they are also very destructive. Chewing into anything and everything they want. Making nests out of your clothing, bedding, linens and then having lots of babies inside your RV. One female mouse can have 32-56 baby mice per year. YES, per year!
Chewing holes in food containers, cushions, drawers, pipes, through wires, and more. They make a mess, ruin many things are are just not a creature you want in your expensive home on wheels. Plus, each mouse can leave 75 droppings per day, all over your stuff. Gross!
How to Mouse Proof Your RV
Here I will share many tips on making sure your RV is mouse proof and ready for you to enjoy it and not be stressed. It’s no fun going camping when you open a cupboard and see a mouse staring at you. Or when you open a drawer and a mouse runs up your arm. (speaking from experience on that one).
Mouse proofing you home or RV is very important because you don’t want uninvited guests. There are many tips and tricks, like the ones I’ve shared below. However, if these don’t help to keep the mice out, there are many pest control options.
For instance, if you live in Georgia there are many pest control companies in GA that can help. But read on to see if you can take care of the problem yourself first. Sometimes it’s just a simple little trick to keep the mice out.
Examine your RV for any possible entry points
Check your whole RV or travel trailer over for any holes, cracks, gaps, etc. Even ones you think might not be big enough for a mouse, think again. They literally can squeeze into the smallest of holes. Mice can squeeze thru a hole as small as the diameter of a normal sized pen. That is a 6-7 mm hole. Rats being a bit bigger can still get into a 20 mm size hole.
Open every cupboard, drawer, closet, and look for holes and cracks. Crawl under the RV and examine every single inch. This is something the RV makers should do, but don’t. They basically leave things wide open for rodents.
Seal Up the Cracks and Holes
Any and all cracks and holes should be filled with caulk or spray foam. Putting insulation, or foam around all the pipes and wires helps too. An RV will never be 100% rodent proof but every little bit helps.
Using wire mesh in places like access panels or under the RV is good. Also, weather stripping around doors and windows. Remember, just because you can’t see the crack doesn’t mean a mouse can’t see it. They are very smart, keen and want in your RV.
Use Mouse Traps Inside the RV
Some might think it’s mean, or inhumane, but it is a good way to catch the mice you have in the RV. Once mice get in, they are not going to leave on their own. Using mouse traps, either live ones or the kind that kill the mouse, are needed.
Using a live trap means you can catch and release. Make sure to release them far away from your RV. Drive down the road a couple miles and release them in a field or woods.
There are many different types of mouse bait and mouse traps one can use. My favorite is the mouse traps.
Choose wisely when you buy traps. If you have kids and pets you want to use ones that are safe to use around them. Whatever you decide, the mice in your RV won’t have a chance and will be evicted one way or another.
Keep Your RV Clean
This should be a no brainer, but let me tell you, I’ve been in some really filthy RV’s. When we were RV shopping, it just blew my mind how filthy dirty some people are. But, that’s a story for another day!
Keeping your RV or travel trailer clean is just as important as filling and sealing up all the holes and cracks. Mice want food and if you have food, they will find it. Store all food in sealable containers. Now, that doesn’t mean mice can’t chew thru the containers, but it will help contain them better.
Storing all your foods in airtight storage containers not only keeps food fresh and safe from mice, but helps keep cupboards organized. Leaving bags of food, or open food in your RV is basically just inviting the mice in for dinner.
Mouse Repellants
Finding other ways to keep mice out of your RV, like using mouse repellants is helpful. There are many tips and tricks all over the web, but let me put them all in one place for you.
Grab some natural rodent repellant bags that you can toss in all your drawers or cupboards. Use ultrasonic mouse repellant in the outside storage areas, or under the bed or in closets.
You’ve probably heard that using peppermint oil on cotton balls all over inside your RV can help too. Well, mice seem to not like the smell of peppermint. Instead of placing cotton balls all over, I like to use Grandpa Gus’s Mouse Repellant. Placing them in all the closets and under the bed and even in the outside storage bins.
If you’ve read that dryer sheets placed all over help deter mice, they don’t. Save your money and instead go with the Grandpa Gus’s Mouse Repellant. Plus, your RV will smell really nice.
Final Thoughts on How to Mouse Proof Your RV
An RV or travel trailer is just like your home, but on wheels. Keeping things clean, and maintained is key. Mice will get in, but doing your best to keep them out or deter them from wanting in will give you piece of mind.
If you come across food bags in your RV that have been chewed, throw them out. Not using your RV for a while, take all food out and give them zero reason to want in. Use the tools above to keep them out. We keep mouse traps in the RV year round.
Storing your RV for the winter? If so, it’s best to store it somewhere that has a concrete floor, but still use mouse repellents everywhere you can. Every bit helps. Take everything out when storing it. Bedding, towels, food, etc. Leave nothing in the RV that could be ruined.
Living the RV life is amazing, so don’t let mice ruin it for you.
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