How to keep mice out of your RV

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A mouse

Let’s be honest – not all guests are welcome in your RV, especially pests like mice. Although they look innocent, they can be rather problematic. This article will cover everything you need to know about why mice come near your RV in the first place and how to solve this issue.

Why do mice like RV’s so much?

More often than not, when you are out camping (especially if you are boondocking) you are out in nature. Of course, this means you will be mixing with animals and insects in the area where you camp. When you pull up in your RV, you will attract mice for a few reasons.

The first reason is that an RV is a warm space. Mice will like the heat and protection from the elements. Much like how we retreat to our RVs at night time, mice will also be looking for a warm place to explore. This is why night time is when you are the most likely to spot these pests making their way into your RV.

The second reason mice may explore your plot a ta RV park is for food. The classic outside BBQ can leave the perfect environment for mice to explore. Don’t forget a little bit of bread for a mouse can be a meal so they will scavenge for anything left in your area. If you eat outside, the food is easy for mice to smell and they will know where to go. Even if you cook inside, a mouse will be able to get a whiff. Basically, you can’t stop animals coming to check you out. Can you blame them if it’s a free meal?

If you leave the door open, or have some access below the RV that you don’t know about (a small hole), the mice can hit the jackpot and make it inside your RV. For the mice, it’s a field day being inside your RV. For you, it could be an absolute nightmare.

How to keep mice out of your RV

Below are our 4 essential tips for keeping mice out of your RV. Following these steps should be enough to keep the pests at bay.

1. Be as tidy as possible.

It might not be what you want to hear, but mice are likely to find a way into your RV at some point. Don’t worry though, if they don’t find any food or water, they are likely to move on and search another area. Therefore being as tidy and clean as possible will improve your chances of having a mouse-free pitch.

Make sure to have an external bin where you can put all your food waste. Even better, take the rubbish to the onsite dump. This place is likely to be filled with mice due to the abundance of food. This way, you are reducing the chances of mice wanting to make a home of your RV.

2. Shut your door.

Shutting your door is a straightforward thing to do. It can significantly reduce the chances of mice and insects getting in. Leaving your door open, particularly during later hours, makes your RV an open invitation to mice. You are unlikely to know that they have even got in, that is until you wake up to a rustling in your RV!

3. Check the outside of your RV for entry points.

Mice are only small, which makes them hard to catch and perfect to fit in small spaces. Therefore, they can make their way in if you have any small access points, even if it’s just a little gap in the flooring.

Some obvious places to check are wheel arches where the likes of rust can create little holes. The engine bay can make for a great place for mice to sneak in, and due to it being hotter, mice will be attracted to this area once the engine has run. The exhaust area and the whole underneath of the RV could have little gaps that are perfect for mice.

The best way to check these would be to take the RV into a car garage where it can be lifted, so a proper inspection for holes can take place.

4. Make the inside of your RV mice safe.

By this, we basically mean don’t leave any food out. Some Tupperware can be a great buy. Not only will it keep the food fresh with it being airtight, but it also won’t smell. This will mean mice won’t smell what you are storing, so they will be less attracted to your RV.

Of course, mice will enter the bottom of your RV, so make sure you hoover the floor for crumbs. Keep all cupboard doors shut so food can’t be accessed easily. Also, block any small holes in the skirting or near cabinets. The last thing you want is a mouse moving in because when they do, they are a nightmare to get out. They leave droppings all over and can nibble on cables causing electrical system failures.

How to evict mice from your RV

In an ideal world, the mice would have never have moved in with you in the first place. However, if it has come to this, you have another choice to try and get rid of it. Depending on your liking of mice and ethical standpoint, there a range of ways to do this. If you never get rid of them, you are basically waiting for fir them to die. If they reproduce in your RV, you may be stuck with them forever so just waiting for them to go may not be an option.

Try and do it yourself

It makes sense to have a go yourself before spending any money. To do this without killing them, you can try and find them and force them out of your RV. Mice are expert at hiding and seek so this may be a painfully ineffective method. Remember to wear gloves – mice can carry all kinds of bacteria which can make us humans ill.

Use a mice trap

This method is effective but may be seen as cruel to some. Food placed in a trap will lure them in, setting it off. Some traps are designed only to hold them so that you can later release them. Others are brutal and will kill them upon entering the trap. Either way, you can get rid of them this way. Once again, be sure to wear gloves when coming into contact with mice to prevent the spread of disease.

Call pest control

Calling pest control is somewhat of a last resort if you fail to get rid of the mice. They will use a range of methods to get rid of the mice. They usually use strong chemicals, so your RV may be off bounds for a few days after they have worked.

How to keep mice out of your RV conclusion

In reality, if you are camping in nature, animals like mice are inevitable. The best protection you have is preventative measures, and this article has explored a way to mice proof your RV. Of course, this tactic may not always work, so the options highlighted can help you get rid of the mice should they get in.

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