Rodent droppings may not be high on the list of things you want to find when you open a drawer or cabinet in your camper. However, finding them in your trailer isn’t that uncommon. They’re often the first sign for many RV owners of a problem.
Today, we’re sharing everything you need to know about keeping mice and other rodents out of your rig. Let’s get started!
How Do I Get Rid Of Rodents in My RV?
When you discover signs of a rodent in your RV, the first thing you want to do is clean it. You should wear protective gloves to keep safe when cleaning the droppings. Discard any food or items the pests may have accessed and use disinfectant wipes on all surfaces. Many RVers invest in thick plastic storage containers for any food they store in their rig.
Then look for obvious signs of rodents getting into your rig. This may require you to look inside storage compartments and crawl under your RV. You want to look for any potential points of entry. Use expandable foam to seal off spots that critters could use to get into your RV. Mice are very agile and fit into tight spaces, so take your time.
With all points of entry sealed, you want to bait the rodents. Whether you use the typical mousetrap, sticky traps, or catch-and-release traps is up to you. However, you want to ensure that you capture any mice inside your RV.
Using poisons may be tempting, but they can be harmful to other animals, and the mouse could perish in a hard-to-reach section of your RV. If you think finding a few mouse droppings is terrible, the smell of a rotting mouse carcass in your RV is exponentially worse.
What Keeps Rodents Out Of Campers?
There are a few ways to keep mice out of your campers, like moving often and sealing up your rig. However, many full-time travelers who regularly move their RV still battle rodents getting into their campers. The key to keeping rodents out of trailers is to prevent them from getting into RVs in the first place.
Mice are nimble and agile creatures that can run and jump much better than you think. They’ll use their ninja-like skills and a keen sense of smell to track down those s’more supplies you hid inside your RV. Before you find a single rodent dropping in your RV, you can take action.
Crawl under your RV and look for any spots that could allow a rodent to get into your rig. It’s wise to clear out your storage compartments and look under spare tires to look for significant gaps. Once a critter can access your underbelly, they’ll gnaw a path to find the all-you-can-eat buffet they’re smelling.
Pro Tip: Get rid of rodents with ease with these tips on How to Make a Mouse Trap.
Do Mothballs Keep Mice Out Of Campers?
One standard method for keeping mice out of campers is to use mothballs. Many RVers have successfully used mothballs in and around their trailer. However, while the strong smell of mothballs can have some effect on keeping silverfish, moths, snakes, mice, spiders, and scorpions away from your rig, the smell can be rather pungent and make it difficult to enjoy your RV.
Many RVers use mothballs when winterizing their rig for the season. They’ll spread the mothballs in and around their RV to help keep mice and other critters away. However, if you’re actively using your rig and have pets or small children in your RV, mothballs can be toxic when ingested. So you might want to limit using mothballs only when you’re winterizing your RV. Still, if you spot some rodent droppings in your motorhome, it might be time to sprinkle some mothballs about your RV.
Do Dryer Sheets Keep Mice Away?
Dryer sheets may be a decent temporary solution, but it does not ultimately solve it. Mice can quickly adapt to their surroundings, including smells. Dryer sheets also don’t retain their scent for long periods. You’ll want to buy stock in dryer sheets if you plan to use this as a permanent solution for your rig.
When using dryer sheets, you’ll want to rub the sheets over the various surfaces in your rig where you’ve seen evidence of mice. This could be in cabinets, drawers, or behind false walls in storage compartments. Again, this is a temporary solution that may only work for a short time.
Pro Tip: It’s hard not to cross paths with mice when RVing. Use these 7 Ways to Keep Them Out Of Your RV.
How Do You Clean Mouse Droppings Out Of a Camper?
When you discover them, cleaning rodent droppings out of your camper may be at the top of your to-do list. We recommend wearing gloves and a facemask to minimize the risks of contact with bacteria present in the droppings. Use antibacterial wipes to pick up the droppings and then discard them in the trash.
You should then thoroughly wash the entire area with a disinfectant wipe and sanitize your hands. Even if you wore gloves, you should give your hands a good scrubbing with warm soapy water.
How Do I Keep Mice Out Of My Trailers in the Winter?
RVs that sit idle for extended periods are prime targets for mice. These rodents are understandably looking for food and shelter during the winter months. You want to do all you can to avoid creating a hospitable environment for mice while your RV waits for the next camping season.
You should remove any food from your RV at the end of each camping season. Mice and other rodents could smell spices and other cooking items in your rig. The hungrier they get, the more determined they will be to track down that delicious smell.
While winterizing your rig, it’s best to inspect your RV. You want to look for any signs or openings that could allow mice to get into your rig. Using expandable spray foam to fill these gaps can help minimize the chances of a mouse getting inside. There are even spray foams that ward off mice.
What Is Good Rodent Repellent?
Some RVers have had tremendous results using strong-smelling scents from plants and essential oils. We even heard of RVers using ultrasonic electronic devices that you plug in and promise to keep rodents away. However, there’s often no one-size-fits-all solution to repelling rodents from an RV. You’ll likely need to employ a multi-faceted approach to keeping your RV rodent droppings free. However, you can achieve great results with a bit of effort!
Have you ever had to go to war with mice or other rodents in your RV? Tell us about your experience in the comments!
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