Mice in the RV- Prevention and Treatment

Mice in the RV can be one of the worst things to have to deal with ever! Evidence of pests in your home on wheels is upsetting. Whether you’re dealing with ants, flies, or something else entirely, the need to defend your RV and get rid of the intruders is a nuisance, especially when those intruders are likely causing damage to the rig.

While the bugs mentioned above are pretty awful, there are worse pests to have. Perhaps worst of all are mice. Mice are nasty and destructive little creatures, and though they may be kind of cute, they are not something you want taking over your motorhome or trailer.

Unfortunately, mice are a fairly common problem in the RV world. For this reason, all RVers should take measures to keep the little critters out of their rigs. Not only that, but RVers should also educate themselves on how to get rid of the rodents should they try to take over.

Read on to learn how to do these things so you can be well prepared.

Keeping Mice Away from Your RV

Let’s begin by talking about how to keep mice out. Hopefully, by taking these steps you’ll never have to deal with these little pests at all—and if you’ve just gotten rid of an infestation, these steps will help keep them away.

Keep It Clean

First and foremost, you want to make sure you keep your RV clean. Take out the trash often and sweep and vacuum the floors on a regular basis. It’s also important to clean up any spilled food as soon as possible. Basically, the goal is to keep all food out of reach of the mice, so as not to tempt them.

Related Read: Natural Cleaning Products for the RV

Fill In Holes

Mice can fit in teeny tiny holes. In fact, they are capable of squeezing into a hole the size of a pen. Most people are unaware of this, and even more people are unaware that their RVs offer tons of entry points for these little critters. That’s right, you likely have lots of holes in your RV that make perfect doors for mice.

In order to close and lock these “mouse doors”, you’ll need to carefully inspect every inch of your RV and fill in any and all holes. Many people use expanding spray foam to do this; others use steel wool, or some combination of the two.

Use Deterrents

There are several scents that work nicely as deterrents for mice. Better yet, many of these deterrents actually smell good to us humans, meaning you can freshen up your camper while keeping the mice away.

Some of the most popular mouse deterrents include:

• Peppermint oil (put it on cotton balls and place them around the RV)

• Irish Spring bar soap

• Bounce dryer sheets (great for putting in drawers and cabinets)

• “Fresh Cab” botanical-based rodent repellent pouches

Store Food Wisely

Obviously, you’ll need to keep some food in the RV while camping. However, you can do so without drawing the attention of mice. We recommend storing all dry goods in airtight plastic or glass containers. Sure, this is a little more work for you, but it is well worthwhile. Besides, storing everything in matching containers may even save you some space, especially if the containers are stackable.

Once your camping trip is over, and before putting the rig in storage, be sure to take all food out of the cabinets and anywhere else it may be stored. Even well sealed food can be attractive to mice, especially if you’re not around to scare the pests off. Additionally, canned foods have a tendency to explode during very cold weather, something that makes a mess, causes some terrible smells, and thus draws mice in.

For these reasons, it’s always best to empty the pantry when storing your rig, even if only for a week.

Getting Rid of Mice in Your RV

Of course, if you already have mice, none of these suggestions will help much. Yes, you will want to use those tips to keep more from coming in, but you’re also going to need to find a way to get rid of the mice already making themselves at home in your rig.

Related Read: RV Pest Control: DIY Pest Control

Try these options:

Poison

Mouse poison is one option for getting rid of mice in your RV. However, it’s far from the best option and should only be used as a last resort. The reason for this is, while poison will kill the mice, you have no control over where they go to die. This can lead to mice dying in the walls of your RV, a stinky problem you definitely don't want to have.

Snap Traps

Traditional snap traps are a much better option. These can be set up throughout the RV and will almost certainly catch the little pests. That said, these must be checked regularly to ensure you don't have dead mice hanging out in your RV for weeks. Additionally, on rare occasions, you might have a mouse who is too smart and can actually take the bait without setting off the trap.

Sticky Traps

If you are dealing with one — or more — of those super smart mice, you might need to turn to sticky traps. Many people feel that these traps are inhumane, as they trap the mouse without actually killing it, meaning it suffers for a long time before finally begin gotten rid of by you (be sure to check them often).

That said, they are much more for mice difficult to escape from should they go after whatever bait you place on them. Therefore, these traps are ideal for those who are having trouble with the snap traps.

Trash Can Trick

Finally, there is the trash can trick. This DIY trap option may seem a bit odd, but it actually works quite well.

To set up your trash can trap, fill a tall trash can or bucket with a few inches of water. There should be enough water to drown a mouse, but not enough to allow them to climb out. Float a few sunflower seeds on top of the water to attract the mice, and lean a broom against the trash bin to give them a way to climb in.

Once in the water, the mouse won't be able to escape and will eventually drown in the water.