Riding around on the road and camping in nature is a dream come true to many. Being able to park anywhere you want and rest for however long you like is no doubt a luxury to enjoy for the outdoors types.
However, there is a downside that involves the potential of your property being invaded by mice.
That said, we’ve put together some tips and information that will aid you in learning how to keep mice out of your camper for good.
Mice Getting Into Your Camper?
If you’ve noticed mice in your camper, or the signs of them (droppings, food that has been nibbled on, and claw marks), it’s time to learn how to protect your camper and keep these furry whiskered pests out of your property.
The term camper is actually an umbrella term for a variety of recreational vehicles and pull-behind trailers used by folks who enjoy spending time in nature. In comparison to RVs and motorhomes, campers are a bit smaller and have less room for interior living quarters.
But, like any type of home, there is a risk of infiltration by unwanted pests. One of the most prevalent being mice. Mice are said to be always hungry and in search of food, so being parked around areas such as grassy and wooded areas is more likely to attract these particular rodents (especially in the wintertime when they are busy looking for shelter from the cold and places to store their food supplies.
Mice crawl through surfaces that are not secure. This could be under the camper or vehicle where sewage, water, and electrical lines or doors and windows are not locked or fully sealed. Also, roof A.C. units with cracks through the plastic housing are another common way for mice to find their way inside. Property damage is surely no joke, expenses can cost a lot down the road to fix.
All things considered, unoccupied campers are most likely to be invaded but ones that are occupied can be too. So, if you own a camper, be on the lookout for signs of mice, period.
To prepare for the worst, we’ve prepared a step by step guide was to ensure that you understand not only what is attracting mice to your camper in the first place, but that you learn how to keep mice out of your camper as well.
5 Tips On How to Keep Mice Out of Campers
To be perfectly honest, there isn’t a singular end-all method to combat mice getting into campers. However, there are many known ways to deal with and prevent these sorts of infestations. Because face it, the last thing you want camping out in your camper is a family of rodents.
So, here are a few steps for getting these pests out of your way and for preventing their return to your camper:
1. Seal Up Entryways
Make sure there is not an easy access way for them to enter the camper by sealing up any cracks and/or gaps that lead inside. This can be done quickly and easily with caulk or spray foam. Steel wool is also an excellent material to use to seal up entryways due to the fact that mice can’t chew through it.
Likewise, under the camper, check for any openings, gaps, or exposed strands of wiring. This can also be fixed with caulk, duct tape, and steel wool. In certain cases, RV replacement parts may be necessary. At any rate, closing up these entryways will do a lot to keep the critters at bay.
2. Store Food Properly
Mice are on the hunt always looking to eat are going to go where your food source is wherever it may be inside. They will spread food wherever they eat. Leftover food should most certainly be thrown out or stored in airtight containers and out of reach of pests as mice will chew through cardboard boxes to plastic containers.
Where mice eat they are also guaranteed to leave droppings, so you won’t have to guess where they have been. You can also tell how long ago they were around by the age of the droppings.
3. Keep Things Clean
You will also need to make sure all food that can potentially be ravaged through is cleared out from closets, cupboards and storage areas. You will also need to make sure that places where there are crumbs or food particles, from your dashboard to the floor, are wiped clean too as mice will be attracted to this.
Additionally, sticky places from food messes and spills should be wiped clean from places like the refrigerator and microwave as soon as possible. Likewise, towels, sheets, and other linens from inside your camper should also be cleaned regularly in order to reduce the attraction factor of your camper to the mice.
4. Bring A Cat Or Dog
Mice are terrified of cats and dogs and are likely to be killed by them if they stick around. So, as simple as it may sound (and it really is) bringing a cat or dog along for your camping trip is one of the best moves you can make to keep mice out of the camper.
That said, when storing your camper during the off-season, having it parked near your cats and dogs is also an excellent help in keeping critters out until your ready to go camping again.
5. Park In An Area Less Likely To Be Frequented By Mice
To avoid attracting mice to your camper, one of the easiest steps is to simply park on a hard surface. Always choose a concrete RV pad rather than more grassy and wooded areas if you have the option. That said, mice are likely to come from these wild areas and mice have really good smelling senses. That means they are going to make a way to get into your camper by any means necessary.
In the winter months, mice will try to find some warmth for themselves to get out of the barren cold. So, during those months, they will chew through just about anything in their way to build nests and/or to locate and secure some food.
If you have the ability to store your camper in a temperature-controlled storage facility, this is one of the best options. However, these sorts of facilities are not always available. That said, the last place that you want your camper to be stored and unoccupied for long periods of time is in the middle of nature, where wildlife like mice are more than likely going to be.
So, if you can, find a better place to park your camper than a patch of woods or field. Avoiding these sorts of habitats (while storing your camper) will go a long way in preventing mice from entering and damaging your camper.
3 Pest Control Techniques For Keeping Mice Out Of Campers
Using pest control products and techniques is probably the best way to make sure that you show these mice who’s in charge! Mouse traps are usually the first thing that homeowners and camper owners turn to when the presence of mice is detected. That said, there are a few types of traps that work best.
1. Set Mouse Traps Of Various Types
First is the humane-type box trap. These popular traps work by being baited on the inside, and then set out in an area the mice frequent. In this case, under or beside the camper. Once the rodents are lured into the trap by the bait and get stuck inside, all that is left to do is for you to release them back into the wild.
Next up is the classic spring trap (especially for those who want to kill the mice, not capture and release). These are among the most commonly used traps for catching and killing mice.
Simply stick bait on the trap (peanut butter if you have it), arm the mechanism, and then place it carefully in an area you know is traveled regularly by the mice. Pretty soon you will hear a snap, and it will be time to empty the trap and reset it to continue reducing the mice population invading your camper.
A plethora of new-wave mouse traps are also available for use if you prefer using something more modern than a box trap or spring-loaded snap trap. These products include electronic traps, various humane traps, glue boards, and more.
2. Spray The Area With Rodenticide
Whether on the road, or storing your camper in the back yard or garage, try spraying down the surrounding area with rodenticide. These poisonous sprays leave toxic residue wherever they are sprayed and go a long way in dissuading additional rodents from coming around.
Keep in mind that rodenticide can be toxic and harmful to humans and pets alike. So, if you go this route, look for a non-poisonous brand or make sure to wipe everything down (on the interior of the camper) after spraying it down thoroughly and letting it sit for a few hours.
3. Set Out Mouse Lethal Mouse Bait
Another great way to get rid of mice before they ever make it to your camper is to merely set out copious amounts of lethal bait. For the best results, be sure to mix a bit of real food-grade ingredients with the bait.
Leaving plenty of bait and food out for the mice will keep them busy gathering it up and carrying it back to their nests. Once the bait has been delivered to the nest, the poison can affect (and kill) a greater number of mice.
Final Thoughts
All things considered, if you own a camper, you have (or eventually will) have a run-in with mice trying to get inside. Just keep in mind that this is perfectly normal, and if you keep the above steps in mind, you should have no problem reducing their numbers and preventing them from entering your camper, stealing food, and causing structural damage.