VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Mice

First, I did my due diligence. I searched for "mice." Nothing came up. So here goes my question.

Over years mice (and rats) have invaded cars I have had in my garage. There is a lot of stuff in there and enough acorns around for them to survive. The question is this: How in the world does one keep the criters out of your old cars. Any opening large enough for them to get their head in, they can get their body though as well. When I recently pulled my 50 convertible out I saw where they had invaded the edge of the rear seat to get material for their nest. This ain't funny so quite laughing.

I know many of you are so well heeled that you have your stuff like in a safe but I can't afford that luxury. Make room (read access) for them and they will come. Yes they will.

I need tips on how to avoid damage by those critters. Traps, trap cages, poison bait, flame thrower, cats. What has lead you to success in keeping the critters at bay?

Thanks a heap.

Charlie

BTW: I have two small dogs (no cats) that I wouldn't want to get hold of any poison.

BTW2: Moderator: If this is an improper post then please eliminate it.

Charlie I live on a farm and have had my problems with mice. I do have a few farm cats that seem to help some but they don't get all of them. My cars are in closed sheds where the cats can't get. I place mouse bait around the cars in the shed and even put some in the trunk and on the floor boards. I used to put moth balls around the tires and even a few in the cars but I didn't like the smell so I quit doing that. I haven't had a mouse problem for several years so I guess it is working. I do the same with my motor home and have never had a mouse get in it. I think I have only found one dead mouse in a car and it didn't smell or hurt anything. Good Luck it is a PITA!

Hi Charlie In New Zealand I have found that if I have a Ford parked next to my Chev they always attack the Ford. Just joking we have a Rodent trap here that is gas fired (Instead death). It is called A24 Goodnature Web site www.goodnature.co.nz I believe they do sales in USA and also do mail orders its worth checking out their Videos on line.
PS its good to see you are back in the Chat room

No poison, dead mice stink! Use traps and when storing for winter put steel wool in the tailpipe.

Our local COOP sells rodent repellent packs. They come four to a box. They're small enough to place under seats and hide them in the trunk. They don't smell bad. Time will tell how effective they are. This is the stuff.

Charlie, I had the exact same problem with my '50 convertible years ago. I tried mothballs in the trunk and on the floor - the little critters had great fun batting them around. Next, I put the car up on blocks, then sprinkled Comet cleanser on the floor around each block. Never had a mouse problem afterwards!!

Get rid of the food and water sources if you can.

If you combine all the ideas above you should be good. The Fresh Cab that Tiny has a link to has been rated well over the years. The comet method and Peppermint oils too. Baited traps should be far away to attract them away (any neighbours you don't like?) and simple spring loaded unbaited traps on a right angle to the wall around the inside of your garage.

I have noticed recently that all of the car guys that I've encountered with really big shops and restoration businesses have a shop cat.

For a purge, you could run an ozone generator inside the garage for a few hours occasionally. It kills everything living, including smells, mold, rodents, people and shop cats. It can be tough on rubber weatherstiping if used long term so maybe remove cars when you use it. I bought one to deodorize a musty camper and was amazed how well it worked so let friends experiment with it.

I use a product called "mouse free" on the underside of our trailer parked permanently in the woods. It's basically an automotive light undercoating grease with peppermint oil added to it. It makes the underside way too slimy for them to climb. Bit messy for most cars but ok for a daily driver as it does prevent rust.

We have used a guarded bait station "Tomcat" and Comet cleanser on the floor around the tires for approx. 20 years. Have to add fresh bait occasionally as it seems to go away. Don't know if other animals are eating the bait or not. Have occasionally found a dead mouse but never any damage in any of the vehicles. We also keep any food far away from potential mouse entrances. Another comment: Don't kill snakes unless confirmed poisonous and then try to relocate before that. Keep vegetation around the buildings short so it isn't a good hiding place for rodents or snakes. Raptors (birds) are another allies in rodent control. A little preparation can be the most effective deterrent.

The King, Black, and Rat snakes do help but it seems the mice are having bumper year. I have the fresh cab rodent repel stuff in the cars and so far no evidence of mouse damage.

I have been baiting the old snap traps with peanut butter but I am having little success. Any ideas on a better bait?

Thanks

Dave

Dryer sheets,spread them all over inside and outside the car. Under seats,dash,under hood,trunk. Leaves nice smell behind also. No mice here in Fl they have probably all drowned with all the rain we have.! Ed Bittman VCCA#47508 Dade City,Fl

The mice like the dryer sheets, they make nests out of them.

The feedback on dryer sheet seems to depend on the brand and the flavour. Think Bounce and original flavour is most commonly successful but have heard of other brands being used for nests as well...

Ah, but the mice smell nice and fresh after using the dryer sheets. ;-)

I know, sheety joke.

Couldn't waist an opportunity.

Dean

The smell may be bad, but nothing I have found works better than moth balls.Even though I drive my car weekly, I put an open zip loc with balls under the hood and trunk. You can air out your interior by driving down the road with the windows down at 50.

Plus, they're pretty inexpensive.

CAB FRESH OR FRESH CAB, keeps the mice away.

I put mothballs in kids sox and also dryer sheets in the trunk of my 35 standard coupe when I put it away in my storage unit.

Well had mousey visit, tore up the carpet upholstery at back of coupe where lock is. Little devil had a dryer sheet and used it as a blanket in the area he/she tore up to make bedding.

So much for moth balls and dryer sheets. Since then its straight fresh cab packets...........its available thru AMAZON or on ebay usa .

NOT available in Canada directly.

I appreciate all the responses.

If anyone mentioned D-Con, I missed it. How about that? It does make the critters really thirsty and they suffer before they edie.,

The Fresh Cab items seems to be something I can try. I just want the mice/rats to stay away from the cars and the killing or whatever to happen in other parts of the garage.

I appreciate all the advice on this important issue. It looks like many of us have mice issues with which we have to deal.

Any further suggestions will be appreciated.

There was a program on one of the Velocity programs last night about the issue of mice eating the car's wiring. It seems that mice love the stuff some of the car's wiring is coated and is edible to them. One of the solutions was to wrap the wiring with something that was effective but harmful to ones eyes. Chipper or some of the rest of you may have some information on this.

Best,

Charlie

BTW: Did you hear about the fellow who wanted to eliminate his mouse problem and so he set a spring trap. He found he didn't have any cheese for bait so he cut the picture of a piece of cheese out of a magazine and put it on the food treadle. The next morning he looked at the trap and found a picture of a mouse. Unbelievably, I think that may have happened in .

BTW2: Have any of you tried Ethanol?

A variety of new cars over the last 15 years have used SOY based material for the wiring insulation. Read some fun stories online of few month old cars being written off by insurance after mice went wild. Usually new owner was a farmer or rural owner.

My friend who helps with my car worked in the traffic division of a large city and did maintenance on the traffic signal control cabinets. After installing several new cabinets they had a rash of malfunctions. Seems the manufacturer used wiring that contained vanilla extract. The mice loved it. The vanilla I was told kept the insulation pliable-and yummy!

D-CON & your troubles are gone !

D-Con will work but needs to be used cautiosly.

It attracts extra mice from far and wide right to the location you are trying to keep the mice away from and they can do damage before they die and stink when they do.

The other concern is pet/animal safety. Even a mouse can consume considerable poison in the couple days it takes for it to kill them and a weakened, dying mouse is easy prey for a cat, dog, fox, owl or other bird of prey, so you can lose your own pet or take out a neighbour's pet quite easily if they are not aware bait/poison is in the area. Had it happen to a friends dog.

Charlie,
Ethanol works quite well. Once the mice drink it they lose a lot of power, become extremely sluggish often having a hard time just starting their day. their temperature goes up, and they absorb a bunch of water. It then causes the mice blood to crystalize and clog the arteries where the heart finally stops because it just can't get the blood it needs. 100% gasoline doesn't have the same effect and the mice continue to live wonderfully!

A friend that worked mainly on electronic music instruments told me mice will chew in a order of color, red, orange, yellow, then green. The insulation material could well be another attraction.
Tony

Tony,


I thought those critters were colorblind. Learn something new every day. Anyway, thanks I'll remember that and act accordingly.

CT,

I was wondering how long it would take for ethanol to appear in this thread.

Thanks to both of you for your posts,

Charlie

My friend explained that with a bunch of wires with different colored insulation the red wires were chewed the most and then in sequence down the spectrum.
Tony

Has anyone tried using anti-freeze? They say it will poison animals if they drink it. Of course that bring up the same situation as de-con does regarding other animals either drinking it or eating the dead carcass of the mouse.

Dick