How To Mouse Proof A Camper 

Mouse Proofing A Camper 

You need to know how to mouse proof a camper since mouse invasion causes holes in seats and several droppings on the countertops. Such a thing affects the cleanliness negatively. For that reason, mouse proofing a camper is the best way of keeping a camper clean and hygienic at all times. 

Keeping out mice means less destruction of your stuff. In addition, you will incur fewer repair costs after preventing the mice from attacking your camper. 

How To Mouse Proof A Camper

Below are the main steps to keep mice out of a camper:

Deter

You need to detect all the entry points of mice in your camper. After finding out all these points, you should block them so that no mouse can find a way to penetrate inside. There are several things that you can use to block rodent entry points. You can use: 

• Copper or steel wool
• Mesh screen 
• Spray foam

Copper or Steel Wool

Placing steel or copper wool in rodent entry points will prevent any mouse from entering the camper. That result comes because the mouse does not like chewing steel or copper wool. Any mouse tasting steel or copper wool will immediately stay away from a camper for such a reason.

Remember to have a screwdriver with a flat head or a butter knife in the blocking process to seal these entry points properly. Finally, pack the metallic wool of your choice tightly into the holes and gaps so that it loosens up or shakes afterward. 

Mesh Screen

In case there is a ventilation section in your camper that has the potential to allow mice inside, covering it with a wire mesh is your best option. The mesh screen cover is another method to use when looking at keeping mice out of a camper. The mesh will be able to keep the rodents out and allow fresh air inside simultaneously. 

To avoid using screws to tighten the wire mesh correctly, use propane or eternal bond. It is unnecessary to use only these two tightening materials. You can opt for other brands with similar bonding characteristics. You will achieve the same results in any correct bonding material you use.

Spray Foam

The spray foam comes in handy when you have larger openings that may bring mice in RV. It’s the best way to cover a hole. You can cover hidden places since the spray foam does not have a good look. 

When using the spray foam to cover holes inside your camper, make sure you do not use too much of it at each spot. That fact comes because spray foam takes a long period to expand and seal up completely. 

Discourage

Another way of mouse proofing a camper is to discourage the mice. In other words, you should make them lack the reasons for coming inside. There are two main ways of preventing mice from finding their way into your camper. These two ways are:

• Controlling the paper
• Containing food

Controlling The Paper

Mice love to use paper when nesting season arrives. Therefore, you need to remove excess articles. Examples of these papers are magazines and newspapers. 

If you do not want to move the papers outside, you can store them inside a plastic container. Make sure that the plastic container you use consistently has a covering lid. 

You may also store these papers inside drawers or cupboards. If you choose this option, make sure that you correctly shut the doors at all times.

Containing Food

Once your camper is in storage, never forget to remove any leftover food. Mice usually make their way inside in search of food for themselves. If they find a way in and lack food, they will starve and leave. 

If you need to leave food inside the camper, you should store them inside the fridge or freezer. If you don’t have these two options inside your trailer, you may use hard plastic bags. Always remember to seal these plastic bags once you keep food inside correctly. 

If you have pet food inside your camper, remember to seal it the same way. On other occasions, you may think of storing your food in the oven. However, since the oven is open, you should not do that so mice can quickly get to the food. 

Another reason is that a mouse in an RV loves to hide under the oven due to warmth. For such a reason, keeping food there will encourage them and lead to their multiplication inside your camper. 

Repel

When you think of what keeps mice out of campers, several things come in to prevent mice from coming inside. You may choose to use homemade remedies or other commercial products. Several products come in to help repel mice from your camper. These products are:

• Poisons
• Sprays 
• Granules 
• Traps 
• Wall plugs
• Hodgepodge
• Botanical mixes
• Peppermint oil
• Light

Poisons

Mouse poison is one of the most common ways to keep mice out of a camper. But unfortunately, it is also one of the most straightforward options to take when it comes to the subject of rodents. 

Mouse poison usually achieves its success by completely dehydrating the mouse to death. To get this result keep water away from the camper while in storage. That fact comes by because if the mouse in RV ingests water after taking the poison, it will not die. 

You should not use mouse poison in case you have children around. On the same note, remember to use this poison as your last option. Take such action because it is not that safe despite the use of poison being cheap and simple. 

Apart from the poison, it may also be a danger to the environment. For example, a mouse may take the poison from your camper and die somewhere else. Another animal may feed on it and get the side effects of mouse poison. 

Sprays

Mouse repellent sprays come in different forms. All of these sprays come either in cans or bottles. Sprayer nozzles are handy on the top to make work easier when applying the chemical.

Some sprays are like lubricants in nature. This particular feature helps in repelling mice away from your camper by making it hard for them to move around in nature. If mice make their way into your trailer and meet this kind of spray, they will slip around and leave. 

To increase the efficiency of this spray, apply it mainly at the undercarriage. This spray can work for a very long time. Once you use it correctly, you can be confident that your camper will be free of mice for about two years. 

Granules

Using granules to repel mice from your camper is a good choice, especially when you need to change it after some time. The mice repelling granules come in small packs and pouches. This packaging method makes it easy to move it around in the camper.

Another advantage of this kind of mouse rappelling method is that it contains a fantastic smell to humans but is terrible to mice. Once a mouse in RV senses this smell, it will immediately leave the camper. 

The use of granules is a good way of keeping out mice and creating a friendly environment for humans at the same time. For people with allergies, this is the best way to go. 

Traps

Using a mousetrap to keep mice out of a camper is one of the most ancient ways. However, despite this method being old, it is still quite effective. For that reason, consider using traps to keep out mice from your camper by placing them on the right corners inside. 

This method is also very effective if you already have mice inside your camper. You can select between sticky or snap traps. They all do the job correctly.

Wall Plugs

Mice repellent for campers in the form of wall plugs is one of the current methods of keeping mice away. This device works by producing ultrasonic waves once you plug the device in the socket. Once a mouse feels these waves, it will get irritated and leave the camper. 

You can get these wall plugs from different stores both physically and online. However, if you choose to use this option, prepare yourself financially since wall plugs are a little expensive. 

Hodgepodge

Hodgepodge involves the use of Irish spring soap, cinnamon and Dryer sheets. These three substances produce strong scents that are pretty unpleasant to mice. You can sprinkle cinnamon on the sides of your camper’s interior and be sure to keep mice out for some time. 

Soap and dryer sheets are suitable for smaller sections of your camper. Keeping mice out of your trailer is effective and cheap, but it does not last for long. You can choose to use it when going on short trips. You will need to change either cinnamon or soap after losing their natural scents. 

Botanical Mixes

This is one of the very organic ways when looking at how to keep mice out of your RV. If you compare this choice to homemade mixes, they are more costly but more effective. Botanical blends can come in different forms. Some are in liquid or solid granule forms. 

Despite these mixes being practical, they are also very safe. You can choose this option if you have a pet inside your camper. 

Peppermint Oil

The use of peppermint oil is one of the most effective methods of keeping pests out of a camper. Unfortunately, in this case, mice are not on the safe side. A few drops of peppermint oil on the fabric around your trailer will irritate and scare away mice for some time. 

Use three drops of dish detergent together with one cup of water and two teaspoons of oil to increase the effectiveness.

After one week of using this method, the scent may fade away, and the effectiveness may drop. Once you notice such a happening, apply the solution once again. This method works well, especially in the storage compartments and the wheel sections. 

Light

All rodents love to be in dark places. So when it comes to your camper, keeping the lights on for more extended hours means fewer rodents roaming around. Also, if mice are trying to make their way into your trailer, once they notice light, they will shift away. 

Using light is one of the most natural and eco-friendly ways of scaring mice from your camper. LED lights are a good choice when you choose to use this option. You can place the LEDs under your trailer to scare away mice in the RV underbelly.

What Keeps Mice Out Of a Camper?

Several things come in to keep mice away from campers. Some of the main ones are:

• Hunger: Lack of enough food for mice in a camper will automatically keep them outside. If some mice already live in a trailer, they will leave to escape starvation once you suddenly keep out food. 
• Lack of breeding areas: Mice love to breed in places with a lot of paper or smooth cotton. If you remove papers from your camper and add rodent poison to every smooth cotton surface, mice will have to look for another place outside to breed. 
• Presence of ammonia: The smell of ammonia irritates mice so much. From time to time, you may be using ammonia to clean the windows of your camper. After cleaning, the smell left behind will scare away all mice from approaching your trailer. 
• Noise: Loud music or high-frequency noises will scare away mice from your camper. Mice love silent dark places. For such a reason, any kind of non-usual noise will make them even scared of approaching your camping vehicle. 
• Strong sprays: Any strong smell will keep out mice, be it sweet or awful. If your camper has these smells coming from sprays, be sure that mice will stay at bay. This result will come even when you use air fresheners. No mouse finds air freshener attractive. 
• Lack of holes: Every mouse loves to hide in mysterious places. Their favorite, most secret place to hide is inside holes. They can make holes in cushions and other soft places to stay. If your camper does not have any gaps inside, the mice will entirely be out of your vehicle. If you use sprays on the soft surfaces, they will not be able to make hiding holes, thus leaving.
• Lack of warmth: Availability of heat brings comfort. This principle works the same way for mice. A cold camper can never welcome a mouse. Such an environment will not be favorable for it to breed and live. This reason can discourage mice from finding their way to a camper. So if you are looking at how to keep mice out during winter storage, you can bring in some cold.
• Lack of cracks and openings: A camper with fewer open areas and sections with gaps will not make a good shelter for mice. Mice love to move around using secretive routes. These routes are mostly these hidden openings. If a camper does not have such a feature, no mouse will come in since it will have difficulty moving. 
• Lack of water: Mice get their water directly from food, but they usually need to consume it in severe cases. For this reason, no mouse will stay in a camper with no water. Likewise, a trailer that lacks dripping at the sink or the roof will never be welcoming to any mouse. 
• Lack of litter and junk: Every mouse loves piles of dirt, some of them use these junks as shelter, and others use them as a food source. If a camper does not have junk and litter all over, mice will stay at a distance. 
• Presence of an unfriendly pet: The presence of a pet like a cat inside the camper can be a massive scare to mice. It is common knowledge that cats kill mice. For this reason, any mouse will create quite a distance between itself and a camper with a cat or any other dangerous pet inside. 
• Vehicle covers: These covers come in to protect your camper in many ways. When it comes to the relationship between mice and vehicle covers, you see that a vehicle with a cover while in storage is more mouse free. Vehicle covers keep mice out of a camper by bocking all available mouse entry points. 
• LED: A mouse outside will not move into a camper with almost a 24 hour LED on. This factor keeps mice away since the LED warns them of potential human activity even when there is none. LED primarily scares away mice in RV underbelly.

Why Is There A Mouse In My RV?

No matter how fancy your RV is, there is always a potential risk of mice infestation. If you spot a mouse in your camper, there are several reasons it could be there. Below are the main reasons why there is a mouse inside your RV:

• Poor sanitation
• Variable factors
• Looking for shelter
• Broken vents
• Broken pipes

Poor Sanitation

Lack of proper sanitation is always one of the main reasons that force mice to attack a specific place. If your RV has poor sanitation, mice and other rodents will have a brief time acquiring their primary needs like food. 

This situation also creates the best mice breeding grounds. The mice will quickly reproduce and increase in numbers due to their favorable breeding conditions. This scenario explains that a lack of proper sanitation will create an excellent nest for mice. 

Traditionally, a mouse is a scavenger in nature. This mammal enjoys roaming around places with poor hygiene. For them, an environment with poor sanitation means so much. If your camper has this major characteristic, you will get to spot a mouse in an RV or even more of them.

Another thing that a mouse would love is grain. If your camper has grains scattering all over the place, you might start to spot a couple of mice around. The availability of grains and nuts is also a form of poor sanitation. For that reason, a mouse will use your camper as a  perfect place to feed and grow other young ones. 

There are several other kinds of foods that attract mice in case they scatter all over your RV. These foods are:

• Variety of plants: Rats together with mice enjoy feeding on plants. This fact is just like all the other animals and rodents. Scientifically there is no favorite plant that the mice love. They can feed on any available plant as long as it is near their disposal. So in case you usually practice some form of indoor gardening inside your RV, and you get to fall out some leaves on the floor during pruning, be sure to spot some mice. 
• Delicious seeds: Mice and all other rodents love to feed on seeds. Almost every kind of seed is edible to them. Dropping any kind of seeds all over your camper will surely make you spot all sorts of rodents, including mice. 

• Meat: Now, this one is an absolute favorite of rodents. Uncovering leftover pieces or meat granules will surely keep mice inside your RV. Mice love to feed on grains and other foods, and they even prefer such an option to meat. Despite that, it does not mean that they will spare meat if available. So in case you forget to sweep out leftover meat granules around your RV correctly, you will spot several mice, if not only one. 
• Berries and fruits: Like many humans and other mammals, every mouse enjoys the sweet juicy taste of berries. Most of them love feeding on the blackberry and raspberry. In such a case, it’s mostly the wild mice. So in case you happen to camp in the wild with your R.V for some time and carry some berries inside, there is a high potential risk of bringing home several wild mice. Other fruits also have the potential of attracting mice. They can practically feed on any kind of fruit. 
• Pet food: The crunchy salty taste of many common pet foods acts as an excellent treat to many rodents. Mice are also at the top of the list when enjoying pet foods. If you carry your pet for a trip and leave some pet food around, be ready to have a mouse in an RV. Mice and other rodents do not have specific pet food that they enjoy. For that reason, it does not matter the kind of pet you are keeping. Any typical pet food will bring in several mice to your RV. So in case your camper is in storage, be sure to cover or remove any pet foods inside. Sweep out any fallen pet food pieces at all times.
• All kinds of nuts: Every rodent, including mice, can leave every other food behind when it comes to nuts. Nuts are their absolute favorite. For such a reason, always be cautious with any kind of nuts inside your camper. Nuts can keep mice in a trailer for a very long time. Cover all the nuts adequately inside your RV, or sweep out any fallen nut pieces. If possible, always remember to maintain distance between nuts and your RV. This can be an excellent step to keep mice at bay from your camper. In the poor sanitation bracket, dirty water sources also come in. You may forget to cover your pet’s water bowl from time to time. After a trip, the water may remain at the same spot attracting dirt and acquiring contamination. On the other hand, mice will enjoy this kind of water, making them stick around for an extended period. 

Variable Factors

Other factors attract mice to your RV. These are variable factors, and you cannot control them in most cases. These varying factors include some of the natural things that occur from time to time in the ecosystem. 

An excellent example of a variable factor is noise. There could be some form of construction in a particular environment creating a lot of noise. However, mice, and other rodents, hate all kinds of noise. For this reason, they will run away from the noise pollution and look for a safer place anywhere nearby. So, if your RV is near, it could be their ultimate choice. 

You cannot control a cold environment. During winter, no mouse can survive in the cold. They will do anything to get warmth. Which other place to seek natural warmth? 

If you go camping during winter or park your RV in a less secure place, be sure to spot a mouse in an RV.

An increase in predators in the natural ecosystem also welcomes a lot of mice to your camper. Lack of enough food for other animals will lead them to feed on mice. For this reason, every mouse will seek rescue near any place that protects the form of cover.

An RV is a good form of cover protecting mice from outside predators. So in case other animals outside begin to hunt down mice, you will get to spot a number of them inside your camper.

Jumping back to food scarcity, you see that mice run away to prevent becoming prey to other animals. At the same time, the mice themselves are also suffering since they have nothing to feed on. So they will have to look for food in other places. These places could be the nearest houses, stores, and even your RV. 

If your camper is near a place where mice are starving outside, they will tend to move inside to try and grab what they can. If you do not take any measure to get them out, you may see them here for quite a long time. 

Looking For Shelter

Mice love to stay in a cozy environment. Any relaxing place around them becomes their home. They love to keep in warm woody areas and lambert piles as well. A nearby home or an RV contains even more comfort for them. They get to access warm cotton and hide holes to keep them safe. 

If mice discover an RV near them, they will leave their natural habitat and move in to get a more cozy home. Mice also love to live in shrubs and flowers, so if the surrounding does not offer such natural factors to them, they will also move to your camper and search for more comfort. 

Broken Vents

Proper flow of air is an important essential in your camper. However, on the same note, this vent can lead to damage once they begin to allow in mice. Such a scenario may take place when a ventilation system breaks down.

When mice seek rescue places from their natural habitats, they will even try to force their way into the RV. So if your vents have holes, it would be so easy for them to make their entry. 

Another disadvantage of having broken vents is that mice move by following air currents. If you have torn vents, you will directly lead mice to your RV since the vents work by flowing in the air. So until you fix your ducts, you may have some mice in your RV air conditioner.

Broken Pipes

Campers contain pipes for draining water from the kitchen sink primarily. If this pipe has not gone through proper sealing, it will be an entry point for mice. For this reason, if your camper’s outlet pipes are fully open on the outside, be ready to see several mice inside. 

How To Clean Your Camper After A Mouse Invasion

Cleaning up your camper after mice invasion requires a particular procedure. The first step you need to look at is closing all the mice entry points. This step ensures that no mouse finds its way back inside during the cleaning process. 

Also, remember to open all the windows and doors of your camper for around 30 minutes to allow in as much fresh air as possible before cleaning begins. 

After following the above essential steps, you may begin to clean your R.V. The first step is cleaning out all the mice droppings and urine. Avoid stirring up dust by vacuuming or sweeping nesting materials, urine or droppings. 

When cleaning, remember to:

1. Cover your hands with latex, rubber, or vinyl gloves to avoid acquiring any infections from the mice droppings and urine. 
2. Use a mixture of water and bleach to spray the urine and mice droppings. You can also use a specific disinfectant from a manufacturer. When using water and bleach, remember to soak it for at least five minutes. Also, remember to make sure that the mixture is in a ratio of 1:10. This ratio is in terms of bleach to the water. 
3. Be careful when picking up the mice’s droppings and urine. Do not forget to use a paper towel. After picking, safely dispose of them in the garbage. 
4. Ensure that you disinfect all the items in the RV that may have come in contact with the mice droppings and urine. 

The next important step is to clean up everywhere around the RV. During cleaning, you need to make sure that you disinfect as well. You can adequately perform the cleaning by:

1. Cleaning the countertops and mopping all around the floors. When cleaning, do not forget to use the solution of bleach. 
2. Use laundry detergent In case you have any clothes in the RV. In some situations, the clothes in the camper get in contact with mice droppings or urine. If such a scenario takes place, use hot water when cleaning them. 
3. Use shampoo to clean out mice urine on furniture inside your RV. Instead of using shampoo, you can also perform a steam cleaning. The two methods work the same way. 

Your next step is to destroy mice breeding nests. At this time, you should still be wearing your protective gear. Below are the steps for destroying mice breeding nests:

1. Spray up the breeding nest with disinfectant. Then, do this same procedure to the surrounding area near the nest. 
2. Use the disinfectant or bleach to soak all the nesting materials for not less than five minutes. After properly soaking, wipe them with a clean rag or paper towel. 
3. Use a plastic bag to seal the nesting material tightly.
4. Put the plastic bag in a trash can properly. 

When cleaning your camper, do not forget the storage areas like cupboards, drawers, and cabinets. Before beginning to clean these sections, you should open their doors for not less than thirty minutes. Then, after air circulation inside is complete, sweep and disinfect every corner of the cupboards. 

In some cases, there could be mice in the RV air conditioner. So you may also need to clean up the ventilation and the heating and cooling systems. This section is usually a little difficult for many people. The best advice for this section is to contact professional personnel. 

Preventing Mice Infestation In Your R.V 

There are several preventive measures that you can apply to prevent any mouse from making your camper their home. First, always store your clothes together in the same place and make sure they are clean. 

If you leave clothes everywhere, mice will use them as nests for breeding. Also, remember to use strong scents and sprays. Every mouse runs away from such smells. 

Always cover food and sweep out leftovers. Use storage containers to store food tightly. Seal any container to store food. Other tips to keep mice out of campers include:

• Seal all cracks and holes around your RV. 
• Remove all moisture sites. Moisture sites include leaking pipes and draining areas that have gone through clogging. 
• Cover chimneys and other openings with wire mesh.
• Repair all faulty vents inside the camper. 
• Dispose of garbage frequently. 
• Regularly clean your RV. Maintain general cleanliness all around. 

How to keep mice out of a camper is not so hard. The few points above will help you a lot once you properly look into them.

Closing Thoughts

Everybody wants to camp in a clean and mouse-free RV. Although mouse proofing a camper is not as difficult as it may sound, most of the process is so simple that you can do it by yourself without contacting any special personnel. 

With this article, you learn how to mouse proof a camper and eliminate all the mice inside. Then, clean up and finally mouse proof to prevent any further mouse invasions in the future.