[Superdave]

I moved out to the country this summer and it's getting close to winter. Time to store my Nova and looking for tips on things to keep mice and other critters from finding a new home.

It'll be outside on a concrete pad behind my garage and under a cover.


Thanks!

 

[XINLOI44]

Hey Dave....I've heard mouth balls, but I would think that would be worse than the mice. LOL I've also heard Zest soap laid around will do it...and smell better. Maybe some mice traps around under your car would also. Hard to say, them critters can be stubborn. Good luck bud.

 

[gopher]

I've used Irish Spring soap with good results- no mice. I bought a armload of bars at the dollar store and placed them around the inside of the holiday trailer and interior of the cars parked for the winter. My friends car and trailer that didn't get prepared had mice in both.

I've also heard of using laundry dryer sheets and stuffing them in any possibly openings/entry points. Good luck- they sure can make a mess of things!

 

[Redrider66SS]

ive tried everything to keep mice out of my 5th wheel that is parked 12 months in the woods at a camp ground. nothing works perfect. tried moth balls an all that does it stink the trailer for all the next summer. tried drier sheets no good there. i even tried these units that plug in an make a sound you cant hear, didnt work. what i do use though in my nova thru the winter is traps, the old style spring ones. take cotton cord an tightly wrap the spot you put bait on. the cord is so it holds the peanut butter better. they will lick the peanut butter away an try eating the cord/string as it tastes like peanut butter, bam ya got-um. check daily. an i have 4 traps inside the car. front back trunk under hood. i never did catch a mouse in the car last winter but just in case.

 

[jd128]

Jack the car up as high as you can on jack stands. Put a cookie sheet under each jack stand and fill the cookie sheet with something sticky like those sticky mouse traps have. I'm still working on this idea so I don't know what the sticky stuff would be, so use your imagination. I'm trying to think of some type of sheet good that has a self adhesive backing you could put under the jack stands, like a self adhesive tile.

Someone chime in if you have an idea.

 

[Redrider66SS]

go with a higher sided cookie sheet an fill it with used motor oil. mice can't swim in oil but they can jump. i dont know what the olympic record for mouse jumping is.

 

[acd65post]

What ever you try I also recommend leaving your sun visors in the down position to avoid a nesting area above the roof liner here. Leave the glove box open as well as the console if you have one.
They also like to build nests in the heater box area- not sure what to do there.
maybe a combination of everything listed so far.

I had a mouse issue with a travel trailer. My pest control guy recommended stuffing bull dog pads ( like sos pads) in any hidden holes and then spray foam. I also set up some traps and caught a couple.
He also said to spray a citrus solution around all of my jack stands as mice leave a urine trail for other to follow.

 

[oleyellar]

Meow

Get a cat, a big nasty ferrel cat. Don't feed it.... You would be surprised how much/many they can eat when they're hungry.

 

[brickyardboy]

Storing outside presents critter problems. Even stored inside, the mice seem to love our cars as much as we do! I've always used Irish Spring soap bars in the interior, trunk, and on the air cleaner under the hood, along with dryer sheets and mice traps set in strategic places. Always seemed to keep them away. This year we had a few problems with rat snakes, black racers and copperheads because of the hurricane and flood waters (Myrtle Beach area). I was told to sprinkle hot pepper and cinamin powder outside the garage and doorways, porch, etc. to keep the snakes from choosing your house as a refuge. Seemed to do the trick.:yes:

 

[tom64]

If you don't have a problem with killing them take some decon smash it up mix it with pancake syrup put on a paper plate and set it where your pets if you have any can't get to it. An old family member that was an exterminator taught me that. No more mice.

 

[thedez]

Comet Cleanser Works Every Time!

I was told many years ago, and it has never failed me: Sprinkle some Comet Cleanser (or any other type of powdered cleanser with bleach) in a circle around each tire. The mice will not cross the line of powder. I don't know if it hurts their nose, or what. Avoid getting any on your tires, though. Usually, I just go to the dollar store and pick up a few of the generics. Outside might be a problem, though. As far as putting the tires in a cookie sheet of oil, I don't think that would be a good idea. Maybe if you used jack stands.

 

[65novaken]

ag dealers usually have stuff to keep out mice.tractors sit all winter.
I belive its somewhat ammonia smelling stuff.
I use dryer sheets they seem to work for me.plain old dryer ordinary smelling sheets work.the spring time in the rockies or morning dew etc.etc. sented ones don't work
moth balls don't work either.
a baited trap is good insurance also.
mines parked inside so I throw a packet of rat poison under the car,but then theres no animals in the garage.

 

[J Mark]

I thought that I saw on SNS putting steel wool in area's that could make a good nest. When I towed my car that was in the country when I bought it I backed it into the garage not thinking about critters already living in it that I just transported 50 miles. Then I started noticing that my garage snacks were being torn open and being munched on plus I was hearing a critters crawling around. I put a trap in the car and after a day no more rat.

 

[Superdave]

Thanks everyone!


It'll probably end up on jackstands to keep the tires from getting flat spots, I'll likely try a mix of everyone's suggestions and report back in the spring.


I've used dryer sheets in the past and haven't had any pests inside, however I did get a mouse nest somewhere under the back of the car one year. I got it started in the spring and when I moved it baby mice were falling out of somewhere.

 

[jd128]

I was told many years ago, and it has never failed me: Sprinkle some Comet Cleanser (or any other type of powdered cleanser with bleach) in a circle around each tire. The mice will not cross the line of powder. I don't know if it hurts their nose, or what. Avoid getting any on your tires, though. Usually, I just go to the dollar store and pick up a few of the generics. Outside might be a problem, though. As far as putting the tires in a cookie sheet of oil, I don't think that would be a good idea. Maybe if you used jack stands.

Yes, Jack stands were part of the idea. By having it on jack stands the car is up off the ground and the mice would have to jump up to reach the tires. Maybe putting the cleanser in the cookie sheets.

Here's another idea...if you took a roll of flashing and circled it around each jack stand the mice couldn't climb it. No chemicals this way!

 

[nova66mussl]

Yes, Jack stands were part of the idea. By having it on jack stands the car is up off the ground and the mice would have to jump up to reach the tires. Maybe putting the cleanser in the cookie sheets.

Here's another idea...if you took a roll of flashing and circled it around each jack stand the mice couldn't climb it. No chemicals this way!

Put snow tires on and drive the car!!! LOL

 

[cwb90]

I have had really good luck with using the car bag along with dryer sheets. It also comes with the moisture absorbing bags which really helps. A little pricey at first but I have had mine for 8 years now.

https://www.carbag.com/carjacket/

 

[Superdave]

Put snow tires on and drive the car!!! LOL

It's rusty enough already

 

[Twinshadows]

you asked ...............

I have heard of most of these products ......

I'll add one more : " Peppermint oil" , put some on a cotton ball, then place where needed.

Diana's truck is a GMC 2006 ..... so, the pack rat was pulling some of the 'firewall pad insulation' off her truck to build his nest. Making that nest on her intake manifold ....... ripped that pad pretty bad.
(The factory pad is kinda like black paper with yellow insulation).

Then , while I was still working , I bought a used truck to drive to work ....... then, parked the Nova (outside). When I'd come home, I'd drive the car to cruise nights, and, checking under the hood (of the Nova), I would find that yellow strands of insulation. wtf
This pack rat was building his nest under the front fenders (both sides on top of the inner fenders and behind the headlights). But he was getting the insulation from her truck ... then ... building in the Nova

That's when the guys at work told me about the cotton ball / peppermint oil trick.

So, I did buy that oil and used it on ALL MY CARS, TRUCKS, and RV. ---- REALLY Seems To Work ---- I always check under the hoods since then .. (been four years, now) ..... NO SIGN of ANY Critters --- NONE. I do see signs inside the shop, and, do catch a mouse sometimes. We're on two acres , with horse people on both sides -- with hay - barns & firewood stacks on each lot and, nothing, anymore.

I'm just saying ............. cheap insurance ................. try all of them.

I buy the "pure peppermint oil" not flavoring -- either 1 or 2 oz bottles. 4 bottles at a time.

 

[Superdave]

It's all tucked away... Tons of dryer sheets, soap bars and a few bait traps. The back is up on jack stands but for now the front is just on some old rugs.


I tried to drive it up onto that concrete pad and bottomed out a slapper bar had to jack it up by the diff and slide it over to get the wheels up on the pad. Sketchy for sure... and will be fun to drive out next spring.