If you need to know how to keep mice out of an RV, hopefully, you’re preparing for the future and not reacting to an unwanted guest. Returning to your camper to find evidence of a mouse is the bane of the RV life.
- Mouse droppings
- Chewed up food
- Damaged wires
All of these are evidence of a pest in your motorhome. Of course, life on the road has many perks. Unfortunately, it’s a huge inconvenience when nature finds its way into your home.
So, how do you keep mice and other pests out of your recreational vehicle?
Knowing how to keep mice out of an RV involves a few extra tools that might not be on your checklist. However, we want to cover what keeps these pests out, how to mouse-proof a motorhome, and what you can do when your rig has stowaways.
Here’s one important note.
It is essential to understand how to keep pests out of your RV because they can cause significant damage. Outside of gross messes and getting into your food, they often chew their way through wires. That’s a problem it might take time to notice, but it usually results in a bad situation and an extensive repair.
How Pests Invade Motorhomes
Typically, a mouse that finds its way into your camper wants to find a warm place with lots of food. For them, all signs point to a great place for a nest. Additionally, mice are great climbers that are flexible enough to fit through incredibly small openings.
Often, they can fit through a hole as small as a dime. That means they have access to areas with vents, wires, and hoses to enter your motorhome.
Generally, mice climb up the hitch or wheels and find one of these small entry points. If you elect to boondock, it is especially important to mouse-proof your camper. More often than not, you’ll be parking in the middle of their home.
Once a mouse makes it inside your RV, they start to hunt for food. If they feel comfortable in your rig, they look for a place to build a nest.
So, with this in mind, your best bet for how to keep mice out of an RV is to block off as many entry points as possible.
Mouse-Proofing: How to Keep Mice Out of an RV
With these 8 simple steps, you take great strides towards pest-free RVing.
#1 Block Entry Points with Spray Foam
One of the best RV mouse deterrents is a spray foam designed to keep pests out. In order to keep mice out of your camper, you need to locate any and all potential entry points.
- Look beneath your rig for underbelly entry
- Check the sides of the RV for tiny holes
When you find a potential point of entry, use the foam. It expands and hardens, blocking off entry for mice and other pests.
#2 Cover Vents with Wire Mesh
Wire mesh is another great way to keep pests out of your rig. Carefully cover any vent that seems like an access point for mice.
However, it’s important to maintain a good flow of air through vents so that they function properly. As you figure out how to keep mice out of an RV, it’s important not to mess with the functionality of your camper.
#3 Store Food in Secure Containers
Instead of looking at ways to block entry or adding things to your rig, think of why they enter in the first place. If a mouse cannot find food in your camper, it probably won’t stick around.
Use glass or plastic containers to store your dry food. Before you go to bed, make sure you put your food and any pet food away.
#4 Maintain a Clean Camper
When you put all your food in containers but have crumbs all over the place, it still lures in mice. Part of how to keep mice out of an RV is to maintain a clean camper.
#5 Park Your Rig on Concrete
Mice live in grassy areas because it helps them hide. However, it also offers them a great way to climb aboard your motorhome. If you stick to concrete and gravel when you park your rig, it helps to keep your camper mouse-free.
This is a good rule of thumb for both parking and storage.
#6 Keep Natural Repellents on Hand
When it comes to how to keep mice out of an RV, there are a few simple things you can do. Typically, mice are not fans of peppermint. If you buy a bit of peppermint oil, you can add it to cotton balls and place them around the motorhome.
NOTE: While this is a great way to help mouse-proof your motorhome, peppermint is also bad for cats and other small animals. If you have pets in your motorhome, do a little research for safe alternatives.
#7 RV Mouse Repellent
Look for a heavy-duty RV mouse repellent to apply to your undercarriage. Before you hit the road, this is a great preventive measure. However, among the tactics for how to keep mice out of an RV, it’s a bit pricey.
Still, it might be worth it when you consider the potential damage and repairs a mouse can cause.
#8 Plug-in RV Mouse Repellent
This is an electronic repellent that uses ultrasonic sounds to annoy pests away from your motorhome. Typically, they have mixed reviews, but when you need to kick pests out of your rig, it might be a valuable tool.
What to Do When a Mouse Enters Your Motorhome
Despite your best efforts to mouse-proof your RV, you might still find evidence of a pest. That means you need to bring out the big guns.
Let Your Cat Loose in the Camper
Now, this sounds a bit cartoonish and isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. However, the general truth of life with a cat is that it can help control a pest problem.
Additionally, it’s a good idea to have pet-safe methods of catching a mouse. This helps ensure your cat doesn’t get hurt or sick from whatever you use to mouse-proof your motorhome.
Added RV Mouse Repellent
Extra repellents won’t send a mouse packing necessarily. However, when you double down, it might help drive them off.
Live Traps
As you consider how to keep mice out of an RV, a live trap is the most humane option to catch a mouse. When you free the mouse, though, be sure to do it a good distance from your camper. This helps you ensure they don’t make it back inside.
Avoid Poison Baits!
Poison baits are not the most effective way to keep mice out of a camper. Here’s why.
First, poison baits might make the pest feel dehydrated. That means they leave the rig looking for water. However, once outside, they become prey again and can pass that poison on to an animal that eats them.
Second, poison baits are dangerous when you live with pets. Typically, the design involves some pet safety measures. Unfortunately, they aren’t always effective.
Other Tips for How to Keep Mice Out of an RV?
Now, you have a good idea of how to keep mice out of an RV. However, this is not an exhaustive list. When you follow the steps above, you take great strides to mouse-proof your motorhome.
Do have any other tips for how to keep mice out of an RV? We’d love to hear more about how RVers tackle this trouble.