Winter storage

AAE

AAE

Learner
I'll be keeping my car in a nice shed with concrete floors,but, there maybe rodents. Any suggestions on keeping the buggers from damaging it? I won't be using a cover.
Thanks!
 
Deterrents work good as long as the mice can find their way back out. I don't use poison though, because they will die in an inaccessible area.
Traps work good as long as you check them occasionally, you could also put traps on the outside of the car.
 
I've heard Irish spring soap bars inside detours them as well at mint. I can't verify it, but did make the cab of my truck smell nice.
Steel wool in the exhaust pipe and the air cleaner intake works too.
 
Don’t use mothballs ! You’ll never get the smell out ! I used dryer seats in my boat last couple years - no signs of rodents
 
I'm using dryer sheets and while I've found a few droppings, there aren't many and none around where the dryer sheets are (under the seats, engine bay, etc.). The little bastards did start to chew on the outside of my cover for some reason, but stopped.
Another thing I just heard to use, but haven't, is a flashing LED strobe light under the hood, in the trunk, or anywhere else that's dark. These would require some charging maintenance, but should last quite a while since it's just a flash - still researching. The light keeps them from setting up shop.
I'm also going to be using those bucket traps. You can set them up as kill or no-kill. I know my preference, but NO POISON like chevman says because they'll croak somewhere you don't know until you start to smell them.

Good luck!
 
I've heard of putting steel wool in the tailpipe and the dryer sheets inside. The car is 48 yrs old and still smells of old people. Maybe the sheets will help with that.
 
I wish I knew a for sure cure. I have a small shop/dealership/salvage yard and I’m constantly fighting the little shits. Dryer sheets didn’t work for me. I heard they hate mint/peppermint. I was going to get some essential oils and mix up a batch and see. I’ve had them do enough damage to vehicles before that I chose not to fix them and sent them back to the salvage auction. I hate the little bastards.
 
I had a shop (business) when I was 29. It needed a lot of TLC before I could open and do business. So mice and rats had been there for a long time. Once I got everything in order and was working, I decided to set up a small mattress in my office so that on nights when I was working late, I didn't have to make the 30 mile drive to my apartment. That was the plan anyway. First night I decided to stay over, I had the AC blasting and showered and crawled into "bed". Turned out the lights and fell asleep, minutes later I awake after hearing some rustling and feeling something moving on the covers. As I was laying there I look down and saw a little rat right about at my waist staring back at me. Needless to say that was the first and last time I ever tried to sleep there. Scarred me for life.:eek:
What got rid of them was one thing. Poison. I hated to use it but I had too. If you have alternative ways of getting rid of them that's better than poison, because they suffer for several days before they die.
 
Chris_Hamilton said:
I had a shop (business) when I was 29. It needed a lot of TLC before I could open and do business. So mice and rats had been there for a long time. Once I got everything in order and was working, I decided to set up a small mattress in my office so that on nights when I was working late, I didn't have to make the 30 mile drive to my apartment. That was the plan anyway. First night I decided to stay over, I had the AC blasting and showered and crawled into "bed". Turned out the lights and fell asleep, minutes later I awake after hearing some rustling and feeling something moving on the covers. As I was laying there I look down and saw a little rat right about at my waist staring back at me. Needless to say that was the first and last time I ever tried to sleep there. Scarred me for life.:eek:
What got rid of them was one thing. Poison. I hated to use it but I had too. If you have alternative ways of getting rid of them that's better than poison, because they suffer for several days before they die.
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The other issue with poison is that when they die, the neighbors pets can find the carcass and be poisoned as well. Not good.
My house/shop are on the edge of the woods so lots of critters (have captured squirrels, feral cats, deer, bobcat, cougar, and a black bear - seroiusly!) on my motion cameras.
We use a professional exterminator service for the house/shop and they refuse to use poison for rodents.
They put sticky strips everywhere. Kinda gross to look at, but they work 100%.
 
Mice got into my truck and ate enough wire to kill the truck for a week before I got it fixed. I’ve used peppermint oil on a rag or two under the hood. No more mice. Your car will smell like a peppermint factory though.
I also mix dried peppers in a blender with plain cooking oil. Dob this mixture around wherever they may get in your storage area. It works, but wash your hands afterwards!
Works well on fajitas too.
 
Dave C 5 said:
I want a car lift - she wasn’t necessarily on board- I’m restoring her mustang - told her a lift would be a good idea - she said “why ?”- I said mice ! She said OK !!!! - it worked ! I think a lift is probably the most fool proof but maybe not
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If that's what it takes to get buy in for the lift, I'm all for it
 
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