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Mouse Repellent

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2 Frazzled

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Mouse Repellent
« on: March 06, 2015, 08:47:04 am »
We heard that the place we are temporarily storing our Phoenix is overrun with mice and that they nest inside the cars and campers stored there. I made mouse repellent sachets and put them all over in the bins and inside the coach and we hope they work. It is hard to tell. We might not get mice because they never tried to get in, because they couldn't find a way in, OR because they came shopping for a new home, smelled the peppermint, and moved in somewhere else. As long as we don't get mice, I'm happy.

What we did was treat corn cob litter with pure peppermint oil - a LOT of peppermint oil - like, eye watering within three feet peppermint smell. Then we packaged it up in pretty little sachets and put them all over in the bins and inside the house. I'm sure we'll reek of peppermint for months after we get back on the road but we're good with that... we won't need as many showers  :)

We are moving the PC as soon as the storage place digs out the road in front of us so this is a temporary measure. I have full instructions for making the sachets on our blog spiritofthewoods.net but here are a few pics for those interested. The pouches are quilting squares glued together. Old socks would work as well. Has anyone else heard of this peppermint trick or tried it?
Holly
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John, Holly, and sometimes Chloe.
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TomHanlon

Re: Mouse Repellent
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2015, 09:18:15 am »
When we had mice under the hood of our cars, i read about a product called "Freah Cal". I found it at my local Ace hardware store. I put one bag under the hood of each car and the PC. No more mice. It has a stong but fresh smell that rodents don't like.

When one is as lazy as I am, this might be the solution otherwise use 2F's solution above.
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skipper

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Re: Mouse Repellent
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2015, 11:59:12 am »
Somehow a rat got into our garage 2 weeks ago and one night decided to munch on the insulation and wiring harnesses in our Ford Explorer.  The next morning the car started, but would barely run.  I limped it into the Ford dealership thinking a harness had somehow come unplugged.  They called later that day and told me a rodent chewed through 6 harnesses and 2 fuel injector wirings.  The damage was $700.  The tech said this was not at all uncommon.  Apparently the wire insulation is tasty to mice/rats.  Protect your PC! 
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Mark
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Re: Mouse Repellent
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2015, 02:34:59 pm »
I know mice chew wires but I was afraid to put pouches in with the engine where I might forget them and get them tangled into something when we move it. I'm hoping the intense cold will hold the mice at bay until we get out of there. We came in after the hard freeze so most of the mice should have been snuggled into other people's cars by the time we got there. We took ALL foodstuffs and edibles and freezables out of the rig before storing it so there shouldn't be anything to make them think it is a better place to live than the snug nests they should already be in. Most of the vehicles near us look like they haven't been moved in a very long time.

Tom, did your pouches stick in there or just sit on something in the engine compartment?
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John, Holly, and sometimes Chloe.
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TomHanlon

Re: Mouse Repellent
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2015, 04:28:31 pm »
I just stuck them between a couple of things like the battery and the fender, any where away from heat.  One bag Under each hood and one in outside draw.
« Last Edit: March 06, 2015, 04:31:10 pm by TomHanlon »
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savvydog

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Re: Mouse Repellent
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2015, 11:27:24 am »
Holly, I have a terrible memory so I stick post-it notes in obvious places for things I know I will forget.  I was thinking maybe you could stick a post-it note on the steering wheel with a reminder to take the mouse sachets out of the engine compartment.
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2 Frazzled

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Re: Mouse Repellent
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2015, 04:24:39 pm »
We actually solved that problem by paying a bit more for a better storage site without the mice. Our camper house is now happily parked in the same storage facility that we store all our household stuff (stuff that we should have sold - and are now working on selling).  I know this facility sprays for critters and we are parked on gravel instead of back in a muddy field. We've used the rig several times this summer and no sign of any critters... not too much peppermint smell anymore either even though the sachets are still tucked around inside.

As for the post it note, I guarantee we'd knock it off the steering wheel onto the floor and then wander around with it stuck to a shoe.  We copied an idea posted on this forum about hanging an ornament on your TV antenna crank. Well, we apparently forgot to move the ornament from the crank to its "reminder spot" on the gear shift before we put up the antenna. We had to cut the string and untangle it from spring up in the crank so no more reminder there. I guess we needed a reminder to move the reminder. We seem to be in competition for the RV Ditz Awards. I think we have a pretty good chance of winning this one.
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John, Holly, and sometimes Chloe.
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TomHanlon

Re: Mouse Repellent
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2015, 05:42:59 pm »
We use plastic clothes pins. There is generally a hole in the pin that you can tie a note to in oder to know what the clothes pin is for. Put it on what you want until needed, then move it to the gear shift. One for the TV antenna is up, one for the mouse bags, maybe one for your husband,so you don' drive off without him.
 :lol
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Barry-Sue

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Re: Mouse Repellent
« Reply #8 on: July 31, 2015, 07:10:57 pm »
Our memories are not what they used to be so we use checklists to make sure we don't forget to do something before we leave a camp site.  Here is one of our checklists on the inside of a cabinet door.  It is out of sight when not needed but we know right where to find it.

Barry
« Last Edit: July 31, 2015, 07:12:31 pm by Barry-Sue »
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RheaNL

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Re: Mouse Repellent
« Reply #9 on: August 01, 2015, 11:11:34 am »
I have those handy check lists everywhere as well. Including one on my phone with a calendar alarm on the day we leave.  Problem is REMEMBERING...Where are the check lists?  Why is my phone making that sound?  Isn't retirement (and the aging process) fun?!
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