Mice problem

[RETCAMPER]

We decided to leave our brand new PUP Cheyenne at our wooded property during summer months. To our surprise, after a month of storage when we opened it up, we found mice damage. How do they get in? How do we keep them out? How do we get the urine spot off the over head canvass? Any suggestions will be appreciated.

[tknick]

I don't know about the urine stain other than following the mfg's recommendations for cleaining.  As for how they got in, they probably got in through any one of the openings that wires and plumbing take through the bottom of the PU.  One way to stop them is to get under the PU with a can of spray foam (not the latex stuff, but the nasty stuff that sticks to everything.  the latex will not last outdoors) or with a caulking gun and close up any holes you see.  One thing that helps is to have one person inside the PU with a flashlight and the other person looking for the light shining out.  Another tip is to keep grass and weeds trimmed around the PU.  don't give the little boogers any ready made paths onto/into the PU.  Also, remove ANYTHING that they may eat (food stuffs) including things with lids.  If they smell food, they will chew through just about anything to get at it.  

If you remove the food and seal up the holes, I don't think you'll have any more problems.

good luck
travis

[AustinBoston]

I have heard of people using mothballs, but I have two issues with this.  First, mothballs make the camper smell like mothballs (who cares if it's mouse-proof if it's also people-proof)?  Second, I have seen mice living in a box of mothballs.  I have heard of others who have found mothballs in mouse nests.

Austin

[mike4947]

Ah! one of my top 5 rants.
To add to Travis's post. It takes two people to seal the RV up right. One inside with a strong flasjhlight of other light source and one under the RV with a caulking gun. The inside person shines the light EVERYWHERE including in all the cabinets and inside all the dinette seats as well. The underside person caulks until there's no light showing.
My preference is for regular caulk over the expanding types, mainly because most of the insulating foams are open celled which means the act like a sponge and hold water. Nothing worse for wood than to keep it wet.
If you have a gap/hole that is to large for regular caulk to bridge, most anything can be used as a "backer" to provide a surface to hole the caulk. We've used bronze wool (steel wool rusts and makes a mess), window screening, and even duct tape.

[RETCAMPER]

Ah! one of my top 5 rants.
To add to Travis's post. It takes two people to seal the RV up right. One inside with a strong flasjhlight of other light source and one under the RV with a caulking gun. The inside person shines the light EVERYWHERE including in all the cabinets and inside all the dinette seats as well. The underside person caulks until there's no light showing.
My preference is for regular caulk over the expanding types, mainly because most of the insulating foams are open celled which means the act like a sponge and hold water. Nothing worse for wood than to keep it wet.
If you have a gap/hole that is to large for regular caulk to bridge, most anything can be used as a "backer" to provide a surface to hole the caulk. We've used bronze wool (steel wool rusts and makes a mess), window screening, and even duct tape.

Thanks Mike & Travis. We'll use the flashlite and caulking gun method. I'll let you guys know the results.

[RETCAMPER]

I have heard of people using mothballs, but I have two issues with this.  First, mothballs make the camper smell like mothballs (who cares if it's mouse-proof if it's also people-proof)?  Second, I have seen mice living in a box of mothballs.  I have heard of others who have found mothballs in mouse nests.

Austin

I've heard about the use of mothballs. Also heard that the Bounce drier sheets work well. But I agree with you. Either method would stink up the camper.

[jasbus]

Dryer sheets don't work either.  We had a mouse nest made almost entirely out of dryer sheets in our garage a couple of years ago...

[meganey]

moth balls definitely do NOT work.  I just bought an old PU that needs a fair amount of work, it had an ENTIRE BOX of mothballs in it (the smell about smacked you out of the camper when you opened it) and we still had mouse damage.  In our case they chewed THROUGH the canvas.  I'm currently weighing the options of patching vs. just throwing in the towel and buying a new canvas.  arggg stupid mice.  I'm gonna let my kitty cat stay in the pop-up year round, haha. too bad that wouldn't work either.   I'm definitely going to have to try the flashlight/caulking idea! thanks

[tlhdoc]

Dryer sheets don't work either. We had a mouse nest made almost entirely out of dryer sheets in our garage a couple of years ago...

What Brand/scent dryer sheets were they nesting in?  I am sure that would make a difference.

[jasbus]

What Brand/scent dryer sheets were they nesting in?  I am sure that would make a difference.

the orange ones :p   to lazy to go look, bounce maybe??  I'm allergic to alot of detergents and fabric softners, so we use the same stuff and have for years and years...  bounce sounds right though.
I think that little sucker probably had 20 of them all waded up, some new, some used.