Mice in RV Underbelly or Ceiling: 7 Ways to Get Rid of Mice
Unwanted guests certainly can be a pain as they eat you out of house and home. Plus, they leave behind little unwanted gifts that you have to take time to clean up. If you don’t your RV gets less healthy by the minute and your human friends may not want to come over.
One of the simplest ways to get rid of mice in your RV is to place products with a scent that repels rodents in key locations. Not only will this help remove the mice, but it may also be the ounce of prevention you need to keep them from coming in the first place.
To learn more about getting rid of those pesky mice living in your RV, just keep reading our article. It has the information you need to know about in order to keep those unwanted guests from overstaying any welcome they think they have.
Mice in RVs 101
Can Mice Get Into RVs?
No matter how secure you think your RV is against rodents, these little creatures have very sharp teeth. They can chew through different items and make a nice little entryway for themselves.
They also have sharp claws that help them climb into little nooks and crannies where they can make their entry a lot easier. What makes it easier for these little creatures to enter your RV is when it is stored for long periods or not used for the same amount of time.
What draws them to your RV is the supply of food you may have stored in your kitchen cabinets. Even if you have taken the food out, mice are very good at finding crumbs no matter where they have fallen.
A good cleaning does not reach those hidden spots so eventually, you may see evidence of a mouse or two when you get your RV ready for a summer vacation. Then even if you think you found all their entry points, they may still find a way in.
Are Mice Common in RVs?
Yes, this seems to be a common problem all RV people face. It doesn’t matter the type of RV you have, from the Class A down to the little pop-ups, you can have a mice problem at some point in time.
One reason you will find mice in your RV is that they can be very curious creatures. You may think cats are curious but they have nothing on mice. Plus, since mice are small, they have far more opportunities to satisfy their curiosity than cats do.
All they need is about 1/4 inch sized hole and they have found their entry point. They will use it as long as you do not find it and seal it up. How you seal their entryways up may not stop the mice from getting back in.
That is because their teeth are strong enough to chew through items like insulation, walls, ceilings, cardboard, and so on. You have to use the right materials to stop mice from entering your RV.
How Mice Get in RV
That is a good question as they seem to find a way in even though you took great pains to block their entry. One method is that they use their curiosity to drive their search for the right openings.
There are enough places on an RV where mice can simply crawl through and get inside your RV, camper, or trailer. They do not have to try very hard except when looking for those entry points. An older RV will have more of them than a newer one.
Then if they cannot find an opening that makes it easy for them to enter, they will find the right spot and chew their way inside. The only way you know that they have entered your RV is by the little unwanted gifts they leave behind.
It is those gifts that make having mice unhealthy as well as the germs and bacteria they carry and leave anywhere they travel. Once inside, you have to do some extra cleaning to make sure they don't ruin your family’s or your health.
Prevention takes a little effort and even if you are successful, do not be surprised if the mice have found another way in.
How to Get Rid of Mice RV
There are many ways and methods you can try to see if they are successful or not. Prevention is the best option as mice are attracted by the smell of food. If you keep your RV clean and remove all food items when you are not using it, then chances are you may not have a mouse problem.
Mice will stop coming to your RV if there is no food for them to eat. Then, you can go the traditional route and set out a few traps. But some people have found that they have underestimated the intelligence of a mouse.
Often, the mouse learns how to get the cheese or food item in the trap without springing it. Keep in mind that while you think you have done a thorough job in cleaning your RV, the mouse knows different.
They get to the same areas those food crumbs get to and those are spots you can’t reach when you clean. But a good cleaning before you store your vehicle will help get rid of the mice as it takes away their food supply.
Mice in RV Underbelly
The solutions that we give in each section may be different but that does not mean they are restricted to those areas only. You can use any of the methods we list in each section for all areas of your RV.
The first step here to prevent mice from coming into your underbelly is to find all the entry points they can use. Then stick regular steel wool pads or portions of them into those openings.
You don't want to use the steel wool soap pads but the regular ones only. However, even if you use these pads, mouse teeth are quite strong. It may take them longer to chew through the pads but eventually, this deterrent will fail.
Next up, you can try peppermint oil. The reason you use this oil instead of other versions is that the smell of peppermint is so strong it irritates their nasal passages, etc. However, peppermint oil is toxic to dogs and cats.
This means that you need to place this oil in spots your pets cannot access. That can be difficult if you have cats.
Mice in RV Ceiling
For this cramped and narrow area, you may want to go high-tech. An ultrasonic pest repellent may do the trick here and keeps you from having to reach into those tiny areas to place other products.
The sound these devices give off can hurt the ears of the mice and drives them away to a spot where they will feel no pain. The key to using this option is to have an outlet that is near your ceiling to make sure the sound is very strong.
Another option and this applies to all areas of your RV, is not the most humane or the nicest of all the tricks you can do. It is usually the last-ditch effort when all other defenses have failed.
You can place kill traps in your ceiling. This is the most effective way of getting rid of mice. It is your last-ditch defense when you are desperate and can think of no other solution. You may be squeamish but sometimes this is the only method at your disposal that will solve your problem.
How to Get a Mouse Out of RV Ceiling
You can use the above methods or you can try sheets of glue paper that are made to trap mice once they step on the glue. They are easy to use and effective when needing to trap animals in tiny locations like your ceiling.
Unfortunately, you have to be tough as there is no way to release the critter from these glue sheets and you have to handle the extermination yourself. Or if you do not like this option or the killing trap one, there are always the catch and release traps.
These are more humane and allows you to find a spot far away from your RV to release them. However, it is said that mice can find their way back to your RV because they know food is there.
This option has been used by different RVers with limited success. Your efforts may be more successful but that remains to be seen. You can try the pepper oil option as that will repel mice and have them moving on to other areas as soon as possible.
Mice in RV Heating Ducts
One option you may or may not like is to go to the local hardware or other store and buy some mouse or rat poison. These poisons mimic the odor of natural mouse food attracting the unsuspecting mouse.
The mouse will eat the poison and then return to their homes in your RV and eventually pass away. The drawbacks to this option are twofold. First, you have to track down the mouse lair to get rid of the dead mice before they start smelling up the place.
That can be fairly difficult to do especially when the mice can find a home in a small enough place where your hand can’t reach into. Two, these poisons may be effective at killing mice, but they can also be effective in harming your pets and small children.
You have to limit their use if you have your pets in the RV and small children visiting from time to time. The poisons also add toxins to your living environment so that is a concern you should think about.
Mice in RV Aair Conditioner
Instead of using peppermint oil, some good products on the market emit a strong smell that mice don't like. These products are designed to smell good to humans but to mice, they are something to avoid.
These products should be safe for your pet and any small children that come to your RV. Just make sure to check the labels to double-check that they are safe to use in those circumstances.
A different option you can use to keep mice out of your air conditioning system is to check all vents. If the vent is loose, that enables the mouse to slip through and enjoy their adventure.
Tighten up all vents you find that are loose, even if they are not going to your AC system. The way to make sure you got all the spots, is to use your garage or take your RV to a garage that can be blacked out. Once that is done leave the lights on inside your RV and look for any place where interior lighting is getting through.
Mark those spots and turn the lights on and take the appropriate measure to seal them up.
Mice in RV Furnace
This is not going to be much different than mice in your air conditioning system. The ducting issue will be the same, just a little lower and maybe a little more accessible to mice. Check all vents, both the interior and exterior, to make sure they are sealed tight.
You may want to add a screen to cover any larger vent holes as those are large enough for mice to squeeze through. The screens may have smaller openings but they will not block airflow and the mouse will have a tougher time chewing through the metal.
Place the screens after you have placed the poison you will use to help minimize the escape routes the poisoned mice will have available to them. Different products that smell good to you are another good option as they will repel the mice and have them fleeing your furnace and ducting system.
Just make sure to use a screen over any openings so your cat doesn't get to the peppermint oil and consume some of it. A sick cat will only add to your expenses and may ruin your vacation.
Mice in RV Walls
Walls are another area of your RV that are small, narrow, and hard for your hands or pets to get into. Your dog may smell the mice before you realize they are there and will send you signals that you have a problem.
The best option to use here would be the ultrasonic devices that emit that high pitch sound that hurts the mouse’s ears. Just make sure to get the device that doesn’t give off a sound that hurts your pets’ ears.
The good thing about using this option is that there are plenty of outlets in your walls to plug them in. You can get blanket coverage just by strategically placing these devices in the right outlets.
Since the walls are vertical, you really can’t use glue traps or other kinds of traps so the ultrasonic option is the best. You can use peppermint oil and other odd-smelling products but once they go away, your mice may return.
Mouse in RV Tank
One option we have not discussed so far is calling an exterminator. If you do not want to do the work, especially once they get into your tanks, this is a very good option to use. Exterminators are professionals and have the right equipment and products to capture the mice alive or dead.
The drawback would be the expense but if you do not want to kill mice or deal with dead bodies, then the expense is worth it. Or you can use expanding foam to cover many of the entry points around your tanks.
The foam option comes in aerosol cans making application a matter of pointing in the right direction and pushing the button. The key is to not overspray as the foam does expand to a very large size.
You can also add a little small screen section to the foam to double the difficulty the mice will have in chewing through the foam. Or you can use a product called Mouse Free which combines oil and peppermint oil. This product should be able to drive the mice away from your tanks.
Best Way to kill Mice in RV
No matter what option you use, they are all just one line of defense for the ultimate way to get rid of mice in your RV. After applying those other options, mice can find alternative routes because they are curious and do not let obstacles stand in their way of achieving their goal.
The best option you have in getting rid of mice in your RV is to use kill traps. You may not like them, think they are inhumane but they do work. Their success rate is not disputed. These traps are very effective at clearing out mice.
An alternative to this option and probably second best would be the glue sheets made to trap mice. The mice may remain alive but only until you kill them outside. Buying a cat that loves to chase and kill mice is another effective method to use but the success rate depends on the cat’s attitude and ability to reach the mice when you can’t.
Finally, you can call an exterminator. They are not free but their success rate may be greater than your cat’s.
How to Mouse Proof a Trailer
Technically, it is almost impossible to mouse-proof your RV because mice are very good at finding small little loopholes in your protective systems and exploit those loopholes to their advantage.
The best mouse proofing attempts will come when you are going to store your RV for long periods. That way you can use many of the above options without risking the health of your pets or small children.
The first option you have is to remove all food items, except can goods, from your RV. Mice are looking for food and if you do not have any food inside your RV then they will stop coming to it.
Even if you empty the RV of food, you may still see mice droppings in your RV. That means that there is still food they like inside somewhere. Another option would be to invest in an RV cover.
An RV cover helps close up tiny little entry points you did not catch. However, this is just another line of defense as eventually, the mouse will either chew their way in or find another route if they smell food inside.
Finally, you can invest in LED lights. Mice are nocturnal and do not like light. Placing these lights in the right spots can illuminate every inch of your RV and keep mice away.
Best Mouse Repellent for RV Storage
The best mouse repellent would be peppermint oil or similar products that contain odors the mice do not like. They are easy to apply and can go into many narrow spots without too much difficulty.
Also, they smell good to humans so you will not be offending yours or anyone’s noses when you use this option. The key is to make sure you apply it in spots your pets can’t get to.
Some Final Words
Mice may be cute but they do bring elements with them that are hazardous to your and your family’s house. Your first line of defense is to keep your RV clean and free from food crumbs. Then apply any of the other options you feel comfortable with using. Your RV situation will be the determining factor in which ones you use.
