Rodent Proof Your Car

[old fart]

Storage experts I have a question for you . Looking on the google search for how to keep rodents away from your car leaves me with more questions than answers . Have used moth balls in the past but the odor stays with you all summer long . Then there is the suggestion to use Bounce dryer sheets but it says they only last a few days , peppermint oil was the next suggestion but I haven't tried that yet . On other sites it says the dryer sheets last about 90 days . Who can one believe ?? Is there someone out there that knows what they are talking about and not just yakking cause it makes them feel good that has a positive answer for this pensioner ??

Old Fart

[Kato]

Storage experts I have a question for you . Looking on the google search for how to keep rodents away from your car leaves me with more questions than answers . Have used moth balls in the past but the odor stays with you all summer long . Then there is the suggestion to use Bounce dryer sheets but it says they only last a few days , peppermint oil was the next suggestion but I haven't tried that yet . On other sites it says the dryer sheets last about 90 days . Who can one believe ?? Is there someone out there that knows what they are talking about and not just yakking cause it makes them feel good that has a positive answer for this pensioner ??

Old Fart

I was just advised of another one to try which I am planning on doing. Take a couple of bars of Irish Spring soap and shave them onto paper plates and place them throughout the car. Supposedly works. Also, steel wool in any openings that rodents may try and enter, they won't chew steel wool. OR my preference, move to a place that stays warm all year so that we don't have to store the flippin' cars!!!!

[2R5]

I’ve used Bounce for along time , never had any problem and when you open the doors in the spring the car smells like fresh laundry . I usually use a complete box in my three Studebakers , trunk included.

[Lynn]

Multi level plan of attack.
Poison on the perimeter of the building.
Traps around the car.
Block off any point of entry into any part of the vehicles if possible; i.e. remove air cleaner, and place a cap on the carb, block off fresh air intakes when possible, etc.
Poison packets in the car, on the floor, under the hood, etc.

My personal experience with dryer sheets: When I had my Studebaker farm truck out side in a rural area (thank goodness it is indoors now) I placed dryer sheets on the floor and the seat. Noticed some were gone. Took the seat out, and there was a nest made partially from dryer sheets. I have heard others say they worked; maybe I had the wrong brand.

[harry]

Multi level plan of attack.
Poison on the perimeter of the building.
Traps around the car.
Block off any point of entry into any part of the vehicles if possible; i.e. remove air cleaner, and place a cap on the carb, block off fresh air intakes when possible, etc.
Poison packets in the car, on the floor, under the hood, etc.

My personal experience with dryer sheets: When I had my Studebaker farm truck out side in a rural area (thank goodness it is indoors now) I placed dryer sheets on the floor and the seat. Noticed some were gone. Took the seat out, and there was a nest made partially from dryer sheets. I have heard others say they worked; maybe I had the wrong brand.

I used lots of dryer sheets in the GMC motorhome. Later I found a nice nest made of several dryer sheets that were crammed in to the heater duct.
Steel wool in any openings.

[Guido]

Get a cat, problem solved.

[Kurt]

Poison and traps around the perimeter. The best attack is to keep mice out of the garage. I have not had any luck with dryer sheets, soap or peppermint oil. I have tried them all. Moth balls do work and work pretty well. You open the car up in the spring and sit it in the sun to air out you get rid of the smell

[wittsend]

I've heard they don't like Cheyenne pepper. Sprinkle around tires or anywhere else they seem to gain car access.

Corvairs are the worse car for rodents. The air cooling/heater ducts are a freeway for them. I have a Corvair wagon (primarily used as a storage container) where I gutted the interior, hosed it out with a pressure washer using a strong bleach and laundry soap multiple times. Went back with a thick coating of Urine Gone on everything and five+ years later (without them reappearing) it still REEKS.

[55 56 PREZ 4D]

I have heard to leave a radio playing in the garage.
I also had a clock that let loose a muscle car roar on the hour. A modern version of a cuckoo clock.
The sound is supposed to keep the animals away.
I leave the station on country music.
Maybe if I change it to rap music ?

[Mike Sal]

The mice destroyed the seats in my 50 champ before I realized there was a problem last year....now there is poison all around the garage & those "tidy cab" pouches in all the cars....I sure miss those De-con poison packages....

[StudeRich]

What's the problem, don't they let you buy the De-con good stuff in Illinois?

I find the best deterrent is just do NOT let them in!
There are only 2 places the little critters and BIG ones, can get in:
(1) The Gas Pedal Boot.
(2) The Fuel Sender Hole in the Trunk.

Make a Metal plate to seal those up, I think an adjustable Chrome trim for around a Sewer Pipe under your sink could work on the Gas Pedal Hole, might need some "Mods".
If they learn to EAT through Steel, you got a BIG problem!

[bensherb]

I live in the country, (read mouse filled field) and have been inundated with mice from time to time. I've used traps, d-con and other stuff that worked to a point, but for the last year I've been using pepermint oil. A couple ounces in a spray bottle full of water and hose down anyplace a mouse might think to enter. It's been working for me, but you do have to respray about every month. The place smells like Christmas all the time now, but you get use to it.

[AllstonEP]

Doesn't moth balls work? For rodents, not just moths.

[dannyo]

the cars i have in a pole barn some still fair to good cond, i use moth balls works fair , used to use rat killer chunks&pelletts, thay ate it some died in the car bad smell, some i have used diesel around on dirt floor in there helps on snakes to thay dont like it , in the old parts cars i spray in the floors diesel& use moth balls in winter & rat poison,i dont like any of the rodents just my 2 cents worth .

[Skip Lackie]

What's the problem, don't they let you buy the De-con good stuff in Illinois?

I think the little triangular self-contained packets have been taken off the market, presumably due to danger to pets (and kids?). Not available anywhere back here in the East.