11 Tips for Getting Rid of and Avoiding Mice in Your RV

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The cold weather is setting in, and that means mice are going to be looking for a warm place to hunker down. Can’t blame them, really—we wouldn’t want to be out in the cold either. That said, when that warm place is your home-on-wheels and you find mice in your RV, you tend to be a little bit less sympathetic. 

Nope, nobody wants mice in their RV. Unfortunately, a mouse invasion is one of those things that happens to us all. The good news? If you’re in your RV full-time rather than keeping it in storage most of the year, you’re likely to notice those little visitors pretty quickly, meaning getting rid of them before they make a huge mess of things shouldn’t be too hard. 

Below are our top tips for getting rid of mice in your RV and keeping them out for good.

— To Get Rid of Mice in Your RV —

Let’s start by addressing the more pressing concern: how to get rid of mice in an RV. If you have mice currently, you probably want them out sooner rather than later. Fortunately, it is totally possible to kick those pests to the curb.

Here’s how we would go about it.

Skip the Poison

First, let’s talk about what you don’t want to do. As tempting as it may be, don’t go out and buy mouse poison. This will almost certainly result in deceased mice in your walls where you can’t reach them, and the smell that comes from this is never pleasant. We also find it a bit too tortuous a method.

Set Mouse Traps Strategically

Instead of poison, set mouse traps (we really like these for ease of use). These should be placed along walls where the mice like to run. Often, this will be behind the couch or under the sink. Wherever you hear or see them regularly, place a trap. 

Put Food in Plastic Containers

Obviously, food attracts mice. Therefore, you will want to remove this reason for them to stay. Since you can’t just get rid of all of your food, try placing it in airtight plastic containers instead. If you want to ensure your food never attracts mice, you might even consider putting all pantry food in plastic containers permanently. 

Remove Trash and Crumbs Regularly

Of course, removing access to your dry goods does no good if you’re leaving crumbs and trash laying around for the mice to enjoy. Make sure you sweep often and get under all furniture. You’ll also want to wash dishes and take the trash out a couple times a day.

— To Avoid Getting Mice in Your RV —

Once you’ve gotten rid of the mice in your RV, the next step is to ensure they don’t come in again. We actually recommend taking these steps as soon as you notice mice or even before, as they can also help get rid of mice and they will help prevent even more mice from making themselves at home. 

Here’s how you can keep mice out of your RV. 

Keep Up the Steps Above

Before we add anything new to your to-do list, we feel it’s worth mentioning that you might want to keep up the steps above as a precaution to keep mice away, even when you’re not in the midst of an invasion. This means always putting your food into plastic rather than their original packaging, and making a habit of sweeping often. Parents, this also means leaving the mouse traps set in places where little hands can’t reach them.

Plug Up Holes and Other Entry Points

Mice can get through even the tiniest of holes—we’re talking the size of a nickel or even a dime—but they do need some sort of opening in order to get into your rig. For this reason, you will definitely want to carefully examine every inch of your RV and plug up absolutely any place where they even might be able to squeeze in. We recommend using steel wool to plug up any holes you find. 

Light Your RV at Night

Mice are nocturnal creatures, meaning they aren’t big fans of light. Keeping your RV well lit at night might help deter them. If you’re having issues with mice, consider keeping a light on under your RV at night. If you don’t want to heat up the underside of your RV (which could actually be handy when in the RV in winter weather), go for an LED light. This will save energy and provide light without creating heat. 

Make Use of Sheet Metal Rings

Most people know that mice are good at climbing. They can climb some astounding things. One thing they can’t scale though? Smooth metal. Because of this, adding metal rings to jacks and other parts of the RV that touch the ground can make it a whole lot harder for the critters to get into your home-on-wheels. You will have to fashion these rings yourself out of sheet metal and they should be around 8 inches tall. 

Employ Peppermint Oil

In addition to sheet metal rings and light, we also recommend using peppermint oil to keep mice away. The little pests hate the smell of peppermint, meaning some cotton balls covered in the oil and scattered around the house will not only make your house smell amazing, it’ll also help keep mice from making themselves at home. 

Click here for more tips on using essential oils as a pest repellent. 

Properly Prep When Storing

Planning on storing your RV for any length of time? Make sure you properly prepare the rig for storage. Remove all food, clean thoroughly, set those mouse traps (and check them regularly), and add those sheet metal rings and peppermint oil into the mix. You might also consider storing your rig under an RV cover or even indoors if possible. All of this will ensure there are no mice in your RV when you return. 

Avoid Parking in Fields

Finally, but possibly most importantly, you will want to avoid parking in fields (or other places where mice might be living) whenever you can. If you don’t park where the pests are, they aren’t going to enter your motorhome or trailer. Unfortunately, it isn’t always possible to avoid fields, and this is where all the other measures outlined above will come into play. 

All of these steps might seem like a lot, but none of them is really that hard to put into action, and the end result— a mouse-free RV—is well worth the effort. So what are you waiting for? Buy your mouse traps and peppermint oil today and get to work getting rid of the mice in your RV.

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