Fighting Rodents: How to Keep Mice out of Your Car

A car often seems a comfortable place and salvation for rodents. But for the car owner, the intruders are a disaster because mice and rats damage internal systems, cause technical malfunctions, and contaminate the vehicle. Today, we prepared hands-on tips on how to keep mice out of your car. 

An experienced driver will immediately understand that uninvited guests have sneaked under the hood. The first sign is damaged wiring. For some reason, rats and mice like to gnaw through the insulation that covers cables and wires. Visually, it looks untidy and can cause trouble on the road. One can't predict what breakdown will occur in a car due to rodent-damaged wiring. Any system can suffer from headlights to brakes. In addition to wire insulation, rodents attack interior parts made of fabric and leather.

The second sign is the appearance of garbage in the cabin, primarily, mouse droppings. They are dangerous because they consist of 100% of disease-causing microbes and parasites.

They have several reasons for this:

• The car is a cozy place for reproduction;
• There, they can not only find food but also ensure its storage;
• The vehicle is their protection against predators that hunt rats and mice.

Rats physically need to constantly chew and gnaw on things to maintain the optimal length of their teeth, which are constantly growing. Unfortunately, a car of any brand is suitable for these purposes.

They have several ways of penetration - through open windows, gaps in the bottom of the engine compartment, and holes in the body. In the car, rodents build a nest from available soft materials. To do this, they use everything they come across - insulation, carpeting, seat upholstery, and even paper from the glove box. Inside the nest, rats and mice drag food products.

We will consider all methods of fighting rodents, starting from mechanical and biological and ending with poisonous lures and ultrasonic repellers. Each method has advantages and disadvantages.

Let's start with simple methods of physical influence, although they may seem strange. You can use an ordinary cat litter box to eliminate mice. A filler impregnated with the smell of a cat and its secretions can help solve the problem of the spread of rodents in the car. 

The second option is mousetraps. Although this method of rodent control is many years old, it still works. They are affordable, and you can make them yourself. All that remains is to put the bait and wait for the rodent to attack it after penetration. The main disadvantage of the method for eliminating mice is that it is not very humane and hygienic, and cleaning after it will not be very pleasant.

As an alternative to mousetraps, you can use a trap that closes. It neither requires special installation knowledge nor poses a danger to human health, like rodenticides. But there is not always enough space in the car to install it.

Poisons are a common and effective way to kill mice, and not only in cars. For this purpose, no insecticides are used, but special preparations - rodenticides. This method of chemical exposure has two main disadvantages:

• A rat or mouse does not die from its action immediately and, most likely, in a hard-to-reach corner. The main thing is to find the corpse of a rodent in time before its smell permeates the paneling. Otherwise, you will have to deodorize the interior and treat it against parasites.
• The probability of getting poisoned. 

Such pest control methods are better entrusted to exterminators.

You can try the mechanical method of the glue trap - it uses a non-toxic substance. It does not dry for long and firmly sticks to the rodent. The price is affordable, and the trap is reusable. But this effective method also has its drawbacks - the glue is not well washed off the surfaces if spilled, and the dust that gets on it worsens the adhesive properties of the bait.

The modern and humane way to get rid of rodents is an ultrasonic repeller. It connects to a battery and creates mechanical flashes of light.

The device emits pulsed high-frequency waves, the essence of which is the frequency of vibrations. Such deterrents emit ultrasonic vibrations, the limit of which exceeds 20 KHz. They are not sensitive for the human ear, but for rodents, their intensity exceeds 100 dB. It is clear that being in such a car is unpleasant for rats and mice, so they prefer to leave.

Experiment with the ultrasonic repeller location to achieve the maximum effect of protection. Direct it to a free place from cables and decorative elements - any collision of ultrasound with an obstacle will lead to energy dissipation. Remember the "blind zones", where pests can hide in complete isolation from the annoying stream of sound pulses.

1. Do not store food products in the cabin, which can attract rodents.
2. Do not park your car near landfills and garbage dumps. They are teeming with pests, and not just rodents. 
3. Leave the hood open if your car is in the garage - rodents do not like open space. 
4. If possible, park on a paved or hard surface, away from nearby bushes or lawns with tall grass. 
5. Cover the ventilation openings in the garage with nets to prevent rodents from entering. 

Mice hate strong smells, so you can use bleach, mothballs, ammonia, or essential oils to keep them away from your vehicle. 

Peppermint oil, red pepper, Pine-Sol, Irish Spring Soap, or powdered fox urine are all effective rodent deterrents. Simply spray the area generously and regularly to repel those troublesome rodents.

Similar to humans, mice can’t stand extreme temperatures. Close your car windows and park in the sun. Alternatively, turn up the heat in the car for a few minutes. The increased heat might persuade the mouse to vacate the premises.

We recommend carrying out a comprehensive treatment of the interior after you get rid of the rodents. Deodorization with dry mist will give a feeling of cleanliness and freshness, eliminate the unpleasant smell of mouse excrement, and disinfect the car interior.

At Indy Auto Man, you can get a wide range of car washing and detailing services. Schedule your appointment online and visit us in Indianapolis to keep your car just like new.