Dryer Sheets But No Dryer

Keep the critters out of your car!! (photo courtesy of Hagerty) 

We just got the latest edition of the Hagerty Insurance newsletter, which always has great tips and articles for car buffs, especially those who love collector cars and vintage autos, motorcycles, and even tractors! Of course, those types of vehicles are not your every day drivers and they usually sit 'in storage' for extended periods of time, particularly in our part of the world where cold and snowy weather is an influencing factor.
On that note, the newsletter had a helpful section of ideas and suggestions sent in by clients on protecting your vehicle from mice when in storage. Vermin love to nest in hood blankets, seat upholstery, roof liners and even behind sun visors. If they get into the engine compartment, they can chew wires and hoses and cause all sorts of grief, so there were many tips on ridding yourself of this possibility. Interestingly, I use several of these same ideas for protecting my trailers which sit on a piece of land out in the forest. Mice, squirrels and other such critters are always looking for some nice dry, warm place to build a nest and a trailer or R.V. of any sort is a likely target, particularly when sitting for days or weeks with no-one around. I'm all for nature but really have no desire to share my immediate personal space with any woodland creature, especially considering the destructive nature of these animals when building nests. Mice droppings and urine left indiscriminately while foraging for food even carry the possibility of disease.
To me, the best approach is the pro-active one, which is keeping them from getting inside the trailer (or vehicle) in the first place. Blocking off all the holes and gaps in a trailer is not always easy, so one good trick is to place those delightfully smelly dryer sheets in cupboards and cubbyholes and anywhere else the critters might gain entry.  Name brands like 'Bounce' are good but any type work well enough, as mice hate the smell and are prone to avoiding those areas. Chances are they will be deterred from even getting inside in the first place and a few snap traps and poison bait boxes underneath the trailer will usually be enough to keep your R.V. rodent free.

Vermin!!

Stuff those dryer sheets in places like this.