How to Keep Mice Out of Your RV

There’s not many experiences worse than going out to your RV or trailer and finding mouse droppings everywhere. Ants scurrying everywhere is a close second. Regardless of the type of pest, they are never welcome in an RV or travel trailer and can be difficult to get rid of. It’s better to keep them out in the first place.

We live out in the country, surrounded by woods, so wildlife is a fact of life. When we had our trailer we had mice squeeze their way in and make a mess, multiple times. It was so gross to clean up. After the second or third time they got in, I researched the best ways to keep mice out of our trailer, and found several suggestions.

The one that worked for us was the copper scrubber wedged into any openings. But our trailer was small and pretty basic, so it was easy to find the two holes where the water lines and electrical cords came in, and stop them up. It was well built and didn’t have any other holes or cracks, but I can see how it would be a much more daunting task to find all the holes and crevices in a larger trailer or RV with slides and multiple water and electrical ports, cracks, etc. since sneaky mice can squeeze though tiny cracks.

Rodents are a year-round concern.

In the fall as we prep our RVs for winter storage, mice are looking for food and shelter from colder temperatures. Come winter, mice are still looking for food and shelter. In the spring they’re looking for a place to build their nests and raise their babies. In the summer they’re still looking for food, especially if parked in a grassy field. Mouse incursions can occur while stored or while camping.

If you google around, you can find a myriad of deterrents that people swear by, but other people don’t have any luck with those same deterrents. Unfortunately, there is no one-solution-works-for-all method, so if one doesn’t work for you, try another on the list.

Precautions to take

1. If possible, park on asphalt with the stabilizers up. Stabilizers can be a highway to the RV, and mice like to hang out in grass.

2. Keep your RV or travel trailer clean. Don’t leave food or trash in the RV to attract mice. Don’t leave out paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, etc, since mice like to shred them for nesting materials.

3. Visit your RV on a frequent basis. This won’t discourage mice from moving in, but at least you’ll see the evidence sooner, rather than later. Which takes us to the next step:

4. If you do find evidence of mice, set traps to catch them, then thoroughly clean everything. Once you’ve caught the mice and cleaned up, try some of the deterrents listed below.

Deterrents inside the RV

1. You want to eliminate any holes or cracks that mice can squeeze through. Steel wool is frequently mentioned since mice won’t chew through the metal fibers. However, brass or copper scrubbers are a better option as they won’t rust like steel wool. Wedge those scrubbers in the holes around electrical wires and plumbing pipes where they come in from outside the RV or trailer, and any other cracks or openings you can find.

2. Peppermint oil on cotton balls is also said to be effective. You will need to add more oil periodically, and you might want to set the cotton ball in a dixie cup to keep the oil from staining the surfaces you set it near. Another option is to put the oil on panty liners. They hold a lot of liquid and the adhesive backing will allow you to stick it wherever you want.

3. Fresh Cab is a botanical repellent made of balsam fir oil and plant fibers. You leave the pouches throughout the RV, engine area, wherever you want to deter the little critters. We haven’t used this yet, but a lot of people swear by it, so I think we’ll try it in our RV this winter.

4. This ultrasonic pest repellent is a great non-toxic alternative to poison and can be used in conjunction with traps. You will need a constant power source, but this is also supposed to repel insects and other critters, so it may be worth it to keep your RV plugged in if you find it to be effective.

Possibly less-effective deterrents inside the RV

1. The smell of Irish Spring soap is said to be a deterrent, though you will have to put new bars out every so often. However, there are reports of the soap being eaten by mice, so it doesn’t work for everyone.

2. A lot of people swear by the effectiveness of dryer sheets. But as with the soap bars, you’ll have to put new ones out every so often as the scent dissipates. However, the sheets may end up being shredded for bedding and the chemical smell from the dryer sheets can be irritating. We won’t be trying this method because I’d end up with massive headaches from the chemicals.

3. Some people recommend moth balls, but I wouldn’t use them. The smell is awful and hard to get rid of, and they may be toxic. Better safe than sorry on this one.

4. Some people use spray foam to seal holes and cracks under the RV, but mice will still chew on it, so they’ll still be able to find their way in. It would be more effective if combined with the copper or brass scrubbers.

Other deterrents that may work

1. Like peppermint oil, rosemary, tea tree (melaleuca), and lavender oils are also said to have repelling properties. If nothing else, your RV will smell good 🙂 If you’re interested in using Doterra essential oils, my friend Crystal can hook you up.

2. Try scattering whole cloves or bay leaves throughout the RV. Even if they don’t keep the mice away, these will also help your RV smell good.

Deterrents outside the RV

1. Place glue traps around the tongue jack and/or tires. The traps should prevent mice from using the jack or the tires to climb up into the RV. If you want to catch and release mice (or pets) caught in a glue traps, vegetable oil will release fur from the glue. Just keep in mind that these traps are paper, which mice can easily chew through, so check and replace traps often.

2. Rub EcoSafe Predator barrier scent stick on tires or anything that touches the ground. The scent stick is made using urine from predators like coyotes and bobcats, and rubbing it on surfaces is similar to a predator marking its territory.

3. Try laying strings of LED patio lights on ground under your RV or trailer. This would require a power source, but some people swear by it.

4. Spray Mouse Free on the undercarriage of your RV or trailer. It does need to be re-applied every six months or so, but when applied after you’ve filled all the holes and cracks, it should help keep mice out of your RV.

Now that you’ve done everything you can to keep mice OUT of your RV, you need to get rid of the mice that are already in your RV.

1. D-Con No Touch, No View enclosed mouse trap. We’ve had good success with these, though you have to make sure they don’t get bumped, or you’ll have to reset them. We’ve used them in our trailer and our CRV, which is weirdly attractive to mice for some reason. I like that I don’t have to see or touch the mice after they’re caught. I put the whole thing in a bag, and chuck it in the trash. Just be aware that bait in any trap may attract more critters.

2. Old-fashioned spring traps. Oldies, but goodies. These are effective, but you have to deal more directly with the critter (ick! no, thank you).

3. Mice can chew through paper or plastic traps but not metal traps. The Victor Tin Cat can be used for catch and release (release several miles away so they don’t return), though this one has a window to easily see if you’ve caught any mice.

4. Bucket trap. I found plans for a trap involving a ramp that leads to into bucket. Depending on how you set this up and how often you check it, this could get stinky, so this is probably best for a garage or barn.

What not to do to get rid of mice

Poison. While poison is effective, you do have to make sure pets and children don’t get into it. You could also end up with a dead mouse decaying somewhere in your RV where you can’t reach. Poisoned mice could also be eaten by larger predators, making them sick or even killing them.

Have you tried any of these methods to deter or trap mice? What worked? What didn’t? Is there anything you’ve tried that I didn’t mention above? Please share!