How to Keep Rodents Out of Parked Vehicles

Rodents can destroy fabric and hood insulating material inside of a vehicle.

If you plan on storing a vehicle for a long period of time, take precautions to keep mice and other rodents out of it. Rodents can cause tremendous amounts of damages to a vehicle as they search for material to create nests. In the worst cases, rodents can chew through a vehicle's wiring, possibly causing it to not start at all when you remove it from storage. There are a number of ways you can keep your vehicle rodent-free when parked.

Instructions

1. Remove all traces of food from the vehicle. Thoroughly vacuum the seats and carpets, especially within nooks and crannies where food could fall through and accumulate. Shampoo the carpets and any cloth surfaces to eliminate traces of food and odors.

2. Keep the windows rolled up and all outside vents closed to prevent easy access to rodents. Cover up any holes, cracks or coverings that are large enough to allow rodents to crawl through. Cover up any open hoses and intake ducting, and also keep the hood of the vehicle closed to prevent vermin from nesting inside.

3. Place rodent traps inside and around the vehicle. Doing so will help catch and kill rodents attempting to enter the vehicle, as well as those that may already be inside. Inspect the traps frequently and dispose of all vermin carcasses as soon as possible.

4. Place mothballs inside of your vehicle to deter rodents from entering. Pour the mothballs into a plastic bag, and then poke several small holes in the bag. Hang the bags inside of the engine bay or interior of the vehicle. The fumes from the mothballs should keep most rodents out of the vehicle. Afterwards, you can discard the mothballs and air out the vehicle.

References

• Hagerty: Tips to Keep Mice Out of Stored Cars