Keeping mice out of car

[RSOHC]

What is the best method for keeping mice out of a car?

[Bob Gaines]

What is the best method for keeping mice out of a car?

Seal it up in a Car Jacket zippered storage bag.

[427hunter]

Or get a cat..

[Kent]

storage bag is a 1 minute thing for a mouse, best is a cobra in the car 

[CSX 4133]

With the cooler weather mice have already moved into their wintering abode, which might include your garage. Forget the Peppermint oil. mothballs and drier sheets nonsense.

The best preventive method is to seal the gaps bigger than 3/8" in and around your garage, especially the doors. If a mouse can get it's head in they will gain access. Remove any debris, plants, etc that provide cover from the garage area. This eliminates potential nesting sites and makes a clear zone for natural predators (owls and hawks) to do their thing.

Outside bait stations work well, but these need to be placed early enough to reduce/eliminate the population before winter. Check your bait stations frequently, I've had mine out since summer and they have been visited periodically. Place your bait stations along the exterior walls of your garage as mice/rats travel along walls looking for cover and bait stations by design offer cover and ready access to "food".

If you find you already have mice, sticky traps and traditional mouse traps do work, but I prefer the preventative method before I have a problem. One last suggestion, don't leave anything edible in your garage. I know it's tempting to bring food into your garage while working for extended periods, but don't!

[rkm]

Dryer sheets of fabric softener. They hate the smell and stay away.

Outside of the car, cups of ammonia.

[FL SAAC]

maintain a clean and hygienic home or work place

[NC TRACKRAT]

We have chipmunks all over our neighborhood.  I rarely leave the garage door open unless I'm standing right in front of it.  I've actually chased one or two out on occasion.  I've got a small Hav-a-Heart trap set with sunflower seeds as bait and numerous mouse traps set around the inner periphery of the garage with peanut butter as bait.  Be sure to store birdseed in plastic drums with snap-on lids.

[Bob Gaines]

storage bag is a 1 minute thing for a mouse, best is a cobra in the car 

Cute post but apparently not written with any hands on knowledge of the Car Jacket product. I on the other hand and many others do have experience . The bags are made of tough fiber plastic similar to what thicker heavy plastic tarps are made of . I used them for years in buildings with rodents and they do not even attempt to eat through.Heard testimonials from many others for the same. If they get in they can do damage regardless of safe guards used on the inside to prevent them from staying. If they can't get in to begin with then they don't have a chance to do damage or die on the inside. https://www.carbag.com/carjacket/

[gpm6367]

I approach it the same way as an alarm system with both inner and perimeter measures. Never place traps with food in the vehicle.

It was good advice given above as you should attempt to seal any large openings but they will find their way in. They are actually blind and operate by scent generally running along walls or to other objects. They don't cross the middle of rooms. If you set new traps set the traps along the walls or right underneath a tire.

I employ both peppermint oil as well as dryer sheets in the vehicle. Outside the vehicles underneath the tire I have a have a heart trap with peanut butter.

The other post was correct in that they have all settled in for the winter already. As soon as the weather got cold I must've caught five or six over a five week period. And now my traps have been quiet for several weeks as they are nestled in for the winter. Hopefully not in your car. 😁

[gt350hr]

   A nice big bowl of anti freeze ( the green stuff) will stop them.

[shelbydoug]

   A nice big bowl of anti freeze ( the green stuff) will stop them.

Yes. It will kill your cat also. They find it irresistible and will drink it.

[gt350hr]

  My cats ( 7 at the moment) know that the garage is off limits. I've never had a rodent problem here in sunny So Cal.  Dogs ( and any other "pet") are also at danger. Don't use it if there is ANY possibility of the WRONG animal accessing it.

[GT350DAVE]

I have a barn on my property that has been an issue with mice. They ate a portion of the wiring harness in my F 150 and I have seen signs of them from time in the other cars. I tried everything except Randy's antifreeze idea. That's something I haven't thought of. Anyway, traps, sticky paper, electric shock, baited 5 gal pail with revolving peanut butter can , hard block poison and still had issues. The last few years I used close to 100 poison blocks each year. FYI, they don't work. Last year it was a nest in a heater box. The repair in the heater box was a nightmare. The dealer repaired the F-150 and it was very costly.
This summer I hired a company to seal the building. They call it an Exclusion service. They went all over the building sealing every possible place that mice could get in. They did it by forming aluminum trim strip pieces into a mechanical seal. The building has 4 overhead doors which I know were a problem because the outside corners always had a lot of droppings. They formed aluminum angles in the exterior corners that look like they may work. In previous years mice had chewed the corners where I had plastic seals. So far I haven't seen any activity but it is still early in the cold season but I have high hopes. The Exclusion process wasn't cheap but half the price of the harness repair. Will check back and let you know.
Dave

[Don Johnston]

A small pet snake might work if allowed.  Not a cobra but maybe a Mexican boa.  Pet snake owners might an idea.  Get rid of the mice and have a nice barn pet.