Opposed to cleaning as an obsession....

I tend to be fairly anal about cleaning, dishes, vacuuming, etc.... Being a solo flyer, I will likely be using, as I do here in my house, 1 plate, 1 bowl, one fork, one spoon. I find that doing it that way I never have to look at a sink full of dishes. That will also aid in my controlling insects and rodents.

Which brings me to the question. What kind of prevention tips can you experienced folk offer to keep the meeses out? I plan to have a trash can with a latching lid, either a snap latch or a screw down. I tend to mostly steam a lot of veggies in a microwave steamer, and I nuke a lot of frozen fish and soups in a bowl that is covered and vented, so the inside of the nuker shouldn't get too awful dirty. (I keep it clean here, washing it with a sponge after every use.) I really hate meeces to pieces, so I want to do everything I can to keep them out. I have started looking all around the underside of the RV to try and find any holes they could get in, and I know a mouse can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime. Is there any kind of "mouse repellent" soaps or anything that clean but maybe have an odor that mice particularly hate? I can't really use any kind of snapping action or poison traps, even as a precaution, because my dog is blind and could easily step into a snap trap or eat poison. The compartments below will always have traps in them. Best way to not have to catch them is to keep them out I guess.

Edited January 24, 2018 by eddie1261

Agreed. That best route is keeping them out in the first place. The best defense is closing all possible points of entry. That means crawling around in and behind every cable, hose or pipe inlet and sealing any entry points. Small gaps can be filled with expanding foam, but wherever possible, stuff any gaps with 0000 steel wool and then seal it with expanding foam. I've seen some folks cut up plastic milk containers and make reverse cones on their cables and hoses. Install screens on any vent openings.

I mix ammonia ( fox urine would be better ) with Home Defense , sprayed under the rig and a ring around the whole unit . Sure it has to be reapplied occasionally , but , we haven't seen much 'meeses'  .

On the food-trash side of things, I put anything remotely food-related, including the crumbs from the toaster (brushed out after each use) into a grocery bag in the freezer.  Hoping that keeping the inside free of tempting smells will keep all nuisance critters from coming inside.

Buy large ziplock bags and use to store cookies, crackers etc after opening. (keeps 'em fresher too.)

Wash the dog dish after each meal.

Doggie smells may be a deterrent. We've never had an invasion since '12.

We reuse the Walmart or other store shopping bags as our garbage bags.  Depending on what's happening in the kitchen they are taken out hourly (preparing chicken or fish) or daily in the evening with the evening dog walk.  If we stay in one place for awhile, I spray the leveler feet pads, hoses, electric cords, around the tires with a bug killer.  Have to respray on occasion, but in 4 years we haven't had any issues with bugs or rodents.

We found that letting garbage accumulate at all really smells up the RV. Like Ali & Jim, we use the Walmart type bags for our garbage and take it out at least every evening, more if there is much food in it.

 We had one invasion of mice and found the most effective things was the little boxes of pellets they eat and take home. Put them under the sink, etc., where our two dogs couldn't get to it. They were coming in through the water line hole to the toilet. Never did figure out how they were getting to there.

I don't think washing the dogs bowls, wiping the micro, etc after every use is necessary to keep rodents out but it sure will help keep things clean.

Edited August 27, 2017 by theeyres

Our primary deterrent was moving frequently. Never had bugs or rodents.

Linda Sand

This discussion recently came up in our park in the mountains which is surrounded by lots of open space and critters of all shapes and sizes.   The solution to mice and rats "peppermint oil" here is a link to a website explaining how to:   Using Peppermint Oil as a Natural Mouse Repellent

  On 8/27/2017 at 6:28 AM, Velos said:

This discussion recently came up in our park in the mountains which is surrounded by lots of open space and critters of all shapes and sizes.   The solution to mice and rats "peppermint oil" here is a link to a website explaining how to:   Using Peppermint Oil as a Natural Mouse Repellent

Wintergreen seems to do the same .

FRESH CAB Botanical Rodent Repellent, "keeps mice out of enclosed storage areas." Active ingredient: Balsam Fir Oil, "botanical pesticide."   Smells very nice in our fiver basement.  It's a repellent, not poison, so it's pet friendly.  http://www.earthkind.com/how-to-use/fresh-cab

The only 2 times we had a rodent on board since 2008 was once during a heavy rainstorm, and in south Texas during the drought when animals were coming in out of the fields to find water. 

The cat may be our best deterrent.

Edited August 27, 2017 by rocksbride

Thankfully where I am currently parked I have three resident "Farm Cats". As I think back there was only one place when I parked "out in the country" where there wasn't at least a dog in residence. So far no furry unwanted guests. As the temperatures start cooling I am in hopes the cat's continue to defend my home. That's when we had the most problem growing up on the farm.

Rod

Unfortunately 'outdoor' cats kill more song birds. Snakes kill more rodents. But we don't like snakes, and do like cats. Keep you cats indoors.

Don't leave any dry dog food sitting in a dish for free feeding of your dog.  Meeces think that is gourmet stuff.

We keep a plastic grocery bag going all day sitting in one of the kitchen sinks, depositing trash and crumbs, plate scrapings from dinner and any debris from the sink drain baskets and take it to the trash dumpster every night.  The only trash that remains inside overnight is paper debris in the bathroom waste basket.  I also never leave a covered plate with like cookies or anything on the counter.  I put them in the microwave to store except when I use it.    We keep any type of sweet including any sweetened cereal in gallon size ziploc bags if it is going to be in a cupboard.  When we have had mice (a couple times in 7 yrs) it seems it was when it was getting cold outside and they were looking for a warm place to nest.  

  On 8/28/2017 at 9:02 AM, Sehc said:

Unfortunately 'outdoor' cats kill more song birds. Snakes kill more rodents. But we don't like snakes, and do like cats. Keep you cats indoors.

Kitty IS an indoor cat.  She showed us the mouse. 

Edited September 27, 2017 by rocksbride