One of the worst jobs is trying to solve a dreaded pest infestation. Mice, ants, wasps, and other pests can easily ruin a great camping trip.
Keeping Pests Out of Your RV
Luckily, there are a few things you can do to make sure that you aren’t unwittingly hosting wild critters in your RV:
- Make sure your RV is kept as clean and tidy as possible.
Pests are looking for food and shelter. A messy RV makes the perfect home. Keeping crumbs and food cleaned up will help to keep the critters out.
- Store food in tightly sealed containers.
Mice and other pests can nibble through most food packages. Avoid this problem by storing food in plastic containers with tight fitting lids or doubled zip top bags.
- Prepare your unit properly before putting it in storage.
Most mice problems start while your RV is in storage. It is important to deeply clean your unit before storing and remove all traces of food and crumbs. Clean the fridge and leave the door propped open to discourage mice from building their nests inside. You can also use mothballs or scented dryer sheets in drawers and cupboards to make these spaces less welcoming. Some people sprinkle borax or talcum powder around the exterior of their unit while it is parked in storage.
Mice, spiders, and insects love to make their nests in vents and registers. Make sure you clean and inspect the areas under the register covers as well as the vents regularly.
- Close off potential points of entry.
Pests need a place to get into your RV. Close off any entry points with spray foam, mesh screens, or steel wool.
Getting Rid of Pests
If pests do end up setting up camp inside your RV, it is usually not too hard to get rid of them. Try these common traps and deterrents to evict your unwelcome guests:
- Ultrasonic pest deterrents
These units plug into a normal outlet and emit a frequency that keeps mice and other pests away. They cannot be heard by humans and they work fairly well.
- Traps
Standard ant traps and mouse traps work well to quickly eliminate the problem.
- Poisons
Be careful when using poisons for mouse removal. You don’t want a mouse to die within the walls of your RV and cause a bad smell.
- Worst case scenarios
You may need to call in a professional exterminator if your pest problem is entirely out of hand.
In the end, keeping critters out is much easier than trying to get rid of an infestation. Keep your RV clean, tidy and seal up any potential entryways and you should not have a problem. Just make sure to keep doors and windows closed while you are camping, or you might accidentally bring home an unwanted extra passenger.
This story was made possible by our Community Partners Program. Thank you High River Autoplex for helping to expand local news coverage in Alberta. Learn more.
