If you are planning on storing your RV this winter, you need to take the proper steps to protect it from rodents. To squirrels, mice and rats, you unoccupied RV looks like the perfect winter home. Use these tips to keep your RV rodent free while in storage this winter.
Remove All Food
The first thing that you need to do is remove all the food from your RV. Don't leave anything behind, even food stored inside of glass storage containers. Also remove canned goods. Rodents are creative creatures, and if they are really hungry, they will figure out how to get inside of your food containers to get the food that they crave.
Wipe Down Everything
If there are crumbs inside of your cabinets and drawers, use the crevice attachment on your vacuum cleaner to clean them out.
After you vacuum your cabinets and drawers, you need to wipe down all the surfaces in your RV. Wipe down the inside of your cabinets and doors, as well as the outside. Wipe down all the handles in your RV. Clean literally every surface; this is the best way to ensure that no residue or food smells are left behind that may attract rodents into your RV.
Spray Peppermint
Most large rodents do not like the smell of peppermint oil and will avoid going anywhere that smells like peppermint. You can use this to your advantage. Fill a spray bottle primarily with water, and top it off with some peppermint oil from the baking aisle of your local grocery store. Mix this solution together, and mist the inside of all your cabinets and drawers with this solution. Spray it around the inside and outside of all the windows and doors on your RV as well. This smell should help keep the rodents away from your RV.
Check For Holes Inside
While you are wiping down and cleaning your cabinets and drawers, keep your eyes open for any holes or openings. Check in the corners and pay attention to where the plumbing and wiring are located; these are common locations where holes can be found inside of your RV. If you can find a hole, then a rodent looking for a warm place to rest will be able to find that hole as well.
If you find any holes inside of your RV, mark their locations. You will want to go back and fill these holes with expanding foam. Test out the foam first so that you understand exactly how much the foam will expand.
Check For Holes Outside
Next, you need to check for holes in the outside of your RV as well. These holes may not be obvious from inside of your RV because they open up into the storage and under compartments of your RV. Try to lay down on the ground and check under your RV for holes into the interior as well.
Once again, you should fill any holes that you find with expandable foam. This is an easy and simple way to keep unwanted guests out of these openings.
In order to protect your RV from rodents while in storage this winter, you need to take some time to clean it out and fill in all interior and exterior holes. Taking an afternoon or evening to do this will protect your RV from unnecessary wear and tear from unwanted guests this winter. For more information on RV storage, contact a company like Advanced Realty.