How to Trap & Stop RV Mouse/Rodent Infestation (RV Living Full Time) 4K

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

See links in the description for all the products we used

[@brendanwalsh1675]

Old school always works! Great to see Larry back in action!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Yes! And thank goodness Larry took out the “trash” 😉

[@JonnyDIY]

Awesome job yall! I have had problems with the big old rats where I used to live getting in to attics and sheds and under house. I used the metal screen or "hardware cloth". Works great. My cat actually caught 15 of them one summer for me. PS- a trick I use is I tie a string to the trap and tie other end to an anchor point so the mice or rats dont drag the trap away somewhere cant get to it when they're dieing. Sometimes doesn't kill them instantly.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

The string is a great idea. One mouse dragged the trap because only a foot was caught 😳

[@michaelwaller6093]

More projects for Larry!! Truth is, you can close all the places you think they get in, and you'll still find a mouse, or droppings, where you least expect it. I keep traps in my rig all the time as needed. In the SW, you also have to deal with pack rats which are real tough to get rid rid of.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Very true - no way to close every spot. But we haven’t had anymore since we closed the holes

[@JOnTariO]

👍👍 Two Thumbs Up Guys - You do know the traps are not One Time Use Only ! They can be used multiple times if you change the peanut butter 😂 GREAT Vid as usual - safe travels, JOnTariO

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Larry threw away the ones with blood on them 😬

[@sherriweber7105]

We ended up the next day after seeing that mouse went and got mouse traps but the mouse just took the cheese and never got caught. We kept doing the trap but the cheese kept being taken so we gave up. Glad you closed them off someway and glad you caught some too. Those were good ways to close the mice out. Thank you for this video. Glad Larry is well enough to fix the mouse problem. He’s a great handyman. Love you guys! Stay safe and have a great week. See you soon!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

I’m very lucky Larry is better and as always very handy

[@billking1558]

We have a Solitude 384gk which is a similar layout and floorplan to your rig. We had a similar issue with mice in our rig and did the same as you with the mesh screen and the spray foam. I thought I had everything blocked then on our way to Florida this past winter we picked up another mouse on our travels., however this one only got into the basement area. This lead me to a major review of the entire underside of the RV. Here is what I found and what I did, 1. I placed very thing metal flashing around all openings for the slide rails and the hydraulic ram tube. I first held the metal flashing in place with earth magnets and once I determined that it was not interfering with the slide mechanisms I used silicone to seal it to the side of the frame. 2. I lowered the spare tire and found an opening a mouse could enter where the cable that raises and lowers the tire. I cut and put wire mesh around this opening as well holding it in place with screws and washers and then again covered in it silicone. 3. I checked all around the edges of the coroplast and where there were any gaps I would try closing them up using another screw and washer to attach it to the frame and them filled any remaing gap with the mouse block spray foam and then spray painted it with black paint to stop the uv rays from destroying it. 4. I filled in any drain holes in the coroplast with stainless steel wool and again with mouse block as several of these holes were larger than 1/4 inch. I then added 1/8 inch drain holes incase any water got into the underbelly. I figured the 1/8 inch holes were small enough. 5.After all this I still ended up getting another mouse in my basement compartment dead in a trap. After a lot of search, to my surprise I found a major mouse highway right into the basement area. What I found was the 4 slide tube rails with the gear rail on them are hollow. the ends are open and they have holes drilled into them to allow the slide room brackets to bolt onto them. I pushed in stainless steel wool and then injected the mouse blocker foam into the stainless steel wool in the holes in the tubes. Look at the top and bottom of the tubes. Since doing all this so far we have not had another mouse in the RV. I am hopefully I finally have all access areas blocked.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Wow. Thanks for this. We will definitely take a look at areas like yours in ours

[@donmichaelsen5169]

Glad to see you are healthy, we did the same thing with our trailer and added the plug in pest repellents . On the underside of the trailer I sealed all wiring, gas lines and every other hole I could find. We have not had any mice while camping and very little evidence of any over the winter. Our RV is powered during the winter so the pest repellents are active. Keep up the good work ☺️

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Sounds like you got it figured out. We do believe some of these should have been sealed by manufacturers Let’s hope the mice stay away for both of all of us 🤗

[@harrynickel8691]

Going through this now. Dryer sheets, dryer sheets, dryer sheets and Fresh Cab Rodent Repellent. Fingers are crossed. Stay Calm and RV On

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Good luck. Once we closed up holes, we haven’t seen mice since 🤗

[@lauravictorious4670]

I had mice come into the drawer where I kept an open box of dryer sheets.

[@texasmamaw6555]

Great tips. Thanks. Y’all are always entertaining too!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Appreciate it. We try not to do boring 😉

[@timothybuchanan1611]

For those that want a longer lasting version of the steel wool for filling holes long-term, you can use copper steel wool as it will not rust away with time.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We only used the steel wool for the slide hole - we removed it when we moved. But good idea if we find other spots where we need a different long term solution

[@Tony-um2el]

Great video I’ve got to go check on my cherry cobbler. Have a great day

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Too bad you can’t send some of that cobbler our way. Enjoy. And thanks for stopping by 🤗

[@rickgriffith1]

Great video! You two are awesome! Peanut butter is mouse kryptonite.👍🏼😎

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks, Rick. We definitely got our moneys worth for the peanut butter 😉

[@mum2jka]

lol, Alice's face is hilarious when Larry talks and comments on the snap of the trap. I'm the same. But in an RV I wouldn't use any other method than a good old fashioned trap when it comes to mice. They really are the most humane way. But I'd be lying awake all night waiting for the snap!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

I’m hate killing anything - except roaches, ants, noseeums and stink bugs 😁 But mice in a home is no good. Larry is a trap guy, too

[@bigoldal2436]

Forget awning lights. We have a 5th wheel stationary and travel with our tag along. Had problems with mice but use LED String lights with a night timer and only 1 mouse in 5 years

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We like it dark as dark can be when we sleep 🤣

[@jamesbondaygee]

I had some bad rodent issues and I found a mouse poison product to be quite effective together with the traps. Such a sweet victory to get rid of them. The poison is called Tomcat

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We don’t want to use poison because they could crawl off and die in an unreachable spot 🥺

[@lauravictorious4670]

If the mouse eats the poison and dies in the woods other animals will eat it and could make them sick. The snap traps are a quick kill method.

[@4everlandrv988]

Hi guy! Glad to see you are doing much better. I prefer the old school way. We have found that the refillable bait traps work well to. They not only eat it they take some back to the nest. Great video take care and stay safe and well. Chief

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks, Chief. Larry is on his way back from another treatment in Florida - last time he’ll have to fly for it since we will be wintering in Florida again 🤗 We don’t like the idea of dead mice in the RV but we don’t know where. That’s why we like the old school traps

[@bobhagman6474]

Ya but we had rats from living on a farm those buggers ear holes in water lines ( hot & cold) all under the trailer as well as inside finally got rid of them and fixed all the water lines now just have to fix the black plastic panneling under the trailer what a pain

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Sorry to hear that. So many spots they can get it. Good luck

[@onecrazycanadiancouple4513]

Great information. Thanks for sharing

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Hope it helps prevent what happened to us 🤗

[@davidg.johnson7208]

I read where they don't like peppermint and will leave a place that smells like it. And rish Spring bars have a smell they don't like too.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We don’t like smells. We haven’t had mice since we closed our holes

[@wallyworld9096]

Love you guys, great couple

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thank you 🤗

[@Ubergirlie]

We’ve been on the road full time since Sept 2020. I felt concerned about this happening, so when we moved in, we stuffed steel wool around all our pipes as a precaution. We also never leave our basement doors open, we keep the kitchen clean & foods stored in air tight containers, have no clutter, & take trash out daily. Yet we’ve had a rodent in our RV twice! Both times it was when we stayed in my mother in law’s yard. She has fields behind her & across the road. The first time, the farmer was harvesting soybeans, so we figured the rather large field rat was run out of the field by machines & decided to move in with us! So we got the electric kill traps. This, & the next time it happened at her house, did the trick. We also started stuffing copper scouring pads on the inside edges of our slides at the bottom once set up. So far so good! We’ll see when we return to her yard in Nov!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Sounds like you did all you could. We are happy to say we haven’t had any more mice and we have gone through several more states. Good luck at your mother-in-laws🤞

[@lisamcgrath3132]

Hi Alice & Larry!!!! Yuck, I hate mice🤮 So glad y’all got the little suckers taken care of🐀🤗

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks. It was stressful for awhile. But like always, Larry fixed it

[@davelauraphillips8814]

Mickey, Minnie, Pixie, Dixie, Jerry, and Mighty Mouse (Here I come to save the day!!). Hey, Larry looks great!!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Don’t know Pixie and Dixie 😁

[@davelauraphillips8814]

@@DownsizingMakesCents Hanna Barberra toons. Their nemesis cat was Mr. Jinks.

[@bernardstevens3613]

We prefer the spring trap, and DEATH to the mice! (We do use Irish Spring Bar Soap as a deterrent - YES it works!) Thanks for sharing!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Unfortunately, we have issues with strong smells so no aroma deterrents for us. But I have heard it works. Luckily, no mice since we fixed holes 🤗

[@guywilliam6065]

We stored our RV the first winter it was new and tried the Irish Spring deterrent. When we opened it up the next spring we were surprised to find a mouse was in there and it had eaten all the Irish Spring. Caught it a few days later after putting six or so traps in.

[@BikesBoatsBivouacs]

I am going on record as saying mice are worse than stink bugs. Lol. Glad you got it under control.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

I don’t know, it took months to get rid of stink bugs 😉

[@Joe-cu4hi]

After nearly 20 years of camping we got 5 mice camping at Standing Indian St Pk. The trap that snaps their back or neck is the best! Those stupid humane ones are expensive and don’t work half the time. And for those folks that think its so unloving to kill a mouse, research how many babies one has in a year (one female mouse has 200+ a year) and the disease they spread is another issue. Have you ever wondered how they remember how to get out of your camper? They leave a trail of pee and smell their way out. So I don’t mind “killing them” 😂 We to have watched mouse hunt many times, we love that movie 😂. We have a 19’ Airstream and we had over 22 traps, we laughed because it reminded us of the kitchen scene in the movie mouse hunt. We spray the rodent spray under the camper and on tires and wheel-well. Other deterrents are solar lights (when we are camping with no power) that are the size of a large piece of toast and we leave them all night under the camper. Apparently rodents don’t light lights. And we stuffed stainless steel steel wool around pipes etc so if it gets wet it wont rust. A friend that is VP to a pest control company told me they can squeeze in a hole the size of a pencil eraser. i silicone every crack and hole I could find in the underbelly

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

It’s a battle we are willing to do - we foamed sooo many holes. Yes - MouseHunt is so hilarious. I’ve watched it so many times. My kids love it, too. Let’s hope we both win the battle 🤗

[@ceritapenman6112]

We live out in the country on a couple of acres and had a problem with rats getting in our rv. We had to get an exterminator service to rid the property of them. They used metal boxes full of poison to get rid of them. We found a couple of them inside our rv under the basement where the inverter is. They were trying to stay warm, we believe. We haven't had any for a while now, but as soon as I say that one will show up!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Sorry it was that bad for you. I hope they stay gone. We are hoping the same for us 😉

[@myrnaedelen8385]

Thanks for the info!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Hope it helps 🤗

[@4everlandrv988]

Average family of mice is 8-10. Then there will be a lull. I'm cheap, I reuse my old fashioned traps. Use gloves and a pair of needle nose to dump the mouse, rinse it off in soapy water, let it dry and start over. Might sound like a lot of work but when you get your initial stock of about 5 traps you just rotate them. 5 bucks once is better than 5 bucks a week. 😉😎 Chief

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We tried that when we had a house - reused trap never caught anything We don’t mind spending the extra dollars - we have had no more mice since we closed the holes

[@SmallSpaceLiving]

Yep welcome to the desert. This tends to be a common issue out there. They say have outside lights help as well. Yeah we are thinking on our next rig we would like to not have slides. TO many issues from them. Issues with the slide and stuff like this. That screening aint cheap either but will last for a long time. Really just show another miss build by the RV manufactures. There should not be this many breach points. Nothing wrong with just killing them. They are nasty. Nice share y'all.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We might get lights as long as they don’t blind the neighbors like some lights 😉 Larry took care of the “bodies” We think it’s the desert, too. But your right, no need to leave these easy access points when building an RV. Another manufacturer fail

[@mikel.5850]

You can also sew bacon onto the trap using upholstery thread and it works wonderful because they can’t remove the cheese of the peanut butter. They tried to pull on the bacon and it snaps.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Great idea. Thanks for sharing Alice

[@MrTubeman123456]

Great I just caught one I think I have one more but he's avoiding the traps he makes a clicking noise I'm wondering if it is a mouse ?

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We have a Game camera. Maybe look into getting one so you can see what the sneaky thing is Alice

[@Jeannie.B]

When we store our camper for winter we put Irish Spring soap in the camper but the mice ate the soap. Lots of green mouse soap poop 🐀💩 Since it's impossible for us to check for mice daily during the winter storage, we got a multi-catch mouse trap and put a poison block in the trap. That way the mice die inside the trap not in the walls or floor. We use Gorilla tape to tape the hinge side of the trap to prevent mice from escaping before they pass away. It's very effective. I feel bad because I do appreciate mice but they are very destructive in a camper.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Have you ever looked for obvious entry points?

[@Jeannie.B]

I can honestly say we have not looked very hard for all of the possible entry points. We definitely should. That way we can avoid killing the mice that try to survive Maine winters in our camper. I never realized the spray foam was treated. We will be implementing your tips in this video. Thanks for a great video!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@Jeannie.B Glad we could help

[@leewest8159]

Cooper wool is better than steel to prevent rust

[@tonyaveverka9740]

Our first mouse was in South Dakota as well. Luckily, it was only 1. It got into the pantry up the drain pipe for the washer hook up. Apparently, there is a gap there, just like under all the sinks.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Fill the gap with the mouse deterrent foam like we used. Manufacturer should have filled it

[@tonyaveverka9740]

@@DownsizingMakesCents they didn’t fill the gaps under the sinks. We did that when we bought the rig with just spray foam. We just didn’t realize that there was also a gap for the washer hook up. Since it is at the back of a deep pantry, it isn’t easy to see.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@tonyaveverka9740 got it. That’s why we feel manufacturer should do it. We bought ours used and told them to fill it under the bathroom sink. We didn’t realize about the one under kitchen sink. Now we know for the future

[@alfredmcfarland7860]

Watch mouse trap Monday every week on KZbin

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

😆 I have had enough of mice 🐭

[@kevinm397]

what did you use to capture the stink bugs?

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Paper towels/tissue and put in a ziplock bag. If you squish them, the smell is horrible and supposedly attracts more. We made the mistake of vacuuming them and had to wash out the vacuum 🤢

[@SevenBears1]

While I haven't had a rodent problem yet I will buy some screen to block off access. Thanks DMC

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

If it stops it before it happens, it’s worth it

[@iglapsu88]

Larry, what are your recommendations to avoid getting into this situation in the first place. I watched BTBRV and JD seemed to have some good suggestions on one of his videos.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Finding any possible egress. We haven’t had any more since we closed up holes

[@bradlangley7815]

Why did Larry have to buy more traps? Those spring traps are meant to be reused.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

He threw them away with the dead mouse?

[@rick3923]

I live in a converted school bus. I too like to kick back in the eve and watch movies, that's when I spotted my first mouse. I set some old school traps and actually watched one go up to it and trigger it and it missed him. Then he came back to the trap and ear the peanut butter I had bated the trap with so the next night I put a spoon full of peanut butter on a paper plate, loaded my little Daisy BB gun, put on the movie American Sniper ( for inspiration ) and by the time the movie was over got two mice. I've gotten several more that way since. Now it watch movies with a loaded BB gun in my lap.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Yikes. Not an image I’m going to forget 😁

[@DC-gy3wj]

Watch Shawn Woods on utube for over 500 different traps

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

😆 500!? Wow. We found what works. No mice since we closed up openings and caught the ones that got it 🤗

[@TheSnakeman3]

The traditional traps are always the best.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

That’s what we found

[@thetaniatouch]

I got an Ozone machine. So far, so good.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Don’t know that one. Hope it works 🤗

[@davidg.johnson7208]

I have a cat in my RV that patrols the hallway at night. Mice don't like to live in a place with a cat as their neighbor!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Understandable. If we still had our Yorkie, we wouldn’t have this problem. Scrappy, our Terrier/Schnauzer is not any help - she’s old and her eyes are going

[@sherriweber7105]

We are not talking Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse with seeing the mice! I saw a mouse in our mobile home before and it was staring at me and mom. Than it ran fast somewhere. He didn’t look like Mikey Mouse either. Lol!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

😁 you are so right - not Mickey or Minnie

[@johnr5545]

Thanks god bless

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Glad we could help 🤗

[@cathymisze3163]

I have had issues with mice in my toyhauler, I want to see dead bodies so I use mouse traps. I had one mouse snap a trap blood streak in my basement storage mouse and trap disappeared. It has to be down in the underbelly is my guess. 🥴 So far this year knock on wood no mice. I am ready for them if they return.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

I agree. I want to know it’s caught and dealt with. Sorry one “escaped” - we had one just foot caught and drug the trap around - we could hear it in the basement 😬 We hope sealing up holes the way we did will stop this from happening again. RV manufacturers should at least seal the holes where plumbing it. Good luck 🤗

[@barnettbilly85]

Not in the rv YET but in the car blower motor,not nice!!!!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Oh, no. Good luck

[@carolynnkaster9457]

I feel your pain. We recently had mice probably from storing the RV in our barn. I noticed the toilet paper under the bathroom sink was being shredded into tiny pieces, and there was mouse poop. I used the steel wool in the obvious holes and saw no other mouse signs. When we got to the campsite the next day, we pulled out our camp rug out of the back of our truck and found what the mice were doing. They were making a nest in the folds of the rug! How did they get in the truck! It has a cover! They also chewed a hole in the rug. Fast forward, the next mouse sign was poop and chew marks in the drawers of the kitchen. They were coming in the storage area for the electrical cord. It stows behind the kitchen drawers in a big empty space. I used steel wool in the area around the cord where it comes out of the RV and used a piece of tape too. I've been using peppermint essential oil .So far, no more mice.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

They really can be a pain. We hope you have seen the last of them. Since we closed holes, no mice - yet🤞

[@kevinsage245]

My rodents became immune to Tomcat bait blocks and pellets... Modified Rat Trap and Zinc Phosphide Suit Cookies going in basement compartments and all cabinets and closets... No Quarter for Rodents ever again...

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@kevinsage245 Go get ‘em, Kevin. Maybe think about closing some East access “highways” like we did 😁

[@kevinsage245]

@DownsizingMakesCents yee of little faith...

[@ColoradoMartini]

I hate rodents. If you have one you have many.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Luckily, since we caught them and sealed holes, no more mice

[@ManyHeavens42]

So as usual I'm the only one with any useful information Use peanut butter on your traps

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

I appreciate the help. But others have mentioned peanut butter. and that is what we used Plus, there was some great advice. There are just methods we prefer

[@markeckman3662]

Great commentary on the uselessness of humane traps and the equally difficult problem with glue traps. For your lizard incident, you can put vegetable oil on the glue surface and the glue will release. If you get an animal that is scared, they may not move so… THESE TRAPS ARE STILL CRAP!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks for that input. We should have thought about the oil. We had a snake stuck on the underside of a roof tile mid reroofing - we got it off and brought it to a snake rescue

[@bepa2935]

Why dont RV manufacturers take rodent precautions when building these.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Unfortunately, they pump RVs out so fast, details are skipped

[@TheBleghfather]

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, break it in half and set it out, no more mice.🙂

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Oh, no. Can’t waste such a treat on mice 😉 Good idea - we did use peanut butter though

[@TheBleghfather]

@@DownsizingMakesCents It was definitely hard to walk away from it. I did eat the other one though. LOL🤪

[@aaronhendrickson]

next time you buy an RV , you ask if it is mouse proof and have them sign it.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

😆

[@MrFastfrets]

I wish the manufacturers would wake up to this problem.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

If they can’t put in 4 screws where there are 4 holes and only put in 2? They did that with our radio in our new fifth wheel. I doubt they would take the time to do what we did Alice

[@pigybak]

At least you don’t have a snake problem.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Yikes. Don’t jinx us 😆

[@riverview9320]

Just started watching - I guess it's us females who totally freak out - mice on silverware! No, I cannot be calm about that.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

🤣 Now I have “mice on silverware” image in my brain. Glad you found us. A lot has happened since then 😉 Alice

[@MrFastfrets]

Got won last night. Left another trap with peanut butter.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Ugh. Good luck

[@sherriweber7105]

🤗💕😘

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

🤗

[@scottkeen69]

I've had good success with the Victor electronic rat/mouse trap from Home Depot or Lowe's. Looks like a little mailbox, you put peanut butter at one end. The rodent steps on the metal floor plates and gets zapped. 50 kills with 4 C cell batteries. Also check out Shawn Woods channel "Mousetrap Mondays", he has hundreds of traps he reviews and it's entertaining to see the different contraptions. kzbin.info

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Ooh, I kind of like the zap idea. I’ll tell Larry. But hopefully closing up the holes has fixed it. About the video, I think I’ve seen enough of mice and traps 😉 but thanks

[@theroadhome_Liz_Summers]

Yes to the Victor electronic traps!! I live in NW Montana in an older cabin type house AND have a motorhome. The "electrocution chambers" are great: humane (instant kill) and easy to dump dead mousie in the garbage. No mess, but I wipe out with paper towel and add new peanut butter. I typically catch 3-5 after seeing 1 and then gone. And I have a cat!!! I have tried the foam and steel wool ... they have chewed through both. In the RV, the primary access is in the basement but this year (knock on wood), NOT in the RV house cabinets - YEA. All above said, the thing that has worked in both house and RV to keep the critters out is light. I have a string of LED lights under the motorhome, and other strings in the closets in my home that I know the critters can access. ***edited to add ... the screen thing is brilliant!! I added screens to foundation access areas but for whatever reason did not think about adding screen material other places like the closets - Thank you!!! ***another edit Local hardware stores are wonderful! My local ACE is now an independent, but they have knowledgeable people to walk around and assist ... PLUS, they still have "accounts". I love my local :)

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@theroadhome_Liz_Summers Ace was awesome. Very helpful. I heard about lights, but we like it dark. We think it’s handled - no mice since we fixed holes