Keeping Mice out of Boats…

Any sure fire ways? – mine is going into a barn this winter….

I keep it clean but I always hear stories.

Dog

DRYER SHEETS!!!! We store boats in our barn. A lot of people use moth balls which works just as well but their lingering odor is unbearable. Put about 30 sheets in your boat, with at least 1-2 in each compartment and you should be good to go. Haven’t had a mouse in any cars or boats with dryer sheets (or moth balls for that matter).

I’ve stopped using moth balls since a mouse chewed on a throw cushion that was surrounded by moth balls a few years back.

I was a firm believer in fabric softener dryer sheets until this last year at my camper. They used them for a nest.

I would still use dryer sheets if for only the reason that my boat always smells so fresh in the spring. I still rely on two tin cat mouse trap.

Ps remember glue boards only work in warm weather.

Barn Cats…

Mouse traps?

I used dryer sheets last year for the first time and the critters had a comfortable winter.

Not sure if it works for Mice, But I put up a GOAL POST to keep the Vikings out of mine!!

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Not sure if it works for Mice, But I put up a GOAL POST to keep the Vikings out of mine!!

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That was terrible.

I use Cab Fresh in my camper and had good luck. All natural and smells great.

Irish Spring soap, shave some off the bar on some cardboard.

Ivory Soap

Ps I know Plumbers Putty does NOT work. They like that stuff!

I’ve used cedar balls,father-in-law was taught in motorhome club that to keep mice from getting in to motor homes in storage use cedar .It’s worked in my boat for alot of years.

Maybe we all need to use our boats all winter.

So far moth balls have worked for me. Put them in the compartments and around the wheels and trailer jack so they won’t find a place to enter. I put dryer sheets in my ground blinds one year and the mice made nice lil beds for them to sleep and pee in.

I got this off her a couple years ago…take out all items that they can useto build with (life jackets or throw ables and stuff like that) leave all compartments open, put in 4 rolls of toilet paper, cover and leave be. I had 1 nest the first year, that they made fight in the middle of the floor, then nothing the last 3 years, but mine was stored outside for 2 years,

the 1st year i did in a pole barn I did moth balls and had to actually re-wire my boat as they ate everything in site. after that went to toilet paper for 2 years inside and nothing, then outside storage now.

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DRYER SHEETS!!!! We store boats in our barn. A lot of people use moth balls which works just as well but their lingering odor is unbearable. Put about 30 sheets in your boat, with at least 1-2 in each compartment and you should be good to go. Haven’t had a mouse in any cars or boats with dryer sheets (or moth balls for that matter).

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X2 Cheap and reasonably decent smelling in the spring. I do this to my camper and have not had any problems. But you do have to remove them from the container first.

Give them a map to my cabin. Those &*(%$*$ mice are having a heck of a party up there. I’ll even throw in a couple thousand of those asian beetles to keep them company.

Where can a person pick up Cab Fresh?

I met some farmers out in NDak that highly recomend it.

Bringing this back from the depths….

Anyone have luck with anything new lately to keep the mice out? I’m thinking of trying the peppermint oil since nothing works for my meeses.

Had mothballs, dryer sheets and couple different soap bars and they ate the soap. Seemed to prefer the irish spring more?

There has to be something to spray on or near the tires

Get a tomcat.

Have the tomcat regularly pi$$ all over the boat interior, tires, and area around trailer.

Problem solved. Follow me for more DIY mouse tricks.

Cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil. Place them in the compartments and floor of boat. Plus I pour some directly to floors. Been doing that in camper/boat last couple of winters and no sign of mice. We do have cats around as well, which always helps.

One of our sheds at the cabin let’s the beatty eyes in. Tried lots of different methods except the cotton balls n peppermint oil. Nowadays we just put a small pail of rv antifreeze with a couple ramps leading up. Usually get around 10. And no smell come spring.

Swimjiggin wrote:

Nowadays we just put a small pail of rv antifreeze with a couple ramps leading up. Usually get around 10. And no smell come spring.

^^^^ This

Make sure there’s no food/snacks left in the boat, and do the above.

The buckets traps work awesome. I do the spinning can with peanut butter trick, it’s incredibly effective.

I’d much rather kill them then “attempt” to repel them

Set a couple traps in your garage or under the boat if it’s outside, then put one in the boat as a last resort.

It’s best to refresh your peanut butter and clean the traps every couple of weeks if it’s feasible for you.

I’ve had little to no luck with any of the commonly recommended remedies, or at least not for long. We have a camper that sits up north at our hunting property. The best solution I’ve found by far is to just accept the fact that they’ll be in there, then make a bucket trap(worth a google) or two and bait it with peanut butter. If it’s going to sit for extended periods in freezing temps, use antifreeze, deep enough that they can’t stand on their hind legs/tails.

It sounds cruel, and kind of is, but it’s incredibly effective. I have two set up in the camper. Here’s a pic from the last time I checked them(it had been a couple months since I last emptied and reset them-

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I believe they are white-footed mice, close relative of deer mice, which carry a lot of disease including lymes. Hopefully someone will correct me if I’m wrong.

Tried these this year. So far zero mice!

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We had a cat die under the tarp of grandpas boat when I was a kid . A sight I’ll never unsee . And curse words I’ll never unhear upon untarping. Cats the goldfish of the pet world .

isu22andy wrote:

We had a cat die under the tarp of grandpas boat when I was a kid . A sight I’ll never unsee . And curse words I’ll never unhear upon untarping. Cats the goldfish of the pet world .

That had to be a sight and a smell!

https://nhoilundercoating.com/how-to-keep-mice-out-of-your-atv/
I’ve been using this stuff for keeping them out of my boat and pontoon seems to keep them away…