So you have finally took the plunge and purchased a beautiful RV, 5th wheel or trailer and spent your hard earn money on it. Now what? Well, now you have to do what you can to protect your new asset. In this blog we will look at one of the leaders in post purchase damage to your RV……PESTS and RODENTS!!

We will examine preventative measures, home-made remedies and even some commercial products you can buy to help deter these critters to making themselves at home in your new purchase!

Preventative Measures

The easiest way to keep your RV pest and rodent free is by reducing the possibility of them entering your RV in the first place. There are a number of things we suggest you do as part of your bi-annual inspections that can aid in stopping these critters from entering your castle.

  • During use, invest in air-tight plastic bags or containers for you food and do not keep food exposed for extended periods of time.
  • Before storing your RV, remove all food from your refrigerator and cupboards
  • Before storing your unit, defrost and clean your refrigerator throughly and prop cabinet doors open to discourage nesting
  • Check items like deodorants, shampoos, toothpastes and medicines, as they do have expiration dates and can attract insects and rodents
  • Keep your RV neat. Dust often and keep clutter to a minimum, especially in smaller spaces.
  • Check vents for nests as part of your regular walk around checks
  • Plug all holes from the outside to inside of your RV with expandable foam, steel wool or narrow mesh screens. Ensure that you examine all holes in the firewall between your engine and interior as well (anywhere pipes or wiring enter the interior).

The easy cure for having pests is to prevent them entry!

Household Help – More Subtle Methods

While you can always turn to more aggressive techniques to protect your RV we highly suggest using more subtle and natural methods in your pest control tactics. Here are some household items that can help:

  • Use mothballs to discourage both insects and rodent from setting up shop in your RV. They can even be used in your outside storage compartments to discourage spiders, snakes and other pests away. A general rule of thumb for moth use is 1 or 2 per every 3 cubic feet.
  • Dryer Sheets in your cupboards and drawers will do wonders as well. Mice, insects and other critters generally do not like the smell – so they will avoid areas that contain them.
  • Oil Extracts can be used as a great defence for all different types of insects. Eucalyptus or peppermint oil sprayed around door frames, floorboards and other small crevices will essentially stop most insects from coming around those areas. You can also use these oils to moisten cotton balls and place them in cupboards and drawers.
  • White vinegar can also be substituted as an insect fighter. Dilute it in a bottle of water and spray it in the same areas listed above.
  • If spiders are your house guests – keep in mind that they hate citrus. Lemons, Oranges or Limes can be used by either rubbing their peels around all crevices where they may enter your RV or by mixing a spray bottle of water and citrus juice for a natural-deterrent spray.
  • When storing your RV outside, or even around the camp site – you can protect it from ants, spiders and other pests by sprinkling talcum powder, borax or powdered sink cleanser around the exterior.

Speciality Products – The Aggressive Approach

If you do not want to fool around with household remedies or need something a little stronger to control or eliminate your pest/rodent problem there are a number of products available design specifically for that.

  • Rodent Traps or Poison: There are both live and non live traps that can help you eliminate your rodent problem.  You may also want to consider a safe rodent poison like the one shown below, which is available at our Sylvan Lake RV Parts department.

  • Ultrasonic Pest Repellers: They use state of the art ultrasonic technology to drive pests away. Plugged in to any standard household outlet, ultrasonic pest control uses low frequency sound waves, inaudible to humans and pets, which drive pests out of your home for good.

You can read through the rest of the blog section for more helpful tips from us and other sources around the world wide web. In addition, don’t forget to check out our series of DIY Videos on YouTube.