Danged mice!!

[PEAS_PA]

So I guess no good deed goes unpunished. I thought by covering my RV I was protecting it. Instead I seem to have given the mice the ability to crawl all over and into it.

I'm not looking for advice on keeping them out. Plenty of posts on that already. Here's what I'd like your help with.

Any suggestions for cleaning out the ceiling A/C channels? Looks like the mice got in through the roof unit. No nest but lots of droppings.

They also got into the refrigerator panel. Where could they have gone from there? Seems pretty contained. And the mess seems to be all on the bottom.

Thanks for your help. I'm super frustrated.

[PEAS_PA]

Ugh. Was vacuuming out behind fridge and saw a mouse crawl up in there. I need to pull the fridge. Any tips? Going to check the manuals now.

[rbq]

loosen the propane line. Unplug the AC cord & disconnect other wires. 4 screws & it should come right out.

[SeaDog]

To blow out the AC ducting you can try using your leaf blower you will have to fashion some sort of ducting from the leaf blower to the ducts.

[PEAS_PA]

Thought I'd update... I pulled the fridge and found a mess of insulation behind. Even saw the mouse while getting the fridge out. She hightailed it outside.

We pulled the mess of insulation all out and cleaned up the compartment. I realized that the roof vent is cut through the styrofoam ceiling which gives mice free roam of the entire ceiling space and duct work where channels are cut for wiring and airflow.

Since I saw droppings in the light in the bathroom, I pulled that. Found the wires were eaten through. But only the lighter wires for the light and not the heavy wiring that runs power. That set my mind at ease a little. It will be easy enough to rewire the light and I don't think I need to worry about any other wires. Got a big mess falling when I pulled the light so I thought I was on to a nest.

Next, I pulled the fan shroud from the exhaust fan in the bathroom. More big mess. Then could see in one of the electrical channels a nest of the insulation from behind the fridge.

Good ole shop vac to the rescue. I have a small one with a hose small enough to fit into the channels. Sucked the nest out and all the mess. Then ran the shop vac up and down all the a/c ducts.

Next we sprayed bleach/water solution into all the ducts to wet them down and sanitize. Let that just evaporate on its own.

My take on all this...why don't RV manufacturers protect the fridge outside vent from rodents? Is it because they typically can't scale up the wall to get to it? Once you put a winter cover on the RV it invites rodents to the vent.

I CANNOT possibly be the first person this has ever happened to...

Next winter I will cover the fridge venting with something maybe wrap the entire panel in aluminum foil or even make a wooden panel to replace the vented one for the winter. And I'll place deterrent behind the fridge also.

Any other tips from the experienced RVers?

Thanks and sorry for the long post.

[Flybob]

One possible solution if you plan to use a cover. Buy a plastic tote at Wally world or a big box store that will fit over your fridge vent inverted. Put it over the fridge vent prior to covering the RV. The cover will hold it in place and mice will not be able to access the vent.

[PEAS_PA]

Originally Posted by Flybob

One possible solution if you plan to use a cover. Buy a plastic tote at Wally world or a big box store that will fit over your fridge vent inverted. Put it over the fridge vent prior to covering the RV. The cover will hold it in place and mice will not be able to access the vent.

Thanks for the idea. But the mice came through the vent on the side of the camper. Not the roof. The roof vent is protected with a metal mesh to keep mice out. There isn't anything to keep them out of the side vent.

[crunchman12001]

Originally Posted by PEAS_PA

Thanks for the idea. But the mice came through the vent on the side of the camper. Not the roof. The roof vent is protected with a metal mesh to keep mice out. There isn't anything to keep them out of the side vent.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-42149-F.../dp/B0024E6UE0

[PEAS_PA]

Originally Posted by crunchman12001

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-42149-F.../dp/B0024E6UE0

OMG! You have got to be kidding me! Thank you. How is this not standard equipment! [emoji846]

[Drenjoey]

Four years ago, we found a mouse in our toilet dead and floating in the antifreeze. Since that year we used a product that is natural and really worked well for us:

https://www.amazon.com/Earthkind-Bot...dent+repellent


And better safe than sorry......I will get that screening from Camco as well !

[VinceU]

Don't forget dryer sheets everywhere. Brand not important, had rv's past 25 years, never had a mouse! They hate the smell.

[PEAS_PA]

After putting the fridge back and test firing it, there is smoke coming from the roof vent.

When I had the fridge out I noticed the large tube that the propane flame heats has a hole in the top. I'm thinking the mouse might have gotten in there with acorns and stuff.

Any thoughts on this. Can the tube be cleaned out? Replace it? Replace the whole fridge?

P.S. I really dislike mice.

[MartyQ]

Originally Posted by Drenjoey

Four years ago, we found a mouse in our toilet dead and floating in the antifreeze. Since that year we used a product that is natural and really worked well for us:

https://www.amazon.com/Earthkind-Bot...dent+repellent


And better safe than sorry......I will get that screening from Camco as well !

Any problem with the lingering smell from FreshCab. Have read a few posts that you cannot get rid of the odor??

[rattleNsmoke]

Originally Posted by MartyQ

Any problem with the lingering smell from FreshCab. Have read a few posts that you cannot get rid of the odor??

That's simply not true. Btw, Fresh Cab doesn't work. Mothballs don't work. Peppermint doused cotton balls.....maybe in the utensil drawers. I've been fighting those pesky critters for years. I think next fall I'll leave a very hungry cat in there for a few days..*lol

[rattleNsmoke]

Originally Posted by PEAS_PA

After putting the fridge back and test firing it, there is smoke coming from the roof vent.

When I had the fridge out I noticed the large tube that the propane flame heats has a hole in the top. I'm thinking the mouse might have gotten in there with acorns and stuff.

Any thoughts on this. Can the tube be cleaned out? Replace it? Replace the whole fridge?

P.S. I really dislike mice.

You have a nest in the flue. Get ahold of an air compressor and blow the flue clean, bottom up.

[PEAS_PA]

Originally Posted by rattleNsmoke

You have a nest in the flue. Get ahold of an air compressor and blow the flue clean, bottom up.

Thanks for the tip. Time to pull the fridge out again...oh the joys!

[PEAS_PA]

Took out the fridge and got a good look. Flue was actually clean. Turns out I had some acorns down by the burner. Took off the wind screens and cleaned it out good. Put it back together and all seems good now.

Next up, replace the heat ducts. And add an outlet by the rear bunk while I'm at it.

[Drenjoey]

Originally Posted by MartyQ

Any problem with the lingering smell from FreshCab. Have read a few posts that you cannot get rid of the odor??

The odor goes away, and they are actually made out of pine (it smells good). But for some reason, rodents don't like the smell of pine

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by rattleNsmoke

I think next fall I'll leave a very hungry cat in there for a few days..*lol

He is availible for house calls. I can box him up along with his wife and now 4 young uns and UPS him.

[wicked1]

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

He is availible for house calls. I can box him up along with his wife and now 4 young uns and UPS him.
Attachment 137119

Is he like CatZilla from the movie Mouse Hunt with Nathan Lane.

Love it when the animal rescue guys goes we were going to try and gas him again, then Nathan Lane says we'll take him