What to do with mattress over winter?

[jimmarako]

Originally Posted by Walholler

If I were you, I would just take the whole camper inside, that would solve the problem of winterizing, battery degrading, mouse nest in mattresses, tires degrading due to weather and squirrels chewing on your rubber covered roof. Just cannot be too careful with those RV's., however I would leave that tow vehicle outside.

While I think your kidding, your also not too far off the mark (frail RV's, or so I've read here repeatedly). Looking at the pictures of some folks garages/storage areas I'd say they are actually following your advice. Maybe I need to start a GoFundMe campaign: Think of the poor RV's sitting out in the cold. For $10 you can feed an RV for 15 minutes.

Jim M.

[jimmarako]

Originally Posted by 5picker

At the risk of thread drift (although the answers to the OPs question have been unanimous) I've posted this before.... in 40 years we have tried everything and I mean everything... Mothballs, Fresh Cab, Irish Spring Soap, Essence of Peppermint and Spearmint Oil, Fox & Coyote Urine, Dryer Sheets, Electronic Pest Devices, Pest Deterrent Granules, Glue Traps and on and on.

The only thing that has worked is to seal every hole you can find and then set good Victor traps with peanut butter and check them often.

I'll help continue my own thread drift. You use the electronic traps inside? Have you tried outside, say under the trailer, to get them before they get in? Or does the PB attract too many other critters?

Jim M.

[Scubanut]

9 years, mattress and foam toppers left in, mattress sealed in zippered bag. Damp rid containers left in year round. No problems, even leave bedding in. Use sleeping bags most of the time.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by jimmarako

I'll help continue my own thread drift. You use the electronic traps inside? Have you tried outside, say under the trailer, to get them before they get in? Or does the PB attract too many other critters?

Jim M.

I use Victor snap traps and yes, inside.
Chipmunks will trip the traps by flipping the trap (without getting caught, they are smarter than mice) and eat the peanut butter off them if you set them outside.

[Ramblin Paul]

Although we store our trailer indoors, I always set 2 or 3 traps with peanut butter as insurance against mice. Tells me if they have gotten in and minimizes damage if they do get in. With our current trailer have not had an incursions. Our chipmunks are not that smart-have caught a few in our garage.

Never had a problem with leaving mattress inside.

[Martsing]

We have a mattress and a mattress topper. In the winter we winterize the mattress and the topper at the same time. We keep a blanket over it..... all winter. That's a joke. I assume the op is concerned about mold and such. We have never had a problem in all our 3 years of experience. We just don't do anything.



Marty

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by GodsGrace

What’s the best thing to use for mice do you put it in the camper or under the camper or both

Originally Posted by medalguy

A hungry tom cat works well.

For about 10 years we had a FAT (not very hungry obviously) tom cat in charge of rodent control around our TT.

No mice inside ever. UNFORTUNATELY, he liked to share. After eating about half of his catch he'd bring the remaining portion to my wife as a "Present".

Totally grossed my wife out but the Tom Cat sure was proud.

For the record he was a 22 pound Maine Coon that was the largest cat in the neighborhood.

[herkyfe]

Ensure it is dry and just close the trailer up. In the spring you can always air it out if necessary. I have never had an issue doing it this way with any hardtop or tt.

[WoodLark-SC]

Originally Posted by herkyfe

Ensure it is dry and just close the trailer up. In the spring you can always air it out if necessary. I have never had an issue doing it this way with any hardtop or tt.

x2

[mwdilday]

We leave it in all winter. Never an issue.

[JeffPatton]

As a sailor, I'm aware of a product called HyperVent, and expanded mesh product which elevates the mattress off the base by a small amount, preventing mildew where the mattress sits on the base:
HyperVent Marine - Product Information[/URL]

I know everyone has said they just leave their mattresses in the RV over the winter, and I will too, but I think I'm going to put a layer of this under our mattress.
Jeff

[jefe]

I crumple up dryer sheets and place around the interior. Seems to keep out the rodents and dryer fresh in the spring.

[A2pfunk]

I'll jump on the 'leave it in' train. I put our camper in indoor (barn) storage for about 5-6 months each winter. We bought a nice memory foam residential mattress and we leave it in. Here is the crazy part that almost got me chased off here last year. Just before I put her in storage, I do a deep clean and then MAKE THE BEDS. I've never had a problem and the camper is ready to go on day one.

For pest control, I jam every opening in the floors with dryer sheets. I put mouse poison throughout the interior.

Last year, just before putting it into storage I was also a little concerned about moisture, mostly because our last two trips were in Michigan's delightfully wet October weather. So I put a portable dehumidifier in the camper and ran it for a few days with the A/C unit's fan running to circulate air throughout the camper. No idea whether it prevented anything but the camper was very dry when put away!

[Jodilc]

The mattress and topper stay in our Aframe all winter. The camper lives in our 3rd stall garage.

We've never had a rodent problem, it's the spiders that find our camper homey that make me crazy.

[RetiredSoldier919]

Originally Posted by GodsGrace

What’s the best thing to use for mice do you put it in the camper or under the camper or both

Best thing is strong oders like peppermint oil or vaporub. Rodents hate the smell. I've even used Irish Spring soap shavings in open plastic containers in different areas of the TT. No signs of mice or anything else.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by RetiredSoldier919

Best thing is strong oders like peppermint oil or vaporub. Rodents hate the smell. I've even used Irish Spring soap shavings in open plastic containers in different areas of the TT. No signs of mice or anything else.

You must not have read the many posts on this forum where mice have actually eaten bars of Irish Spring soap or in my case, made nests from the cotton balls soaked with Essence of Peppermint oil.

[RetiredSoldier919]

Originally Posted by 5picker

You must not have read the many posts on this forum where mice have actually eaten bars of Irish Spring soap or in my case, made nests from the cotton balls soaked with Essence of Peppermint oil.

Odd. That has not been my experience. I've had no signs of mice in my TT since implementing these actions. The soap shavings are untouched and cotton balls with vaporub or peppermint oil are right where I leave them with no indication of something near them. I have my neighbors huge wood pile less than 10 feet from my TT. I also spray Cyzmic CS to keep termites and other insects away from my TT.

[Roberte52]

Leave it in! Damp Rids in the camper when not being used.

[NHHorseman]

Originally Posted by GodsGrace

What’s the best thing to use for mice do you put it in the camper or under the camper or both

I've been camping since about 1971 and I've had my share of mice. Used electronic means, moth balls, etc, etc. The ONLY thing that worked for me was "Fresh Cab" rodent repellent. I buy it on line or from Tractor Supply. It is designed for farmers keeping mice out of their grain. It comes in small pouches, smells like Pot Pourri and I put in about 4 packets inside for the winter. Last year's packets go in the storage compartments as they still work in the second year.
Just my opinion. I'm old so you don't need to listen to my advice.

[bedubya]

Mattress and cushions stay in. Towels, linens, paper towels, toilet paper, etc. are out. Fresh Cab in the camper and change it out halfway through winter.