How to keep mice out of cars

Rodents are everywhere, and they can cause damage to your vehicles if you don't learn how to help keep these critters out of your car. Within just 24 hours, a mouse or rat can crawl into your vehicle and wreak havoc as it gnaws its way through insulation and wires. Your car, truck or van might offer a dark, warm escape from the outside elements, so it could become a prime spot for these rodents to nest.

Risks from rodent damage

While a mouse infestation in your car carries a big "ick" factor, it also carries risks to both your vehicle and your health. Some damage from mice, rats and other mammals will just be cosmetic, but when animals chew through electrical system wiring or nest in key mechanical areas, the damage may affect a vehicle's safe operation.

A rodent infestation can provoke allergies and put your health at risk. Bacteria and viruses, like salmonella and hantavirus, can be spread through a car's ventilation system, especially if a rodent has made a nest near the air filter. 

How do mice get into your car?

Your car or truck can be an attractive habitat for rodents. While you may lock your car or truck up tight, these tiny intruders can get into your vehicle through: 

• Open doors and windows
• The air inlet in your engine compartment
• Vents or small openings for wires, cables, pedals or your steering column
• Rust holes
• Side vents
• Rocker panels
• Ducting

Mice can also nest under the hood in your engine and chew on belts and wires. This can cause serious engine malfunctions and even car fires. 

How can you tell if a mouse is in your car? Look for:

Mechanical failure

Often, a vehicle won't start or stops operating properly because mice have chewed through wires in the engine compartment. 

Damaged upholstery

Unexpected holes in your vehicle's seats, chewed-up foam or missing insulation can be a warning sign that you have a mouse infestation in your car.

Mouse droppings 

You might find rodent waste on your car's floor mats, seats or dashboard. Mouse droppings resemble tiny pellets that look like black or dark brown grains of rice. 

Odd odors

Any strange smells in your vehicle's cabin — especially coming from the air vents — may signal an infestation. Mice often use the venting system as a gateway to reach the interior from the engine compartment.

Nesting materials

A popular nesting spot for rodents is the box that houses the air filter. Also, check for nests beneath seats.

Why do mice take up residence in cars?

Mice might move in for several reasons. 

Your car offers shelter from weather and predators. Mice also look for places to nest that are close to a food source. Mice in your car might stick around if you store pet food near where you park your car or leave food, trash, or crumbs in your vehicle. 

Your car can also provide warmth and cover in the winter, making it the perfect place for rodents to escape the cold. Be sure to always keep doors and windows shut so that mice can't easily enter your vehicle.

Tips to prevent rodent damage to your vehicle

To avoid the risks of disease and vehicle damage, learn how to help keep mice out of cars. Some of the most effective methods for preventing rodents from getting in your car include:

• Avoid parking or storing cars or trucks in areas with rodent problems, especially wooded areas or tall grass. Instead, park or store your car on gravel or pavement - placing a bucket of mothballs under it or sprinkling fox urine powder around it might help, too. If available, parking in a garage or other enclosed space is best.
• Remove any food sources from vehicles that might attract a mouse.
• Place deterrents such as cedar wood, dog hair, human hair or peppermint oil inside.
• Set mouse traps inside the vehicle to catch any rodents that enter.
• Invest in rodent repellent for cars that could help keep mice out.
• Open the hood of a parked car to eliminate the dark, warm environment that critters seek when building a nest.
• Before starting the car, honk the horn to scare off any small animals that have made a home in your automobile.

If you must store a car outdoors, setting up an aluminum perimeter around the base may serve as an effective barrier from a possible mouse infestation.

How to remove mice from your car

Once you've determined that you have unwanted rodent guests, removing mice in your car and making sure they don't come back is a top priority. 

Experts recommend the following:

Make your car uncomfortable for mice

Cranking up the music and turning up the heat in your car can make your vehicle less appealing to any mice that may have taken up residence. Mice are sensitive to hot temperatures and loud noises, so blaring your favorite tunes at top volume or honking the horn can drive them out of your car. 

Similarly, making your car uncomfortably warm can deter mice from nesting in your vehicle. When your car is not in use, be sure to keep windows rolled up and, during warmer months, park in a sunny spot to send any critters in search of a more comfortable place to stay. 

Choose traps that are safe and effective

Old-fashioned snap traps are still effective. Glue traps work, too, but can cause rodents to suffer. Humane cage traps are another option but relocating the rodents may only be a temporary fix. Toxic baits will kill rats eventually but can also harm companion animals and pets.

Block small entrances to the vehicle engine compartment

Some owners place traps around the vehicle or on top of the wheels, which rodents use to climb into the engine. Another option is to block engine openings with wire screens.

How to clean a car infested by mice

To protect your health, use care when cleaning a car that has been infested by mice or rats. Don't sweep or vacuum rodent urine or droppings because airborne particles may carry disease. Instead, clean any infected areas with liquid disinfectant after moving the car to an area where it can be aired out. 

To clean your car after a mouse infestation has been eliminated, take the following steps: 

• Wear rubber or plastic gloves and mask up.
• Mix 1½ cups of household bleach with a gallon of water and spray the affected areas until they are very wet.
• Allow the bleach mixture to soak into the affected area for five minutes.
• Wipe the area with paper towels and then discard them.
• Sponge the affected area with bleach solution.
• Create a second batch of bleach solution and soak gloves in it before removing them.
• Wash hands with soap and warm water after removing gloves.

In the case of extreme mice infestations, an auto detailer may use an ozone-generating machine to deplete the area of breathable oxygen to kill rodents and bacteria. Vehicles are then steamed, disassembled, washed and reassembled.

Review your auto insurance policy

Once you learn how to help keep mice out of cars, take some time to review your policy to check your rodent damage coverage. If you have an auto insurance policy, rodent damage may be included as part of Comprehensive coverage. However, not all auto insurance policies will cover auto damage from rodents. Make sure to check with your insurance company to understand your coverage.

Sources

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4. Gorzelany, Jim. "How To Tell If There Are Mice Living in Your Car (And How To Get Rid Of Them)." –Forbes, accessed 11 July 2022. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2021/04/01/how-to-tell-if-there-are-mice-living-in-your-car-and-how-to-get-rid-of-them/?sh=5e2556e0277e
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