How to Keep Mice, Rats & Other Rodents Out of Your Car Engine
by Catherine Irving
Many people will tell you that if you remove a food source, rodents will disappear. However, this is not always the case. Mice and other rodents often seek shelter in garages and car engines with no source of food because they are looking for a warm place to nest. Unfortunately this means they can eat through your wires and clog your car engine. Use a few home remedies to eliminate your rodent problem and keep your engine safe from mice and rats.
Step 1
Park your car in a sealed garage if possible. Look for holes and points of entry in your garage. Place peppermint oil around the openings to deter rodents with its smell. Place steel wool inside any holes, and cover over with hardening foam to completely seal the entrances. The rodents are unlikely to chew through the steel wool.
Step 2
Preempt the issue by stopping or catching rodents before they ever make it into your engine. Sprinkle rat poison or set traps around the perimeter of the garage and directly underneath the engine on the ground. You can also place moth balls directly under your car to create an offensive odor to the rodents.
Step 3
Keep a cat and its litter box in your garage for several hours or overnight. The cat may assist in catching the rodents. Many mice and rats will avoid an area where they can smell the cat and its litter box. Sprinkle used litter under your car to drive away any unwelcome visitors.
Step 4
Purchase an inexpensive, generic box of dryer sheets from the store, or use your favorite brand if you don't mind paying the price. Mice and other rodents typically detest the smell of dryer sheets. Place the sheets under the hood, inside the car and on the garage floor beneath the engine.
Step 5
Place rubber snakes underneath your car. Squirrels, mice and other rodents are fearful of snakes and will usually steer clear. Change out the snakes every few days or weeks to keep the rodents from growing accustomed to them. Coat the snakes in peppermint oil for an added deterrent.
Step 6
Regularly run your car to clear out mice from your engine. Rodents tend to pick cars that are immobile and stored for long periods of time. Run the car and drive around the block before parking again. Check to see if any nests are forming in the engine area, and clear out nesting debris and other unwanted items to discourage the rodents.
References
Things You'll Need
- Peppermint oil
- Steel wool
- Hardening foam
- Rat poison
- Rat traps
- Moth balls
- Cat
- Litter box
- Dryer sheets
- Rubber snakes
Writer Bio
Catherine Irving is a travel and lifestyle writer living in Brooklyn, New York and has been professionally freelance writing since 2002. She's written for "Young Money," Kayak.com, Pokemon.com and numerous other national outlets. Irving graduated with a bachelor's degree in film with a minor in English from Georgia State University.
