Mice vs Softener Sheets

[wincom6]

I have never had mice in the motorhome. If I'm staying home for the Fall months,  I have always put laundry softener sheets in all the cargo boxes and placed them around the inside. This is the first year I did not use them and I discovered the tale tell signs of mice. After searching I also found droppings and 2 cough drop wrappers. I had taken all the usual precautions, removing all food (except the 2 cough drops they found)and making sure all entrance avenues were plugged.
I'll be sure to use dryer sheets in the future but whether they work for you or not you must decide.  

 

[Rene T]

They didn't work for me. We had them all over the rig one year and the mice used the bed for their bathroom. After that, I started using a mouse bucket trap.

 

[shane4golf]

peppermint oil is the only thing that deters them.  dryer sheets, irish spring soap dont work.  watched a video on youtube and a guy tested all these products and peppermint oil was only thing that worked.

 

[donn]

Prevention is the best.  Find and seal all holes.

 

[Conesus1]

Actually anything that smells will only at best deter mice for a short period of time. If hungry or cold enough, nothing will work because either they get used to the smell after many attempts or these things lose their strength enough it no longer bothers them. Stainless steel wool at every entry point you can find works better.
We also have RED squirrel problems at times and using Fox urine and fresh cat litter clumps works well. Were permanently setup so tha'ts what we do.

 

[grashley]

They didn't work for me. We had them all over the rig one year and the mice used the bed for their bathroom. After that, I started using a mouse bucket trap.

Bucket trap is the BEST way to trap mice.  It can catch multiple mice with no need to empty and reset the trap.  Clean, simple, requires no power.

 

[Ccoe1]

Dryer sheets did not work for me.  I used the cheap sheets, I heard they need to be bounce dryer sheets.  I never tested it, after the first time of the mice using the sheets as a toilet and bedding I decided to try a different approach.  Im trying the bucket trap out now.  So far, i dont have any signs of mice.

 

[Ray-IN]

Mouse repellent myths: https://www.westernexterminator.com/blog/diy-rodent-control-myths-busted/
I use TomCat mouse bait blocks under drawers, down into wiring/plumbing holes in the floor = hidden places. It rid the MH of mice, and kept them out.
BTW,the best approach is to prevent entry, easy to say, very hard to do successfully; as they can enter a hole the size of a dime. It they can squeeze their head through the rest of their body will fit.

 

[SMR]

I always used peppermint oil and have never had a rodent issue, I would also put moth balls in cups by the tires and toss some under the camper.

 

[skydivemark]

several years ago we had mice get into our previous rig.  They were getting in the hole where the propane line went up to the fridge.  I cleaned the mess and put out sticky traps and caught a couple. A few weeks later I found a small corn snake stuck to one of the traps. Once the smell of snake was there -  no more mice.

 

[Matt_C]

Sorry people,
I am sitting here and reading this and chucking.....
When I though about plugging all the holes on a 47yo coach, I gave up on that one.  I have seen mice run through a hole that I could not get my pinky in.  I have plugged holes with squirt foam and found those holes reopened.  They can remove steel wool unless it is glued in. 
I guess I agree with the Western Exterminator link.
I tried mint leaves.  As nearly as I could tell, they though that those were salad.
I tried Irish Spring chips.  When I found them gnawed on, I knew that didn't work.
I laid out dryer sheets.  When cleaning the next spring, I found where one had been included in a nest. 
Shotguns require you to be there and can cause too much collateral damage.

Still trying.

Matt

 

[wincom6]

Augh People,  I hope you read my disclaimer,  I'll be sure to use dryer sheets in the future but ( whether they work for you or not you must decide.)  I just know that I used the dyer sheets for about 15 years with the Motorhome parked in the same pace in my yard. I never had mice. I didn't use them this fall and I had 2 mice. I had the 5gal bucket and several spin traps that did not catch them. I caught them with the old time standard mace traps. Maybe Western Pennsylvania mice are allergic to the dyer sheets. LOL 

 

[Rene T]

Augh People,  I hope you read my disclaimer,  I'll be sure to use dryer sheets in the future but ( whether they work for you or not you must decide.)  I just know that I used the dyer sheets for about 15 years with the Motorhome parked in the same pace in my yard. I never had mice. I didn't use them this fall and I had 2 mice. I had the 5gal bucket and several spin traps that did not catch them. I caught them with the old time standard mace traps. Maybe Western Pennsylvania mice are allergic to the dyer sheets. LOL 

You said you used the bucket trap but it didn't work. You must have set it up wrong. All you need is a bucket with 6" of water or antifreeze, a ramp for the mice to climb up to the top of the bucket, a soda bottle on a wire shaft an a large glob of peanut butter to attract them. Works all the time if you have mice. . 

 

[Molaker]

Softener sheets only work if the mouse has to squeeze through a small hole. The dryer sheets make him puff up and he can't fit through the hole. Stuck out in the open, he dies from exhaustion running around trying to locate a hole large enough to go through. That's why dryer sheets don't always work. Some RVs have larger holes, making escape easy.