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vela123321 Samba Member
Joined: May 09, 2010 Posts: 172 Location: San Diego
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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:37 am Post subject: |
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DAIZEE wrote: |
My mind has been fragmented lately and I simplty didn't think about this. It is THE ultimate solution and should be present year round.
Mice HATE peppermint smell. So you get really cheap peppermint oil, cotton balls, small glass jars with metal lids. Put a few holes in the lid, put some peppermint oil on a cotton ball, put the lid on tight and place in various areas of the van (particularly important for winter storage).
The mice will leave you alone forever.
About 8 years ago my ex has a 5 plex in K-W near Victoria Park with a large lot. Mice were a problem in the garden shed and in the bldg. Someone told us about this solution and no kidding never had mouse droppings anywhere on property. Indeed his neighbor was complaining about an increase in mice present.
Don't buy expensive peppermint oil but it is not cheap. A little goes a long way. As I have no sense of smell, nor concept of smell I don't know how it smells but would think it is not unpleasant. |
Great idea thanks. Ever since my wife read that dryer sheets are toxic, they have been verboten in our home.
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081213/FEATURES/812130311/-1/features0704 _________________ ________________________
1987 Westfalia Vanagon 2.1 automatic
2014 VW TDi Jetta Sportwagen (Dieselgate)
2016 BMW 328i
1967 Bug... given to a friend
others not VW... Toyota, Audi, Volvo, Datsun, International Harvester |
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DAIZEE Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010 Posts: 7552 Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:55 am Post subject: |
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If everyone did this automatically for every van then there would most likely not be these incidents. _________________ '09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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Gauche1968 Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2006 Posts: 1518
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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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You really have to be careful with mice, especially with their nesting material. Not only should where gloves, but you should also put on a mask and disinfectant the nesting material or dead mouse with bleach before trying to remove it. Hanta virus is rare, but deadly. Every year a couple of people die of Hanta virus from breathing in mouse urine while cleaning up a nest. It's not just in the dessert. People from all over the continent have gotten sick _________________ 1984 Vanagon GL
1984 Vanagon Westy |
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DAIZEE Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010 Posts: 7552 Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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Yes we touched on that earlier in the thread. When I was cleaning out my Riviera Vanagon which had had squirrels, I threw the carpeting and the underpad pad out based on the number of turds I discovered. I figured it was comparable to the amount of urine. And I was never sure that it was all squirrel turd, as a retired RRT I am aware of the health hazards and as you mentionned it again, it is probably something that the public should be aware of. It started out in the SE but well you know mice, they really get around. I did salvage the front carpeted and pressure washed it over and over but did throw out the formed underbase as I didn't feel it could be cleaned efficiently or effectively. _________________ '09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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archicarp Samba Member
Joined: November 11, 2008 Posts: 53 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 12:16 pm Post subject: |
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I was with the family in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest last weekend for 2 nights. The first morning we woke to signs of a mouse in the van. It probably came in through the driver's side window that I accidentally left open which happened to be about 12" from a tree.
After doing a search for the little guy I convinced my wife that it had probably climbed back out. The next morning, my wife caught it poking its head out and I noticed it had helped itself to a bunch of food.
We left that day hoping that it had climbed out. When we got home, I carefully searched everything in the van before bringing it into the house. I set a snap trap and dropped a bunch of almonds into a deep rubbermaid container next to the bench seat and checked the next morning. Neither had been disturbed.
The following afternoon I was putting clean dishes back in the van and noticed that the almonds were gone and all of the peanut butter on the trap had been eaten without the trap being triggering. That evening (last night) I set 2 snap traps and improved on my earlier humane bucket trap. This morning I caught one in the snap trap. The other snap trap had all the peanut butter eaten and my humane trap had not worked.
I'm going to set more traps tonight to make sure there aren't more in there, but reading these earlier posts I am concerned that I need to do some searching to figure out where they set up camp in the van. It/they would have been in there for 5 nights and I have no idea where it/they have nested.
Any thoughts? |
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DAIZEE Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010 Posts: 7552 Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 12:38 pm Post subject: |
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First, do the peppermint oil, THEY'll leave alive so fast you might find skid marks. Should be in vans year round.
Mice can get in any which way that you couldn't even imagine. I'd be very surprised that they came in your window. As you've learned they can beat human traps really easily regardless of what you leave for them. For every one that you think you have, you probably have at least 2 or more in fact.
Seriously do the essence of peppermint oil soaking cotton balls in a baby glass jar with holes in its metal top. Guaranteed and apparently its not an irritating smell for humans (so I'm told, I don't have a sense of smell). The fall season will be here soon and infestations will just increase. I've had one jar in van all summer and I keep the tiny little glass bottle (its not cheap) in the van so that I can moisten up the cotton balls whenever I feel they are dry.
I'm not just blowing my horn hear. Have done this is in small apartment bldg, storage areas, basements, all kinds of places and like I said they HATE it. As someone said be careful dealing with their feces. Clean it up, use the above method and they'll be gone. Probably good to put in garagees, crawl spaces, where ever. It's gotta be glass.
Which reminds me I had an Airstream out in the country years ago and didn't get up to it one year. WHAT a mess, they even chewed thru plastic food containers.
This solution is ecologically green and hey if you get a cold it will help clear your sinuses and peppermint also settles stomachs. It's worth the investment. I say if one is good, then 2 or 3 is better, especially in cupboards. _________________ '09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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msinabottle Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2005 Posts: 3492 Location: Denver Area, Colorado
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:40 pm Post subject: Inadvertent Rodent Repulsion System |
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Now watch me jinx it!
But I use Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Hemp Soap to wash myself, my dishes, at need my clothes, and Winston's interior when I camp in him.
I love the scent of peppermint, and the soap is very refreshing after a hot day, and I have a lot of those. The peppermint-scented water travels down my drain tube--so about the best means of mouse access is positively reeking with a scent our little gnawing friends can't stand. The stuff is also biodegradable, plants LIKE the water you've used to wash with it.
I've been meaning to pass this nugget of wisdom along.
Best! _________________ 'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence." |
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DAIZEE Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010 Posts: 7552 Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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Peppermint soap! Who would have imagined. Neat. Proves my point about peppermint. Thanks msinabottle. Is it a mild soap? I have skin allergies so I pretty well stick to my honey glycerine which has very little to know added scent.
Solutions are always better when you have a choice With mine you don't have to wash the dishes jk _________________ '09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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archicarp Samba Member
Joined: November 11, 2008 Posts: 53 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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I'll use the peppermint in the future. For now I don't just want to scare them aware and potentially into my house or a neighbors. I'm going to
1) set a variety of traps and see if I get any more.
2) clean from top to bottom with bleach.
3) Use Dr. Bronner's on future trips and do the peppermint oil trick.
I'm not going to worry about taking the van apart to try to find a nest.
Thanks folks..... |
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msinabottle Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2005 Posts: 3492 Location: Denver Area, Colorado
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:54 pm Post subject: I think it's mild... |
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I think it's mild, it's never bothered my reasonably-cranky skin at all. But, at the risk of getting clobbered for advertising, which I aint, 'cause I only uses the stuff...
http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/LS.htm
That ought to answer any questions you've got. Given the counter-cultural affiliations of the stuff, it do seem like a rather good fit for a VW camper.
Of course, whenever someone flashes Winston and ME the peace sign, I always roll down the window and bellow,
"REAGAN in '84!"
Anyway...
Best! _________________ 'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence." |
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DAIZEE Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010 Posts: 7552 Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:56 pm Post subject: |
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_________________ '09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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indytriple Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2009 Posts: 710 Location: Brownsburg, Indiana
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 10:11 pm Post subject: |
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If you use Doc Bronner's soap (which is great, BTW) don't ever read the bottle. You'll never get that 10 minutes of your life back, and you'll be seriously confused. _________________ "See The Glass As Already Broken."
87 Vanagon Westy Auto Bostig
www.bluegrassbicyclecompany.com |
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mad.macs Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2007 Posts: 230 Location: Woolwich Maine
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 9:37 am Post subject: |
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Removed the heater box to fix the fan and found this. OK, well there were a few other clues ...
The heater box barely fit in the dishwasher. Did it while the wife wasn't home. _________________ '84 Rivi Vanagon Auto Trans, Stock WBX |
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Dark Alley Dan Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2005 Posts: 185 Location: The Land of Wind and Ghosts (AKA Edmonton, AB)
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 10:22 am Post subject: |
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Jeez, bud, that's horrible. Good job cleaning it out.
We store our Sophia every winter in a tent garage at the edge of a field at the folk's place. Beaucoup mice in the neighbourhood, but no infiltration in the five or six years we've been doing it.
Our secret?
Irish Spring soap - that miserable crap smells disgusting to me and apparently even worse to mice. We leave five or six bars in strategic locations around the van and they stay away in droves. Takes a few weeks in the spring to air her out to the point where I don't feel like hurling while driving, but it works.
Peppermint sounds even better - I like peppermint, and if it works, we're in business. Thanks for the tip.
Dan _________________ Dark Alley Dan
______________________
I blame rap music. For everything. |
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DAIZEE Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010 Posts: 7552 Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:39 pm Post subject: |
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WOW mad.macs hope you've read the whole thread!!!!
Archicap, I'm not sure you'll catch them all,, nor are mad made traps a detriment to their desire. Best go with the peppermint oil and cotton baton in glass jar with metal lid with holes in it. It it becomes a proplem with your neighbors it won't because you chased them out. If they get them or BEFORE you use it tell them about it so that they can do preventative treatment.
Whether it be glue traps, cheese, peanut butter, whatever, you won't get them all. _________________ '09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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Antron Samba Member
Joined: July 13, 2004 Posts: 289 Location: Greenville Mi
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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The dryer sheets mouse repellant is a myth. I've worked on more than one car that had mouse nests made from dryer sheets.. Oh yeah moth balls don't work so well either. I'd try the peppermint trick although I have no first hand experience with it
Bob
87 syncro westfakia |
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cuizable Samba Member
Joined: March 16, 2008 Posts: 176
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DAIZEE Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010 Posts: 7552 Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 6:30 am Post subject: |
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Did you paint that? cute. _________________ '09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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cuizable Samba Member
Joined: March 16, 2008 Posts: 176
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DAIZEE Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010 Posts: 7552 Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 10:53 am Post subject: |
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maybe painted on some kind of fabric . It's cute. I'm not into cats _________________ '09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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