| Author |
Message |
KTPhil 
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 35768
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
|
 Posted: Tue May 14, 2024 12:53 pm Post subject: Re: how do the mice get in? |
 |
|
Concentrated peppermint spray can work well, and isn't too obnoxious smelling.
Not all peppermint sprays are crated equal. This stuff has worked for me. Expensive, but you dilute it to use (Mentha piperita).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JV5V6OY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I used in the engine bay of a couple of newer cars where I found mouse droppings. Haven't seen them since.
_________________
Current Fleet:
- '71 Fastback
- '69 Westfalia
Retired:
- '67 Beetle
- '65 Beetle (x2)
- '65 Bus
- '71 Squareback |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Shonandb
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2019
Posts: 1992
Location: Vancouver, BC
|
| Posted: Tue May 14, 2024 12:42 pm Post subject: Re: how do the mice get in? |
|
|
Sorry, not having a great day but thought of this gem when reading through this thread especially after reading "Mice are extremely agile wee beasties that can get in almost anywhere!"
Link
_________________
*******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image
Last edited by Shonandb on Tue May 14, 2024 1:11 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
NASkeet
Samba Member
Joined: April 29, 2006
Posts: 3184
Location: South Benfleet, Essex, UK
|
| Posted: Tue May 14, 2024 11:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Opossum wrote: |
| All they need is a 1/2" hole and they will get in. |
Maybe you have larger mice in your part of the World, but here in Great Britain, the rule of thumb is that they can get through a hole into which one can push an ordinary graphite pencil.
I discovered that mice had got into my 1973 VW Type 2 Westfalia Continental, when it was parked in the middle of an open asphalt surfaced car park (i.e. parking lot in USA parlance!?!) at the Royal Military College of Science, during the 1990~91 academic-year. They chewed-up my mother's crocheted woolen blankets.
At my home, mice ate some of the "Simple" unperfumed soap in the airing cupboard, chocolate on top of an Ikea shelving unit, backed by a bare brick wall and ate 2½ packets’ worth of Jaffa cakes on the top shelf of the hallway cupboard.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaffa_Cakes
Mice are extremely agile wee beasties that can get in almost anywhere! 
_________________
Regards.
Nigel A. Skeet
Independent tutor (semi-retired) of mathematics, physics, technology & engineering for secondary, tertiary, further & higher education.
Much modified, RHD 1973 VW "1600" Type 2 Westfalia Continental campervan, with the World's only decent, cross-over-arm, SWF pantograph rear-window wiper
Onetime member, plus former Technical Editor & Editor of Transporter Talk magazine
Volkswagen Type 2 Owners' Club (Great Britain)
https://vwt2oc.co.uk
Last edited by NASkeet on Thu May 16, 2024 12:24 pm; edited 2 times in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SGKent
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 42359
Location: at the beach
|
| Posted: Mon May 13, 2024 11:55 pm Post subject: Re: how do the mice get in? |
|
|
they have a special door they use. It is right under the battery door. 
_________________
"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RWK
Samba Member
Joined: June 24, 2009
Posts: 1604
Location: S.W. MI
|
| Posted: Sun May 12, 2024 7:06 pm Post subject: Re: how do the mice get in? |
|
|
The mice here eat Irish spring soap, so they don't mine the smell, hopefully soap will kill them by ingestion.
_________________
73 Type 181
63 Type 113
63 Type 261- 428 071
62 Type 241-378 025 178 530 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SHBPrincipal
Samba Member
Joined: March 03, 2018
Posts: 12
Location: Falmouth, Nova Scotia Canada
|
| Posted: Sun May 12, 2024 1:55 pm Post subject: Re: how do the mice get in? |
|
|
I have been chasing my tail with this one too. That smell!!
I have traps set in the garage but have only caught one mouse and no food is kept in the van over winter. So I think I am chasing the smell of one rogue dead rodent.
I took out the interoir this winter in search of a dead mouse body and no luck.
Years ago I removed the main heater channel and it was full of mouse nest, dead mice, mice poop, you name it. Gross. Because of that it was rusted beyond.
At that time I replaced the heater tube with a galvanized piece of duct, cleaned and painted all the metal heater tube pieces. Put it back toegther.
One place is the floor vent between the two front seats, facing backwards. I put a metal screen over that.
I am wondering if they are getting in through the heater dump ports. I may clamp another piece of screen over that. But they also may be getting in through the cooling fan fins. Not much you can do about that aside from keeping a loaded trap in the engine bay.
Ill take that main tube off again and see if something made its way in there. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Blaubus
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2003
Posts: 5153
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 11:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
just as with humanz, some mice are more hearty than others and dont mind the smelly stuff. and there will always be creatures that arent interested in walking into a trap. research done by hastings reserve showed that to be the case. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jeffsbugs
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2011
Posts: 293
Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 11:16 am Post subject: |
|
|
I heard that dryer sheets help keep them out. Never tried this but apparently they don't like the smell.
I also found this interesting trap. 
http://www.frugal-living-freedom.com/mouse-traps.html
Jeff
_________________
'73 Westfalia, rebuilt 1700, dual OG solex - 3500 miles and counting
'62 Baja |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Blaubus
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2003
Posts: 5153
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:51 am Post subject: |
|
|
| kevin77westy wrote: |
| dansvans wrote: |
| but they dont answer the question i have: how does that defeat their habit of burrowing under that perimeter? |
I agree that is probably useless unless its on a slab. Kinda seems like a PITA too but I'd be game if I knew it worked. Guess its time to get under the dubs and find/seal the holes. Weird thing is that I have never found evidence of them in my shop but they love the VWs. Tighter spots I guess. |
well, there may be a way to make it work.
instead of building a perimeter around the whole car, build a flashing perimeter around each wheel- nailing flashing to a treated 2 X 12 that sits atop a 4 X 8 X 16 cinder block. i would have to make sure the rear shocks are fully within the perimeter, since they hang low. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Blaubus
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2003
Posts: 5153
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
| kevin77westy wrote: |
| dansvans wrote: |
| but they dont answer the question i have: how does that defeat their habit of burrowing under that perimeter? |
I agree that is probably useless unless its on a slab. Kinda seems like a PITA too but I'd be game if I knew it worked. Guess its time to get under the dubs and find/seal the holes. Weird thing is that I have never found evidence of them in my shop but they love the VWs. Tighter spots I guess. |
well, there may be a way to make it work.
instead of building a perimeter around the whole car, build a flashing perimeter around each wheel- nailing flashing to a treated 2 X 12 that sits atop a 4 X 8 X 16 cinder block. i would have to make sure the rear shocks are fully within the perimeter, since they hang low. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kevin77westy
Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2004
Posts: 795
Location: Ocean Springs, MS
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:15 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| dansvans wrote: |
| but they dont answer the question i have: how does that defeat their habit of burrowing under that perimeter? |
I agree that is probably useless unless its on a slab. Kinda seems like a PITA too but I'd be game if I knew it worked. Guess its time to get under the dubs and find/seal the holes. Weird thing is that I have never found evidence of them in my shop but they love the VWs. Tighter spots I guess. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
curtis4085
Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2011
Posts: 4806
Location: Colorado
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| SGKent wrote: |
| curtis4085 wrote: |
How about putting the bus up on jack stands and coating the jack stands with a grease so the mice just slide down when attempting to get inside.
|
Spilled my glass of wine after reading that I laughed so hard. The image of a mouse trying to climb up a greased jack is something out of an Inspector Clouseau skit or Coyote vs Road Runner scene. especially a pair of mice - one big fat one and one thin short one pushing on the fat one to lift him up while he keeps slipping and falling down on the thin mouse. One more push Frank - we almost got it that time .... |
was hoping it would bring someone a laugh
_________________
Special Thanks to:
Headflow Masters - Vista, CA
www.headflowmasters.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RatCamper
Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2008
Posts: 3305
Location: Australia
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| SGKent wrote: |
| dansvans wrote: |
| dont laugh too hard, it might actually work. |
|
More like:
But the obvious answer is:
_________________
Vehicle: 1975 Special order delivery walkthrough panel based pop-top camper (LCA / Sunliner). Motor: Nippon 1.8L Single port Wasserboxer, Transmission: 3 rib 002. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SGKent
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 42359
Location: at the beach
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| dansvans wrote: |
| dont laugh too hard, it might actually work. |
_________________
"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Blaubus
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2003
Posts: 5153
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 2:55 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| brookmp wrote: |
| SGKent wrote: |
| curtis4085 wrote: |
How about putting the bus up on jack stands and coating the jack stands with a grease so the mice just slide down when attempting to get inside.
|
Spilled my glass of wine after reading that I laughed so hard. The image of a mouse trying to climb up a greased jack is something out of an Inspector Clouseau skit or Coyote vs Road Runner scene. especially a pair of mice - one big fat one and one thin short one pushing on the fat one to lift him up while he keeps slipping and falling down on the thin mouse. One more push Frank - we almost got it that time .... |
 |
dont laugh too hard, it might actually work. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Blaubus
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2003
Posts: 5153
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 2:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
finally read the Hastingsreserve.org advice and it seems sensible:
to put up a perimeter of 24" aluminum flashing around the vehicle. the mice cant climbe the slippery metal. but they dont answer the question i have: how does that defeat their habit of burrowing under that perimeter? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RatCamper
Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2008
Posts: 3305
Location: Australia
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
| curtis4085 wrote: |
How about putting the bus up on jack stands and coating the jack stands with a grease so the mice just slide down when attempting to get inside.
On different note. Best to make sure grass is short as possible in the area your parking the bus use moth balls, dryer sheet, sonic plugs, and atom bombs and you should be fine. plug all holes |
Shame the little buggers can jump like superman and walk on the ceiling.
I saw a good project on hackaday I think it was ages ago with an automated sentry gun (paintball). That'd do it, although a sentry like from the Alien movies would be far more satisfying, if not a little bit of overkill.
_________________
Vehicle: 1975 Special order delivery walkthrough panel based pop-top camper (LCA / Sunliner). Motor: Nippon 1.8L Single port Wasserboxer, Transmission: 3 rib 002. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
brookmp
Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2010
Posts: 349
Location: San Diego, CA
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 12:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
| SGKent wrote: |
| curtis4085 wrote: |
How about putting the bus up on jack stands and coating the jack stands with a grease so the mice just slide down when attempting to get inside.
|
Spilled my glass of wine after reading that I laughed so hard. The image of a mouse trying to climb up a greased jack is something out of an Inspector Clouseau skit or Coyote vs Road Runner scene. especially a pair of mice - one big fat one and one thin short one pushing on the fat one to lift him up while he keeps slipping and falling down on the thin mouse. One more push Frank - we almost got it that time .... |
_________________
1968 Westfalia Campmobile
1971 Double Cab Pick-up
1974 Standard Beetle |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SGKent
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 42359
Location: at the beach
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| curtis4085 wrote: |
How about putting the bus up on jack stands and coating the jack stands with a grease so the mice just slide down when attempting to get inside.
|
Spilled my glass of wine after reading that I laughed so hard. The image of a mouse trying to climb up a greased jack is something out of an Inspector Clouseau skit or Coyote vs Road Runner scene. especially a pair of mice - one big fat one and one thin short one pushing on the fat one to lift him up while he keeps slipping and falling down on the thin mouse. One more push Frank - we almost got it that time ....
_________________
"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Hoody
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2007
Posts: 1948
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Hastingsreserve.org mice in cars. Simple, inexpensive, problem solved. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
