How to Keep Bugs and Mice Out of Your Camper

How do you keep bugs and mice out of your camper? When RVs are in storage, they are an easy target for bugs and rodents. Insects building nests in vents are a nuisance that can become a dangerous situation and damage your camper or even cause a fire. Likewise, mice can cause health hazards and chew camper wiring. We have some tips for you so that no pests or rodents enter your camper.

The best way to keep bugs, mice, and rodents out of your RV is to block all potential entry points. Items such as vents screens, crash film, and great stuff can be used to secure points of entry.

Keeping Bugs Out of the Vents

Numerous vents on your camper can become entry points for pests. The furnace, refrigerator, and hot water heater have vents necessary for safe and efficient operation. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for bugs and rodents to build nests in these vents.  

There are ways to protect these vents from unwelcome visitors. First, you can purchase a set of screens (Check it out on Amazon) that can be placed over the vents. Screens allow the vents to operate correctly. These screens are generally effective against flying insects, but they are not particularly effective against creepy crawling insects such as spiders and ants. We use screens while camping and while our camper is in use.  However, we have found a more effective way to protect our trailer when it is not in use.

The simplest thing we have found to keep bugs and mice out of our rig is crash film (Check it out on Amazon). Tow companies and body shops use crash film to cover broken windows and other vulnerable areas on vehicles after wrecks. The great thing about the crash film is that it is super adhesive, but it leaves no residue when removed. We recommend you use crash film to cover all vents when your camper is stored and not used for a lengthy period. The crash film will remain sticky for months, making it the perfect solution for longer-term storage.

Keeping Mice Out of Your RV

Another concern when your camper sits for a while is mice. Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed method to keep mice out of your trailer, but there are a few ways that you can use to deter mice before they become a problem. First, remove all food after every camping trip. At the very least, place all food that has been opened into airtight containers.

Many products and home remedies are designed to keep mice out of your camper. Some believe that items such as Irish Spring Soap, dryer sheets, and peppermint oil are effective. We do not recommend any of these solutions. These products may help. However, each solution depends upon a particular smell to deter the mice. The scent of these products deteriorates over time, and thus these solutions become less effective. Several commercial products are available to prevent unwelcome visitors, such as Grandpa Gus’s Mouse Repellant (Check it out on Amazon) or Fresh Cab Rodent Repellent (Check it out on Amazon).

Block any potential entry points. Make sure the vent covers are covered. Inspect the areas around hoses and pipes, such as black/grey tank valves and low-point drains. If gaps exist in these areas, use an expanding foam product such as Great Stuff (Check it out on Amazon) to fill them. It does not take much space for a mouse or other critter to enter your rig, so it is essential to close all entry points.

If you get mice in your camper, we suggest using traditional mouse traps to capture and kill them. A mouse can drag sticky traps with them if all four legs are not secure on the trap. We advise against poison for a couple of reasons. First, it is not always effective and can take a little time to work. Secondly, you often cannot locate where the mouse has died, and the camper will begin to smell as the mouse decomposes.

Bugs and mice can easily make your camper their home while stored if you do not take proactive steps to protect it. If you have issues with ants and bugs while camping, check out our article about controlling ants in your camper.

What do you use to keep bugs and mice out of your RV? We would love to hear your ideas. Please drop us a line in the comment section below.