Don't Forget This When Winterizing Your RV

It's sad to say but it's that time of year - time to start preparing for winter and winterizing our RVs. I've read quite a few blogs and articles that are great at helping with the basics: water/plumbing systems, electrical, insulation, and appliances.  In fact, here's a good one by Gary Bunzer: Preparing the RV For Winter Storage

But, I dug a little deeper to get you the good stuff.  You know... how to keep the  fuzzy, not-so-adorable critters out of your RV.  It can be a real problem, especially in the winter due to little to no activity and because those pesky rodents want to find some place warm.  

In my attempt to evict all rodents from Happy Acres Campground, oops, I mean help you keep rodents out of your RV, here are a few tips.

1. Don't leave food in your RV.  Maybe canned goods but that's even questionable- those critters are crafty.  Food will attact them, I'm talking about the smallest crumb on the floor to the unopened box of cereal in your cabinet.  Clean up and take your food home.
2. Stock up on Irish Spring soap bars.  Apparantly, mice and other rodents don't like the smell.  Who knew...?  Equally, they don't like pepperment oil or moth balls.  (My vote is a fresh Irish spring shower) Place these odorous mouse repellants in cabinets, under beds & chairs, near any possible entry points (near plumbing), etc.   Is there really too much? 
3. A little secret I learned long ago, STEEL WOOL. Rodents do not like and will not chew through steel wool.  So, crawl under your RV and locate every possible entry point, i.e. every place that a tube, wire, pump, water tank, plumbing, conduit, etc goes through the floor and make sure there is NO gap at all around it.  Like I said, mice are crafty and they're also contortionists - no gap or hole is too small.  Pack the steel wool tight in every nook and cranny and if you're feeling spunky, add a little caulk around it.  You can also do this from the inside but I've found it's not as easy to find all the possible entry points. 
4. Lastly, don't leave wood or other debris piled up around or under your RV.  Wood piles attact all kinds of rodents in the winter and eventually they may decide your RV is a step up from their wood palace.  If you have firewood left over at the end of the season, stack it on blocks or pallets at least 6-12" off the ground but ideally, just have a fabulous campfire and burn it all.  There will be more next season.

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