# Keeping mice out of an engine



## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

Popped the hood this a.m. and was greeted with a squeak. A mouse started setting up house overnight. 

There are lots of folksy remedies for this ... what do you think actually works?


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

I have peanut butter treadmill traps I place periodically in my buildings .No mice in buildings =no mice in engines


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## Rowdy Bandit (Mar 22, 2016)

B.Jarvinen said:


> Popped the hood this a.m. and was greeted with a squeak. A mouse started setting up house overnight.
> 
> There are lots of folksy remedies for this ... what do you think actually works?


What are the folksy remedies you've learned?

Besides the 'coffee can over 5-gallon bucket' traps, I've also used moth balls to deter them.


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## Downsea (Apr 12, 2005)

I was told to use dryer sheets. I did that for years storing our Corvette for the winter and never had a problem. I put 'em all over the interior and around the engine.


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Dryer sheets just give them more bedding to tear up.


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## Jimbos (Nov 21, 2000)

Steve said:


> Dryer sheets just give them more bedding to tear up.


Yep, completely useless.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Mothballs.


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## Jimbos (Nov 21, 2000)

kroppe said:


> Mothballs.


Useless

Nothing works on them except a long and slow execution.


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

Mothballs, dryer sheets, mint soaked rags, ad infinitum.......... all pretty tough to keep in an engine compartment. At the end of the day nothing works quite as well as a weasel setting up housekeeping in the garage or in close proximity. FM


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

At work I have been using the tsc poison blocks, about 2 in long by a inch square. I tape with duct or elect tape to  something like a cable,bracket, hose ect. leaving the ends open. They will find it quick, then go looking for a drink. Most times air cleaners and heater boxes are the hotspots.


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

The mouse was right there blinking at me when I popped the hood again yesterday morning. Last night I was in town but I will be staying back out at that site a few more nights.

I don't want to use poison and then have the mouse die in one of the air vents somewhere.

I have heard all of the remedies posted so far. This is a total 'woods' mouse, not sure how used to humans and human created scents it might be.

I think some mice are trappable but some aren't as they might just ignore the trap. Have never set traps myself.

A few years ago some critter, probably a chipmunk, decided my air filter box was a great place to stash acorns for the winter. No harm no foul on that one but it could have been worse.

The main thing is where you park the vehicle at night - I just don't park where the chipmunks rule the area any more, I move the truck around to the street side in that case. But out at a job site I don't have that option and can't just encourage a pet cat to get to work, either. I had hoped that maybe not running the engine at all through the day to keep it as cold as possible might help, but it didn't.


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

B.Jarvinen said:


> The mouse was right there blinking at me when I popped the hood again yesterday morning. Last night I was in town but I will be staying back out at that site a few more nights.
> 
> I don't want to use poison and then have the mouse die in one of the air vents somewhere.
> 
> ...










These work great caught 11 mice at the cabin in one night .Takes about 15 min. to make with a 2 gallon bucket . Needs 3' of water in the bottom .Mice do not become trap shy because they never get out .


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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

Put some antifreeze in that bucket and it will work until it is full enough that they can jump back out.


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## Jimbos (Nov 21, 2000)

Thirty pointer said:


> View attachment 232935
> These work great caught 11 mice at the cabin in one night .Takes about 15 min. to make with a 2 gallon bucket . Needs 3' of water in the bottom .Mice do not become trap shy because they never get out .


Bingo! I do the same with chipmunks but sprinkle sunflower seeds on the surface of the water, it turns the "munks" into instant Greg Lougainis's. The mice I'd getum with the peanut butter wheel of death, but ended up hiring an exterminator and using the feed boxes.


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## Downsea (Apr 12, 2005)

Steve said:


> Dryer sheets just give them more bedding to tear up.


In 7 years we never had a problem with mice but of course I didn't store it in a barn or a field.


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## Rowdy Bandit (Mar 22, 2016)

In my garage, I use a bucket trap and mothballs. (I respectfully disagree with the "useless" comments.)

With the bucket trap as pictured above, I use a short plank rested against the bucket top edge to give them a nice ramp to conveniently tread up and jump to the wheel. Water or antifreeze no diff except mode of death (drown or poison) and liquid or ice in cold weather.

I can confirm mothballs work in the garage to deter mice and bugs from entering. In at least ten years, the only times ever found mice in the bucket were when I forgot to replenish the mothballs in the fall as weather begins to cool down when mice are coming from fields looking for warmth and shelter. Amount depends on size of building (my garage is 950 sq.ft.) and ventilation. I put a two or three balls in each corner and a few on the ground under the centerline of the car.

I've used unscented dryer sheets tucked in pants pockets and it seems to help repel mosquitos. When doing this, I haven't been bitten yet and I usually am a walking mosquito magnet.


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## zimmzala (Oct 20, 2007)

If you dont like poison a circle of glue traps around the vehicle will work.


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## finlander (Jan 11, 2007)

Always a bad time of year for us. Mice started coming in in October. This year I put 1/4" hdwe cloth across some of the cold air returns. But these Victor plug in
electronic deter devices solved
Our problem. This brand has a varying pitch that mice can't get used to. Haven't seen one since. 
If u can use one on an extension cord if electricity is close. Put cord in engine compartment.


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## finlander (Jan 11, 2007)

We put these devices in every room. 3 upstairs, 3 downstairs in basement and only one on first floor near parrots cage. Seems the mice will retreat to an area where this noise is less. If u flood 
the area with that sound, they will 
avoid it and leave. I heard our neighbor is having terrible mice problems this year


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## anon09082020 (Oct 27, 2011)

I use peppermint oil or hot pepper wax in my engine compartment. Haven't had a critter back yet. 

Had someone eat through my wiring harness on a brand new Jeep this year (not covered by warranty btw). Did some research and found these two methods. So far no issues at all. 

Ever since my barn cats passed the chipmunks and mice have got ballsy.


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