In the winter, when food is scarce and temperatures plunge, wildlife creatures may seek refuge from the cold in cars. Once inside the vehicle, animals like mice, rats and other small rodents can cause serious electrical and mechanical damage. Some car manufacturers have also made the problem worse due to using soy-based wiring materials that may attract rodents. Your best bet to prevent rodents from nesting inside of your car is to trust the professional wildlife control Waukesha experts, Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. Here are some ways you can keep your car from turning into a new home for rats, mice or other rodents.

Store Vehicles in a Garage

The first tip to keeping your car rodent-free is to regularly drive your vehicle. If you have a car on your property that is rarely driven, it may be more likely to attract wildlife. Additionally, storing cars in a garage may help keep animals from getting inside. If your vehicle does attract nesting rodents while it’s being stored in a garage, the rodent problem may be centered in the garage.

Ensure your garage isn’t an ideal place for rats and mice by keeping food sources, like pet food and extra pantry items, stored somewhere else. Make sure other materials that attract rodents aren’t kept in the garage as well, such as wood, cardboard boxes or trash. Also, make sure your garage door is always closed.

Use Scents To Deter Rodents  

You can also take steps to keep your car’s interior less inviting for rodents to nest inside. It’s never a good idea to keep food or water supplies in your car, as the smell may attract wildlife. If you spill food or drinks in your vehicle, make sure the stains get cleaned up thoroughly to remove the scent.

Certain scents may also help deter rodents from making your vehicle their next home. Some vehicle owners have reported success with using peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, Brillo pads, Pine-sol, dryer sheets or Irish Spring soap. Before applying anything to your vehicle’s interior or under the hood, check your car’s manufacturer’s recommendations.

Block Access to Your Vehicle

If your vehicle is repeatedly attracting rodents, it’s important to determine the source of the infestation. Check your property for rodent nesting spots and clear away garbage, pet food, bird feeders or clutter that may be drawing in small animals.

It may also make sense to add barriers to your car to keep wildlife from being able to access any entry points. Inspect your vehicle’s wheel wells or air intakes to see if they allow access inside. Talk to your mechanic to see how to install screens in these areas if needed. Additionally, if you have a car that you never drive, one suggestion is to tape up the exhaust pipe to keep rodents out.

Trust Professional Wildlife Control in Waukesha

The signs of a rodent infestation in your vehicle are similar to those in homes with a mouse or rat problem. If you open the hood and see chewed wires, rodent droppings, claw marks or small holes in some of the components of your vehicle, it may have a rodent problem. Additionally, if you notice a strange smell or hear unusual scratching noises in your car, there may be rodents present.

For the best rodent solution, you need to partner with professional wildlife experts, such as Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. Trying to trap and remove mice and rats yourself is never a viable way to deal with an infestation. Our team can inspect your garage and other areas of your property to determine the source of the infestation.

Having rodents in your vehicle means they’re one step close to infesting your home. Connect with Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control to get effective mice control solutions to stop a rodent infestation in your car, garage or other parts of your property.