How do I keep the mice out?

[canfossi]

I don't drive this car of mine often, maybe once a month. I went to drive it yesterday and discovered mouse poop on the seats and they had chewed at three of the seatbelts. How do I keep them out of the car? I have heard of mothballs, does that really work? Thanks Chris

[Alice In TX/MO]

Bar bait. Mouse traps that you check every day for a while until you catch this one and his friends. Some folks swear by peppermint oil.

I'd go with bar bait.

[Windy in Kansas]

Use peppermint extract as it repels mice, smells much better than mothballs and mouse urine.

[ksfarmer]

Use "Bounce" fabric softener sheets. Don't know why, but other brands don't work as well. Put them under the dash, under seats, in the trunk, anyplace out of the way. Mice avoid them. We use them in our camper trailer each winter and they work. Its a common trick among rv'ers. Smell better than mothballs too. I also put them in farm machinery like the combine that sits all winter.

[canfossi]

Thanks, I'll get some "Bounce" tomorrow. Next they'll be eating the leather seats, I sure hope not. Chris

[shellyr44]

Don't use mothballs. They are toxic and the smell doesn't come out of the fabric. I clean house for an older couple who goes to Florida for the winter and they leave on car behind. They mice had a field day in it and someone told them to put mothballs in it. They put them in the car, all over the garage, I mean all over the place. I had a pest control company come over and I thought they where going to die in there. They said that mothballs are very toxic in small, enclosed areas and proper bait is much better. Is your car in a garage, clean it out very good and get rid of trash cans if they are stored in the garage. Take out all papers and possible nesting materials. If you keep your car outside put decon or the sort in the trunk and under your seat but remove when you are going to use it.