My wife’s 2004 Nissan Quest was invaded by mice last winter. The vehicle is kept in the garage. Mice began storing dog food in the HVAC ducts which stall the blower fan. I cleared the ductwork using a vaccuum as best I could. Unfortunately I did not get all of it. Over the summer the residual was affected by humidity and condensation. “THE DOG FOOD CAME TO LIFE”. The stench is unbelievable. The car is in the shop being cleaned. My mechanic says the dog food turned into mold mush and that the ductwork needs removed and cleaned. This is labor intensive and we expect to pay dearly. The other cars kept in my garage are untouched.
Can anyone tell me where the mice are getting in and how to stop them.
They are getting in the same way the air gets in, through the air intake at the base of the windshield. Mice can fit through really small openings, and they seem to love nesting in automobiles.
Do whatever it takes to get rid of them, because they will chew on the wiring and wreak havoc with your car’s electrical system.
Thanks.
I have been waging mousicide for weeks now.
We live in the country and there seems to be an endless supply. The best trap I have found is a 5 gallon bucket half filled with water. I place a board from the floor to the rim of the bucket as a ramp. I scatter black sunflower seeds on the water surface giving it the appearance of a solid surface. Mice are attacted to the seeds and dive right in. How long can a mouse tread water?
They can last a minute or two at most. I use this method for chipmonks. I refined the design so that the seeds last longer and you can use less of them. I cut a circle out of a black plastic garbage bag. Make the circle slightly larger than the diameter of the bucket (the lid works good for this if you have one). One bag makes many of these circles. Ease the plastic down to the water and the surface tension will grab it. Now pour a small amount of seeds onto the surface. The seeds will stay dry and the critters still think it is a solid surface. I have a small net I use to scoop the seeds back out and reset the trap when successful.
That’s cool. There must be an engineering gene in your blood line.
Great idea.