Dryer sheets for rodent damage??

Just had our 4Runner serviced 2 weeks ago. Now, this. Have stray cats prowling my driveway all night. Should’ve known why….. they could’ve done a better job. Good news is it is covered under my comprehension insurance… and I’ve only got a $50 deductible

I asked the shop about deterrence and they suggested that putting some dryer sheets in the engine bay will keep them out. Just zip tie somewhere. Anyone ever hear of that?

 

I’ve heard that from many people but I don’t have faith in it. It’s a popular theory in my RV circles. I’ve tried it without any luck. It’s my experience that once rodents get in it becomes a constant battle.

IMHO I think that the scents they leave behind attracts others. I would try to steam cleaning the engine compartment and treat afterwards with a spray repellent on surfaces that won’t get too hot and smell bad from the repellent.

….and leave a dish of milk out for those cats so they will hang around closer!

good luck , that sucks man.

 

I have a friend that lives in a rural setting and rodents ate through some of the wiring in his FJ. He now keeps them out by leaving the hood open. Claims rodents will avoid and not nest in open settings. I don't recall what other measures he has taken but that is one of them. I myself use spearmint spray around sheds and fence gates. It seems to work. I still see rat poop but not as much as before I used that spray.

 

I've had good luck with pine sol soaked rags and bars of pink Dove soap wedged around the perimeter of the engine bays in both my 4RUNNER and Tundra.

 

Peppermint essential oil seems to work good as well.

 

I stuffed my new travel trailer with drier sheets when we bought it. Does it work? I guess. No mice but that may not be the reason. It's down south for the winter and north in the summer. Even when at home we are in and out of it on a regular basis.
I used the copper chore boy scrub pad to seal off any holes that might allow entry and keep all food sealed.

During the winter I store our Fiat 124 in the garage at home. A log home in the middle of the woods. Every year so far I see evidence of mice in the engine bay but no damage so far. Mouse poison is spread around but inside and outside the garage and every year I find at least one poison pellet under the hood when I come home in May.

This past September I tried the peppermint oil placing oil in small pill bottles with a 1/8" hole drilled into the caps to allow controlled release of the smell. One inside on the floormat, one in the empty battery tray, one in the trunk and one on the garage floor under the car. I will report back when we get back home in May with the results.

 

If the setting is supportive, you can look into something like this: https://www.miceout.com/

 

Thanks for all the good ideas above. I’ve got some of the peppermint spray. I’ll try spraying under the hood and wheel wells. And maybe throw a bunch of dryer sheets inside the cab and maybe the soap. I like the pill bottle idea too. Maybe zip tie one in the engine bay just like another reservoir.

 

Are you sure mice did that? The wires are cut straight thru. When I found wires like that in my Runner, it was squirrels, one bite and its cut all the way thru, no chewing.

I use powdered type ant poison sprinkled around my tires and just a dab here and there under hood.

 

I like the zip tied idea. The peppermint oil I got on Amazon had an eye dropper included. This would be handy for refilling through the hole in the cap. Now it comes with a sprayer too.

$10 Peppermint Essential Oil 4 oz. with Detailed User's Guide E-book and Glass Dropper by Essentially KateS. by Essentially KateS

https://www.amazon.com/Peppermint-E...541-4cec-9016-f6d550369643&pd_rd_i=B00QVNKSA2

 

I’m not sure exactly what it was. I even wondered if it could be cats or another animal like a skunk - we do have one that wanders by every few days - or something. I’ve heard of squirrels chewing them up. We don’t have any squirrels so I know it’s not that. No visible droppings to help ID. But the hood liner is all chewed up so rodents make the most sense - but I don’t know that it’s definitive.

 

Did you check your cabin air filter just to be safe? I'm sure it's fine.

I bought some little steel cups with screw tip lids, drilled holes in the lid, and put foam on the inside. I put some peppermint oil in each one and they have a magnet on the back. One on each side of the engine bay. Not sure if it works, no trouble yet. Rodents......

 

Bastages! I've had squirrels and mice. For squirrels, I used

$8 Tomcat Rat Snap Trap, 1 Rat Size Trap - Reusable - Effectively Kill Rats - Ideal for Home and Farm Use

rat snap traps behind the front tires and got several of them before the problem stopped. I've more recently had mice or rats and tried essential oils, which did not stop them. I doubt dryer sheets will work. I've been using an

$22 Angveirt Ultra Sonic Rodent Prevention Repellent Battery Operated Mouse Repelling Repeller Humane Mice Deterrent for Car Engines Basement Garage Attic Under Hood Rodent Reducer Repeller -1 Pack

ultrasonic deterrent under the hood for a couple of months and have not had any issues. I also spray

$11 Grannick's Care Dogs Bitter Apple No Chew Spray 8oz

bitter apple under the hood occasionally, which is supposed to deter squirrels, but, like the ultrasonic unit, it's hard to determine its efficacy other than I haven't had any issues for a while.
Several of us have also added screening to help prevent cabin intrusion as detailed here. Rule #1 for the cabin is no food left inside.

 

I have used a ultrasonic determent to protect my corvette sitting in the shop all winter.
I have two of them, one for the cabin and one for under the hood. The noise it makes
has worked perfect for many years. Both of mine run off a small wall wart power supply.
Pau;\l

 

I believe that dryer sheets have worked for me. In the past, mice have entered the cab where I found nests in the heater and ducts, and in the engine air filter box. I found mouse droppings on the engine valve cover, set three traps and caught three deer mice the next morning. I sealed the engine air boxes on the '03 Tundra, '85 pickup, and '17 Highlander with metal screen. I cleaned the ducts, and the carpet/upholstery with an water extraction cleaner/rug doctor. This is to reduce the urine attraction, and because hantavirus is deadly.

So, I tie fresh dryer sheets throughout the vehicles every 3 months, and haven't noticed a mouse problem in the 3 years since.

 

i used dryer sheets till they made a nest with it we live out in the sticks, so we'd occasionally hear scratching in the ceiling. Put out poison packs and it stopped overnight

 

I use dryer sheets in all my classic cars that sit around more than they should-they do work. The mint pack deterrents as well in RV compartments etc. My daily drivers I generally don't have an issue with and I am in rural foothills. Between the snakes here and my efforts, I am not seeing evidence like I use to of mice.

 

Nothing a pack of coors and a .22 cant solve. Just leave out wet cat food and sit outside for a night. If you got a lady y'all can make it a date!

 

Hell yea! Im in!

“Shoot the rodents, not my truck Orville! You blind SOB!”

 

After having damage twice, I use both of these. Not sure if it was mice or squirrels but hoping it doesn't happen a third time. The bait stations should work well if it's mice. Might sound silly but I put calendar reminders to replace every 3 months.

$19 Fresh Cab Rodent Repellent - Botanical Pest Control for Indoor Use - Safe for Kids & Pets When Used As Directed - Made with Plant Fibers, Balsam Fir Essential Oil & Fragrance - 4-Pack

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L236OMW?ie=UTF8

$28 Tomcat Rat and Mouse Killer Refillable Bait Station - Advanced Formula: Child and Dog Resistant, Indoor and Outdoor Use, Reusable, Includes 12 Refills, 12.69 oz.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0132FOKLY?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

I'm not sure it's wise to consider all poison effective immediately. I've literally seen a mouse running around for several hours on top of about 2" of poison pellets inside of a bucket. During that time, much damage could be done. Furthermore, who wants poison particles coming out their dash vents? Yes, I know there's plenty of toxins in the air already. Just things to consider.

 

The bait stations are next to my trash cans which is also close to where I park. It's definitely not immediately effective but works to keep the population of rodents under control. Under the hood, I put the botanical/herb deterrent. Hopefully, both do enough to put the odds of it happening again very low.

 

I have had issues in the past, and I still get mice in my garage no matter what. My best course of action is a 5 gallon bucket trap for the little bastards. It's not very ethical, but it's incredibly effective. A ramp up against the wall, a bottle with PB in the center on a cut clothes hanger, and water in the bottom. Example picture from the internet below, but mine looks very much the same.