Winter Storage - warning

[pvtpilot]

I was reading the tire cradle thread and it reminded me of a terrible experience I had a couple years back and thought I would share it with the community. Lots of advice for how to store the car over the winter to keep tires, batteries, fuel, etc. in ready condition, but the worst nightmare in my life had nothing to do with mechanics. It was those darn mice! They got into my covered car in the garage while it sat for only about 6 weeks. They chewed the insulation up under the carpet and built a nest behind the radio in the dash of my C4. When I uncovered the car and saw the little mouse turds all over the seats and carpet I was crushed. However, my initial reaction was only the tip of the iceberg. It took me all summer to get rid of the smell. I had to disassemble the entire dash and scrub all the air ducts, and tear out all the carpet and shampoo several times to get rid of the stink. My suggestion, and what I have done ever since, is to paper the floor under the car with those sticky traps. I check the traps every couple days and so far this winter and last, no trouble but if they move in I am ready for them.

 

[Ken]

Thanks for the tips. I've heard that some people also use mothballs and the like to keep rodents away, but then you still have to get rid of that smell when you bring it out in the spring. :L

 

[KOPBET]

Here's some help ...

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=41182&highlight=mice

 

[Tim A]

I use mothballs...I don't put them inside though. What I do is get about dozen small cloth bags ( any craft shop has them, cause they are used a lot for potpouri bags ). I put about 8 moth balls in each bag. I place bag by each wheel, one under the front end, one under the back end, and put 2 in the engine compartment.

The bags scattered around the outside of the car keep the little critters from wanting to get inside, and the ones in the engine compartment keeps all that mouse food wiring and filters safe

No smell come springtime, and never had a critter problem.

Hope that helps anyone.
Tim

 

[cscarlson]

Will they come into a garage in an area where there is a lot of snow ? it is cold in my garage , i wouldn't think they would stay there?

 

[Tuna]

Will they come into a garage in an area where there is a lot of snow ? it is cold in my garage , i wouldn't think they would stay there?

If it's warmer than outside, they have access to food and there is a way to get inside, they will.

A few years back, I kept my 92 in my barn in the back 3 acres. I still drove it regularly but one day I decided to check the air filter and found a mouse nest in side the air box. That prompted a massive mouse erradication project, sealing the barn and mowing the grass often enough to force the mice onto my neighbors property. Later on, I found the remains of a nest in the spare tire wheel. I was lucky I got them out before they started chewing everything in sight.

 

[Ed02]

Here's another suggestion. Living in the country and surrounded by fields we had a problem with the little varmits getting in the house during the winter. After buying a box of traps every year I finally found these little portable ultra-sonic pest repellers made by Pest Control Products at the Lowe's home center. They cost $19.00 and either work on a 9 volt battery (battery is only good for about 4 days) or a low voltage power module (included). They say they're good for 1500 sq. ft of coverage. The only proof I have that they work is that I haven't seen a mouse in 2 months since I started using them in the house (which is a new worlds record). If I was storing the car for the winter I think I would put one of these puppies on the floor under the car. Might be worth a try.