Keep Your Vehicle Vermin-Free With These 5 Simple Strategies

There are many ways to maintain your car. However, rat bites on the wiring can make everything go wrong. Rodents are the last thing you want in your vehicle, so how can you prevent them? Here are five simple strategies to prevent vermin from messing up your hot rod. 

1. Control What You Can

Rodent infestations are challenging to prevent, especially if you live in a big city. A 2023 Orkin survey found 21 million homes faced infestations in the fall. In this situation, it’s best to control what you can.

For instance, don’t keep your car and trash can together in the garage. Vermin love getting into garbage and will migrate to your vehicle for additional food. Within the car, you should throw away all food wrappers and regularly vacuum the floors. 

2. Inspect Your Car Materials

Your car’s composition could also work against your vermin response. Safe vehicle storage in the winter might not matter if the materials attract rodents, so inspect the materials. 

In the past, manufacturers have used soy-based wiring to meet sustainability goals and cut costs. When rodents chew these cords, they can cause thousands of dollars in damage. Consider replacing the wiring or setting traps to deter the rodents. 

3. Set Traps in the Air Filter

When vermin appear in your home, you set traps and wait for the animals. Provide the same care for your vehicle by getting as creative as the rodents. 

These tiny creatures don’t care how expensive your engine is. With enough access, they’ll chew through the air filter and harm your motor. DIY solutions protect your filter with only $5 worth of materials and catch multiple mice daily. 

4. Use Herbal Repellents

Think of the smells you don’t like. For instance, failing alternators smell like burnt rubber and are a bad sign in your vehicle. Rodents also have their fair share of unattractive scents. 

Research shows herbal repellents are the safest option for public health. Considering this study, you should choose peppermint and citronella because rodents hate their scents. Garlic can work because of allicin, though it’s understandable if you don’t want your car smelling like Olive Garden. 

5. Try Rodent Tape

If the local vermin are stubborn, you may need to think outside the box. Give spicy food to the creatures through rodent tape because they can’t handle the intense capsaicin. 

Manufacturers like Honda produce rodent tape made for cars. The creatures should steer clear of this solution, or else they’ll encounter a rude awakening with the spice. Be careful when holding it because extended capsaicin exposure harms your skin. 

Venturing in a Vermin-free Vehicle

Rodents are a lot like humans — they want food, water and shelter. Unfortunately, your car could provide some of these resources. If you have a vermin problem, address it with a DIY solution to protect your hot rod.