Park your car somewhere away from your home. Put 20 lbs of dry ice (preferably crushed in 4 different plastic tubs. Put a tub on each seat. Close the doors. Within an hour or so the mouse will either suffocate and die or it will flee through whatever route it found to get in.
Ammonia, vinegar, mothballs, bleach, and dryer sheets contain powerful smells that mice find intolerable, serving as practical repellents.
Set standard rodent snap traps baited with peanut butter in front and behind the vehicle seats, in the trunk, and on top of the tires. Placing the baited snap trap in these locations is best, as rodents are most likely to use these pathways to travel to and from the car.
Rodents are attracted to vehicles for shelter and warmth. Cars offer a cozy environment that is especially appealing in colder months. Additionally, they are drawn to leftover food crumbs and scraps, as well as soft materials like insulation that they can use for nesting.
Peppermint oil and cayenne pepper are reported to deter rodents.
Nests could be anywhere in the engine compartment, including in the area under the windshield wipers, between the battery and the frame, the engine air filter and near or in filter hoses and ducts of the vehicle's passenger compartment air intake system (ventilation, heating and air conditioning), including the cabin ...
Zinc phosphide is an acute toxicant that causes the death of a house mouse within several hours after a lethal dose is ingested. It appears to be the fastest way of getting rid of mice by reducing their population.
Mix up to 1 teaspoon of peppermint oil in a half cup of water and spritz under the hood, taking care to avoid electronics. Rats' sense of smell will be completely overwhelmed with spicy menthol, and they'll be forced to move away.
Ways to Keep Mice out of a Car You're Driving
While it's easier for a mouse to settle into a car that doesn't move regularly, rodents also find daily driven vehicles attractive. Your engine remains hot after turning off, temporarily giving mice the warmth they seek.
Irish Spring soap is not likely to keep mice away from your house– and the strong fragrances could even be attractive to them. Rats & mice might initially be deterred by the overwhelming odor, but after a while they'll get used to it, and may even take a nibble to test it as food.
RODENTS ARE ATTRACTED TO VEHICLES
As temperatures drop, rodents seek out warm, sheltered spots, making stationary vehicles an attractive option. Even without food scraps, many cars now use soy-based wire coatings, which rodents may gnaw on, potentially causing thousands of dollars in damage.
Do Dryer Sheets Keep Mice Out? While some people believe the strong scent may deter mice, dryer sheets are not considered a reliable or long-term solution. Other proven methods like sealing entry points and professional rodent control services are recommended for better results.
Mice can enter through extremely small spaces, so even the smallest crack or hole should get a dose of peppermint oil. The scent of peppermint oil needs to stay strong in order to keep mice away. So make sure you're reapplying a few times a week to keep mice away.
Dryer sheets can be an effective and inexpensive way to deal with mice. Take some dryer sheets and lay them in the trunk, under the hood, in the exhaust pipe, on top of the tires, and all over the interior. When it's the start of spring, you can remove all of the dryer sheets.
The strong scent of peppermint is overwhelming to mice. Similarly, essential oils such as eucalyptus oil, bergamot oil, clove oil, and cinnamon oil are potent in keeping mice at bay. One study noted that eucalyptus oil applied once a day was more effective as a rat repellant than once a week.
If you see evidence of rodent activity, spray as above using either a commercially labeled disinfectant or a mixture of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. Spray the materials until fully soaked and let sit 5 minutes. Or, follow the manufacturer's instructions for dilution and disinfection time.
Add a few drops of peppermint oil to a spray bottle of warm water, and spray your upholstery, trunk, and mechanics under the hood with a generous dose to drive rodents out. Repeat this every few days.