Community Chat

[buyornot]

Anyone ever have dealings with mice chewing wires in your car in your driveway-any good tips from anyone to get them to stop?

[goldensrbest]

Kiil the mice, traps?

[aoldgirl]

This has happen to me once,  squirels and chipmuks.  The only thing I found that works is "fox urine".  You buy it from Amazon.  spray it around the tires and on the ground under the front of the car.  You have to do it after it rains and about every two weeks.  

[Imaoldhippie]

Evidently your car must sit idle for extended periods of time for that to happen.  I would set mouse traps in the engine.

[depglass]

I asked DH and he said he uses dryer sheets, the highly perfumed ones, on cars he stores over the winter.  Maybe six of them.  And leave the hood open because mice don't like light to do their chewing.  This will work on some of them, keep checking.  I once used a bar of Irish Spring soap and ended up with teeth marks in it.  You might try some overnight, but no guarantees. We have a lot of cars, he likes working on them.  

[ValuSkr]

My mother just had that happen; it was an expensive repair.  I understand that mice are attracted to the wires because the insulation on them is a soy-based product, not plastic - it's more environmentally-friendly, you know.

There's so much plastic in cars already; why do the manufacturers choose an exposed area like wiring to salve their conscience?

[Sunshine Kate]

I would look around outside and try to find the source.  Is there any dog/cat food nearby outside?  If so, that could be it.  Whether it's in a large bag or the dog/cat's bowl.  That attracts mice/rats.

Also, get a snake.  There's a black rat snake if kept in your yard area will take care of them.

I'm afraid of snakes -- any kind.  It's just a thought.  Some love snakes.  

[frenchie]

We have central air and have the large unit outside. We had a covering over it for the winter and mice made their home inside the cover and chewed the wires. The plumber said never do that. Leave it open. An expensive repair. A lesson learned.

[Pook]

We would get mice in our riding mower over winter and we started putting mint leaves around the inside and they never bother it now.  I had that problem after knee issues where I could not drive and my mechanic said to start it at least once daily.  

[Zhills]

Mice can build a nest and chew the wires overnight! 

Doesn't take a pregnant mouse long to make a nest for her babies!  Natural instinct!