dalroo
Bronze Member
Good luck! I have my travel trailer inside my barn, and try to keep it spotless. No food left accessible as an attractant. I've gone over (and under) the camper with a fine tooth comb to seal any cracks where mice can enter. And guess what - they still get in. Thought about a barn cat, but like you, I am not there full time and don't want to chance a cat croaking in the barn, and then stinking the place up for a week or two before I find it. Traditional traps help when I'm around, but if gone for a few days or a week, I end up cleaning up decomposing mice.
The only headway I've been able to make is with TomCat - Tomcat 1 oz. Mouse Killers (4-Pack)-23340 - The Home Depot. So far, I've placed 5 of these along wall of barn, and then another 3 inside camper. I still get an occasional mouse inside the camper, but do not have evidence they are alive long enough to nest. I can't confirm, but one of the benefits I've heard is that because of the poison used, the mice go in search of water, so they don't necessarily die inside the camper, and I don't have to deal with clean up or odors. Also kid and pet friendly, easy to use, and easy to dispose of when empty.
When we clean inside, we are careful and use Lysol cleaner with bleach that kills bacteria. Helps with odor, and perhaps the smell discourages the mice from entering the space - don't know, but can't hurt.
I've also got a pretty regimented routine to combat spiders and scorpions out of barn. We had a pretty big problem at one time - especially with scorpions, so I started using an inexpensive bug spray -http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ortho-Home-Defense-Max-Ready-to-Use-with-Wand-1.33-gal/19864174 with some regularity. I don't have a set schedule, but when I see a few spiders or a live scorpion, it is time. I spray the ENTIRE perimeter of the foundation and then along interior wall with a liberal dose. It is cheap enough that I am not stingy, but can still get 3 or 4 treatments out of one jug. I have not found a live scorpion in the barn for several months (lots of dead ones though), where I used to see one every couple of days. And FYI - I've been stung, and it is no fun. That makes me especially cautious on my bug routine.
The only headway I've been able to make is with TomCat - Tomcat 1 oz. Mouse Killers (4-Pack)-23340 - The Home Depot. So far, I've placed 5 of these along wall of barn, and then another 3 inside camper. I still get an occasional mouse inside the camper, but do not have evidence they are alive long enough to nest. I can't confirm, but one of the benefits I've heard is that because of the poison used, the mice go in search of water, so they don't necessarily die inside the camper, and I don't have to deal with clean up or odors. Also kid and pet friendly, easy to use, and easy to dispose of when empty.
When we clean inside, we are careful and use Lysol cleaner with bleach that kills bacteria. Helps with odor, and perhaps the smell discourages the mice from entering the space - don't know, but can't hurt.
I've also got a pretty regimented routine to combat spiders and scorpions out of barn. We had a pretty big problem at one time - especially with scorpions, so I started using an inexpensive bug spray -http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ortho-Home-Defense-Max-Ready-to-Use-with-Wand-1.33-gal/19864174 with some regularity. I don't have a set schedule, but when I see a few spiders or a live scorpion, it is time. I spray the ENTIRE perimeter of the foundation and then along interior wall with a liberal dose. It is cheap enough that I am not stingy, but can still get 3 or 4 treatments out of one jug. I have not found a live scorpion in the barn for several months (lots of dead ones though), where I used to see one every couple of days. And FYI - I've been stung, and it is no fun. That makes me especially cautious on my bug routine.
