Fall...lt’s the time of the year of beautiful foliage, stunning sunrises and sunsets and cooler temperatures. We swap out shorts and t-shirts for sweaters and jeans. We rake leaves, pack up the yard stuff, and get ready to hunker down for the winter. While I LOVE summer and live for warm weather and sunshine, I also enjoy snow days, cozy sweaters, hot tea, and snuggling on the couch under a blanket with a good book.
Simple winter pest prevention tips
Camping and boating are two of our favorite things to do in the summer, but there’s a long stretch of time when these things have to sit in the yard over the winter. We ensure they get winterized, so nothing freezes that shouldn’t freeze, but a big concern while they are being stored is small pests looking for a warm, dry place to live and taking up residence in one or both of these. So how do we keep these creatures from deciding to make a home in our belongings?
I have tried a few different things over time and have discovered a very simple trick that has worked extremely well for us for many years, and we’ve never had critters or even seen evidence of them in the boat or camper. I even used this method in one of our vehicles when a mouse decided it was a cozy home, and it took care of the issue right away.
Once the winterizing is complete, I clean all the inside surfaces with Thieves Household Cleaner. This is incredibly effective at not only cleaning and disinfecting, but in my experience, it also repels insects and other critters.
Peppermint oil for pest control
​But here’s where the magic happens - I scatter cotton balls all over the inside and outside of the camper or boat that have 2-3 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil on them. Peppermint Essential Oil is known for its invigorating aroma, its ability to soothe tired muscles, and its properties that support your digestive system. But did you also know it can discourage unwanted pests? You always want to get the nontoxic, high quality essential oil that is safe for you to handle and breathe, not the cheap grocery store oil that is mainly manmade fragrance. Besides being toxic to you, it does not effectively repel mice and other creatures.
We place the peppermint cotton balls in all the nooks and crannies of our camper, boat or vehicle. I alway put them in each cupboard and cabinet, drawers, refrigerator and freezer, sink, on and under cushions, and various places that something small could get into.
Then we close them up, put the covers on and leave it for the winter, knowing that when we open them up in the spring, they will be free from stowaways.
I was shocked the first time I tried this how well it worked, and this is our sixth year using this trick. I’ve also been known to use this in our basement when we notice droppings here or there, and it works like a charm.
This is such a simple, straightforward, effective technique, and I’m so glad I stumbled upon it. How do you keep unwanted guests out of your belongings?
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