How To Handle Pests In Your RV

Your RV can become a way for you and your family to escape the outside weather, whether it’s hot or cold outside. Sadly, a lot of insects, rodents and other pests also feel the same way about your camper. If you have to put your RV in storage, the risk of infestation goes up significantly because not only will pests make their way in, they’ll have all the time in the world to breed. 

At Allan Dale Trailers & RVs, we like to help our customers keep their vehicles in top notch shape, which is why we’ve collected some tips to help you remove and avoid pests in your RV. If you still haven’t found the best RV for you, you can contact our sales departments at our locations in Red Deer and Edmonton, AB. We proudly serve all our patrons from across Alberta!

Rodents

Rats and mice can make many people’s skin crawl! However, these creatures are more than just startling, they are also disease-carriers and very destructive. They will chew through wires, wreak havoc on the frame, put holes in upholstery and leave behind droppings. Mice traps and rat poison are helpful, but you’ll want to prevent them from getting inside the RV altogether.

To avoid rodents, make sure you clean all food before you store your RV long term. You should also block all points of entry. This means you have to check your RV for any holes in the frame and fill those securely. Luckily, mice need fairly sizable holes to creep into, so you’re more likely to completely mouse-proof your RV.

Insects

It’s a little harder to stop insects from getting into your camper. Their small size makes it easy for them to enter through holes you probably won’t even spot. You’ll need to use a slightly different prevention method. It’s still wise to remove any food or items that might attract any bugs. Once one insect finds something edible, it doesn’t take long for their whole troop to join them!

If insects have already made their way into your RV, there are a slew of insect traps and methods to help you get rid of them. Just make sure you get the right one for your needs. Ants travel pretty methodically, so if you follow their movements, you’ll probably find the source of the invasion to help you seal it up. If you don’t want to use harsh chemicals on ants, use a vacuum to suck up as many as you can and drop them off far away from the camper. If there are still some remaining, fill a spray bottle with water and dish soap and spray down the area before wiping them away.

Cockroaches aren’t just creepy, they present a real health hazard for you and your family. One of the best ways to combat them is to use roach bait. If you can’t get one from the store, you can actually make it at home. Insecticide is also an option. Be careful though, as these products can be harmful to your children or pets.

Bees, wasps and the like can be dangerous and if you have a nest near where you park your RV, it can be nerve-wracking. You don’t want them forming a hive inside your RV while it’s in storage. You can use hornet spray or flood the nest with that same soapy solution used to kill ants. Just make sure you’re covered from head to toe in protective gear to avoid getting stung.

Mothballs

You can use mothballs as a great multi-purpose deterrent for a number of pests. Though they were made specifically to deal with silverfish and moths, they can easily be used to ward off snakes, scorpions, spiders and even mice. Remember that mothballs are highly toxic if accidentally ingested by anyone and shouldn’t be used for anything other than its intended purpose. And you’ll want to be particularly cautious if you have children or pets that could get into them.

We hope these tips help you keep your RV free of pests of any kind! If it’s too late and you’re having trouble handling the infestation, get in touch with the service department of Allan Dale Trailers & RVs to fix the problem. If you’re looking for RVs for sale in Albert, contact our sales department to check out our wide selection of models. We’re here for all your RV needs!