Community Forums

AKTOID · 01-20-2019, 08:08 AM

We are leaving our fifth wheel in Southern Utah for the winter, the question I had is when you leave your fifth wheel for 4 months in the winter do you remove everything from it like clothes, blankets, toiletries, and towels. I realize you would want to take all your perishable food but wondering if leaving dried food and spices would be ok? The cabinet doors and latches are so tight I would think it would be ok to leave items like toiletries, clothes, and spices in the cubbords without fear of mice, etc getting into them? Thank you.

drdarrin · 01-20-2019, 08:46 AM

Personally, I wouldn’t leave any food behind that wasn’t in a can or glass jar.

keymastr · 01-20-2019, 01:44 PM

I remove everything food, spice, personal hygiene related and wipe every surface thoroughly with clorox wipes,(unscented). The goal is to get all traces of cooking smells or perfumes etc. out of the trailer because smells are what attracts the critters in. Then get underneath and plug any opening you see that is 1/4 inch or greater with brass wool which can't rust and is tougher to chew.

You will get all kinds of suggestions from bars of soap to drier sheets as a method of driving rodents away but if you search google for images of those products and "mice" you will see hundreds of photos of mice happily chewing on bars of Irish spring and using Bounce drier sheets as nesting material. The boxes you plug in an outlet that supposedly emit a noise only a mouse can hear also do not work.

What works is removing anything that attracts them, plugging as many places they can enter as possible and parking away from grass or other ground cover they feel comfortable traveling across.

I also tape plastic over the screen inside the range hood because the vent allows dust to be blown in. The inside stays dust free now after weeks of dust storms. Other than those things and winterizing the plumbing just make sure the batts are charged, solar maintainer is on, main battery power switch is off and tires are at least at max PSI. Good luck, it should be fine.

Off Road · 01-20-2019, 11:24 PM

The only things I do beyond what Keymaster so eloquently describes, are placing some traps inside for any that make it past my defenses and I also built some bait stations out of 2” pvc pipe. I cut about a 12” length of pipe, placed a cap on one end and left the other end open. I drop a handful of bait pellets down the pipe and place the stations outside, on the ground, around the trailer. Every month or so I check for dead mice and if I need to add bait.

60sumtin · 01-21-2019, 10:51 AM

I do the same as keymaster. The only thing I might emphasize is remove any cooking devices that may still carry a food scent such as cast iron pots and pans (they're porous) and toasters (crumbs). Mice can easily chew through cabinet doors and sides so I wouldn't leave anything behind with any sort of a scent. Besides the fridge I do leave cabinet doors ajar though just to allow some air circulation but its not necessary. Clothes, linens, that's up to you.

My daughter has tried soap, electronic devices, etc. but they didn't work so she now does what I do. A bit more work maybe but I think worth it. Traps I've never used.

For me winter storage is closer to 6, sometimes 7 months, so I put reflectix in the windows. Cardboard would work too. If nothing else it keeps prying eyes out and protects the interior and blinds from sun damage. To keep them in place I use one or two camco fridge bars in each window. If I don't use them I find the reflectix and cardboard has a tendency to sag and fall out.

elite wa · 01-21-2019, 12:50 PM

Ours RV in parked in our backyard so a lot easier to work with but besides the food items. We do take out all the linens so they can be washed. We have totes that will fill up with everything. That way when it’s time to summarize I know what’s in there what needs to be replaced and it’s kept in a convenient spot at home. All I have to do is summerize and wipe down and load up.

Mark N. · 01-29-2019, 09:42 PM

I put my 5'er in St. George every winter. I've never did anything at all to prevent mice. Never have I had a mouse inside. I remove any food that isn't canned or bottled. Spices all stay. Everything else stays put. When it's time to head out for my first time (Early March), I flush the water system, fill the tank, put in food, Check tires (I do remove the tire pressure monitors during storage), grab appropriate clothing and off we go.