De-mousing a truck

[Gordon Maney]

I debated on putting this in the service procedures forum, but decided against it.

How many of you have had to de-mouse a heavily infested truck? What methods have you used to clean out the cab when there are lots of mouse nests, turds, and no doubt pee residue.

The increasing awareness of Hanta virus, and the hazards associated with mouse residue, adds new dimension. It is not uncommon for the wiper spaces above the windshield in a Power Wagon, and even the windshield pillars, to be filled with mouse nest material.

Discuss.

[Matthew Ziegler]

mice

Driving the truck around will usually cause any mice still present to jump ship. I had them bailing out of the seat and bailing out by the transfer case levers.

My seats were mouse condos, I stripped the covering and padding off of the springs, cleaned and painted the springs had them re covered and replaced the driver's plywood seat base. anywhere else, I'd recommend a good bathroom cleaner like Tilex or something with ammonia in it, should kill any smell as well as germs or mites.

[74w300uteline]

Simple Green -D Pro 3

hospital grade disinfectant . bacteria,virus,fungus. Good stuff.

[Gordon Maney]

hospital grade disinfectant . bacteria,virus,fungus. Good stuff.

I wonder if it would cause rust.

I read the description on their site. From the sound of it, you could use it if you were fraternizing with needle-using biker chicks and still be OK.

[74w300uteline]

rust probably

but it would be healthy rust!!

[Gordon Maney]

but it would be healthy rust!!

When I was working at a food machinery business we joked that we could not guarantee there would be no impurities in the food, but we could guarantee they would be safe to eat.

[Ron in Indiana]

We have used Odorban and it works great to get the smell out of anything. It's a spray bottle and easy to use. Seats are their favorite and the seat I used for Crispy Critter had a mouse condo in it. It was a complete tear down to get out all the bad stuff. A good shop vac sucks up the nasty stuff while you're wearing a good respirator. The trick is once you have them out is keeping them out. I've heard all types of remedies like mothballs but I couldn't put up with that odor.

[KevinM]

When we first got our cabin in Maine it was occupied by throngs of mice, there were nests everywhere, in the walls, in the furniture , behind the shower stall, it was like a horror show pulling off the wallboards as the vermin scattered everywhere. All the insulation was soaked in mouse urine, as was the studs and sheathing. We removed all the insulation and sprayed down all the stud cavities with a product called "OdorXit".
I was sckeptical that anything could remove the stench but this stuff did, plus it is non toxic and doesn't smell itself, used in a spray bottle it was easy to apply.

[712edf]

I am with Ron on the Shop-vac. Completely remove everything. Moving the truck to a more open environment (away from grass/foliage/dirt) like a concrete parking area couldn't hurt.

Bucky

[oldmopar]

A few years back I had a 46 Dodge wd21(same cab as the pw) The area between the wipers was a big mouse nest. Used a mask, gloves and pulled most of it out, also sprayed it to keep it damp which keeps the dust down similar to removing asbestos. To keep my vehicles rodent free I keep some poison in the cab.

[The Other Ross]

Start with a good cat.Or JR terrier.

[Chewie]

Dryer sheets

We put them in the basement along the foundation in early fall, and change them every so often. She slips a few in the kitchen drawers, and I stick them in the glove box, the crack of the seatsand around the air box opening of the trucks. I keep some in the garage, too.
Best thing is they smell okay, and they are cheap, too.

[Gordon Maney]

We put them in the basement along the foundation in early fall, and change them every so often. She slips a few in the kitchen drawers, and I stick them in the glove box, the crack of the seatsand around the air box opening of the trucks. I keep some in the garage, too.
Best thing is they smell okay, and they are cheap, too.

....and they work?

[Chewie]

....and they work?

They work very well. The trick is keeping them fresh. It's the strong smell that keeps them away.

[Clint Dixon]

They work very well. The trick is keeping them fresh. It's the strong smell that keeps them away.

Yep! That is what I use. They work and they smell a lot better in the truck than mothballs.