How to stop rodents from nesting in my car while its parked?

Tips for Keeping Rodents Out of Your Car

With the coronavirus keeping many of us stuck at home, a lot of our cars are also stuck in the garage. This is great for rodents, because an engine compartment is one of their preferred nesting spots. If they do nest in your vehicle, they can wreak havoc on all sorts of systems, potentially rendering your vehicle inoperable.

Here are our tips on how to stop rodents from nesting in your car while its parked.

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Tips for Keeping Rodents Away

Drive your vehicle. This may sound silly, but it is by far the easiest way to keep rodents away. They are smarter than many people give them credit for, and as a result, won’t try to nest in something that gets used a lot. You don’t have to drive it every day, but taking it out two or three times a week and parking it in different ways will make a world of difference.

Don’t leave animal food near your vehicle. A dark, cozy nesting place and proximity to food? It’s no wonder rodents love your garage. Don’t leave bags of dog food, cat food, bird seed, etc., unprotected in your garage. If you can’t store the food in your residence, then store it in secured bins as far away from your vehicle as possible.

Use rodent deterrents. Many rodents rely heavily on smell, so bad smells deter them. There are all sorts of products out there that are made to keep rodents away from your home and vehicles. However, there are a bunch of things that people have reported to work that you probably already have, like dog or cat hair, Pine-Sol, red pepper, or dryer sheets.

Pop the hood. Rodents like enclosed dark spaces. So, if you do have to leave your car parked for a while, park it somewhere where sunshine is plentiful and prop the hood open. This is not a permanent fix as it is highly weather-dependent, but it is a useful trick nonetheless. At the very least, it will let you visually inspect the engine bay to make sure nothing is there.

Too Late?

Have you found our guide a little too late? If you’re near the Frederick county area of Virginia, schedule an appointment at CrossPointe. And don’t forget to check out service specials for extra cash off our already affordable services.