This Simple Precautionary Measure Can Keep Mice Out Of Your Engine Bay

As we're coming into the colder months now, the likelihood of mice finding their way under your hood gets a little higher, as they seek out a safe place in which they can keep warm. If you're constantly getting in and out of your car, using it for commuting, dropping the kids off at school, and grabbing groceries, then the warmth of your engine will seem especially attractive to them. Likewise, if one of your cars sits dormant more than the other, or if you've got a fair-weather classic tucked away in the garage, then these could also be a prime target for mice, especially if the garage is warm, or home to other attractants, like pet or bird feed.

There are various different approaches you can try in an attempt to keep mice at bay, such as removing old food remnants and clutter, or using sprays and fragrances. However, one of the most effective ways to stop mice from entering your car is by placing mothballs in and around the engine bay. Mothballs contain a strong-smelling substance called Naphthalene, and it's this scent that folk believe will deter mice from nesting. Now, scattering a few mothballs here and there won't keep mice from nesting in a garage, house, or garden, necessarily, as there simply isn't enough Naphthalene present to be effective over larger areas. However, in a compact area such as your engine bay, mothballs may just prove enough of a deterrent to make the mice reconsider nesting there.

Other benefits of using mothballs include the fact that they are generally inexpensive, usually available in small quantities for less than $5, and they aren't lethal to mice and rats either.

Aside from just being an alarming surprise when you pop the hood to top up your windshield washer fluid in the colder months, mice can be seriously troublesome for you and your car. For starters, they will make a mess, munching through sound-deadening materials, leaving their droppings, alongside gathering leaves and other such items to produce their nest. Furthermore, there is a real possibility of them making their way into the glovebox, and here, they could easily shred up registration documents and license paperwork, causing even more headaches for you.

Something else mice will make light work of is your car's wiring. This can cause very serious issues for you, and the chances are that you might not notice until you next jump in and go to start that car. With wires attacked, certain features might not work, or your car might not even start. Ultimately, this will require careful diagnosis, replacement parts, and possibly even a new ECU and wiring loom. In some instances, rodent damage has even been costly enough to write the car off entirely, with claims in excess of $30,000 not being unheard of.

In addition to the cost of rodent damage, there are serious safety risks, too. For starters, mice can also gnaw through seatbelts, which clearly is a risk to occupants. Secondly, their droppings can be especially dangerous to humans. For the sake of $5 and a few moments to scatter some mothballs around your engine bay, you could easily avoid all this hassle. Just be sure to remove the mothballs before using the car again, as they can be flammable, and some types can be toxic too, so it's best to dispose of them to be safe.