Mice Can Damage Your Car

Spring arrived on Sunday March 20, so the time has finally arrived to free the car left in winter storage. If, after unwrapping the car and you’ve found signs of mice invasion, here’s what to do. The first thing to do is find and evict the little critters. Hopefully it’s just a mouse or two, because squirrels can do the same type of damage to a vehicle but are nearly impossible to catch. You can tell they’ve been using your car as their own private condo when you see damage to wiring and upholstery. The first thing they do when moving in, is look for material to build a nest, and that means they’ll chew holes in your seats to harvest the foam. Mice (or squirrels) can chew through wires, a problem guaranteed to cause trouble to the electrical system.

Check the filters. Spring is a great time for a general maintenance check anyways, whether it’s been stored or you’ve been driving it all winter. Air filters stop dust and debris from reaching the engine’s combustion chambers. Your cabin filter may need changing as well to ensure your air conditioning works properly through the summer. If you’re getting a musty smell in your cabin, changing the filter may solve the problem. If mice have invaded your car for their winter residence, you’ll see signs of chewing, or the complete nest, built from upholstery stuffing, and any other soft material they can find.

You can get rid of rodents by turning up the honking the horn to scare them away, using repellent (cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil works well), and setting traps. Then, it’s probably time for some cleaning and car repairs. It is possible that animal related damage is covered by your insurance (here’s hoping).