A peaceful, quiet place that’s completely undisturbed for a continuous period of time! What more could rats want? Especially when they are in search for a place to take shelter, feed and breed another generation of theirs! Unfortunately, one such place that’s absolutely perfect for rodents is a car engine.
Surprisingly, we are clueless about the presence of rats in our cars. We read about it and might even hear about a friend or relative with a rodent problem in their car. But we never think it could happen to us! Till we find unexplained fluid leaks, sudden failure or electrical problems, take it to the garage and are told it has been caused due to rodents. They can chew off wiring, hoses, plastic components and other important parts.
How to make your car rat free
- Park car in a closed garage if possible – it is easy to deal with small closed space.
- Check under the bonnet and the interior once every fortnight for any signs of rat infestation. Check for any leakage of oil and damages to the mechanical systems. Rats store food inside the air filters and hoses, so check those as well.
- Avoid eating inside the car or feeding your pets near the car as food remnants are a major attraction for rats.
- Avoid leaving the car unattended or parked for a long period.
- Secure the probable openings for rodents with metal mesh as they can squeeze through even the tiniest opening or crawl through tailpipe and wheel vents.
- If you ever smell the presence of rats in the garage, then keeping it lighted at night and parking the vehicle outside during the day is the best option.
- Do not park the car near garbage bin or garbage-filled areas. If possible your parking space should be free from trash, shrubs, spoilt fruits, straw and papers.
- Do not leave garden seeds, livestock feed, food wrappers and leftover food inside the car. The area outside the car should be clutter free as well.
How to get rid of rats
In spite of your best intentions, if at all you get rats in the car, there are some easy ways to get rid of them:
- Use multiple traditional mouse traps around the car and in the engine.
- Make your car smell unpleasant and strong as rats hate those smells. Ex – black pepper, peppermint oil, tobacco leaves and, naphthalene balls. Leave these inside the bonnet as well as near the passenger seat.
Choose from a variety of rat repellent products available in the market and use ones that are safe to use in a car. Some of these are ultrasonic rodent repellent, rat repellent spray, glue pad, rodent-deterrent tape, and rat repellent products in the form of cakes, granules or gels.
