FREE storage, but lots of work

I have a new neighbor. His property has a 150' by 250' cement floor pole barn.
We have become friends over the summer and I had asked him if I could store my motor home and boats in the barn, and that I would pay him to do so. Right now they get stored 20 miles away and I pay to store them. He told me go ahead and put them in there, but I would need to clean out space from all the junk that is in there. AND he would not charge me for it. I protested but he said no way. It is going to always sit empty except for his jet ski. so.....

I went inside, OH MY GOD,,, I have never seen so much crap in one spot in my life. Some useful to some people so I am giving away things like a fire sale. Examples, down hill and cross country skiis, with boots, washer, dryer, refrigerator, scraper blade for a three point hitch tractor (like new), 2 boxes of white vinyl siding, pvc fencing, a 100 gallon industrial hot water heater, boxes and boxes of nick nacks, dog crates, plastic gas cans, 40 tires and rims (some for farm implements) used doors, cabinets, toilets even the kitchen sink.

I asked Mitch if he wanted any thing for any of the stuff and he said if I get rid of it, I can have whatever I want. Well, most is being given away but a 30 yard dumpster is coming for the rest.

Now for the real question here, There are mice in there now, it will be clean wall to wall with just steel walls and cement floors. So what is the best way to get rid of and keep out mice. Do the sonic things really work? Should I use poisen? Possibly put out little pie tins with anti freeze in them around the corners?(I have a 1/2 full 55 gallon barrel of anti freeze in there as well. )

I really do not want any critters as this will be the new home for all of my toys, vette, mustang gt convert, 4 wheelers, snowmobiles, motor home, etc. Mice have a bad way of chewing wiring. I want to keep them out for good. Any advice? thanks bob

Re: FREE storage, but lots of work

get a barn cat should handle the mice well

Re: FREE storage, but lots of work

I've had good luck with D-Con mice and rat poision. Comes in tray packets.
You open the packets and place them around the building. Mice eat the pellets, and it kills them.
If there is a significant mice population, consider putting some traps around too, till your poision gets things under control.

Re: FREE storage, but lots of work

Lots of moth balls. In the summer, I store my boat in a dirt floor barn that used to be a home for all kinds of critters (its not sealed very well). I've pretty much lined the edges with moth balls and I keep an open box of them in the floor of my boat. Since then, the critters no longer live in the barn... but everything kind of smells like moth balls...lol

Re: FREE storage, but lots of work

I vote for the barn cat. Meow.

Re: FREE storage, but lots of work

Yeah moth balls and some people say dryer fabric softner sheets repel mice [bounce ] i believe. Ive also heard-but havnt tried peppermint oil on cotton balls or .. um... gulp.... tampons... deter. Have you googled the question ?

Re: FREE storage, but lots of work

Our cottage, which is actually a 100 year old house, sits empty all winter. I have gone a season without any mouse deterrent and paid the price. Mouse droppings and small damage everywhere. I spread Bounce sheets everywhere, lots of them, and put out small trays of poison. In the spring there is no evidence of mice and the poison is rarely touched. Bounce doesn't work for chipmunks though, but they usually don't damage much.

Re: FREE storage, but lots of work

The antifreeze might smoke some cats or dogs if they can get in there.

There is some stuff that looks like grain that has anticoagulants in it that makes the mice hemorrage. Sounds gross but works real well. I don't think anything else will eat that stuff so you should be ok with not knocking any pets off.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodenticide

Re: FREE storage, but lots of work

Another mouse trap my cottage/cabin owner friends use is.... Fill a 5 gal pickle bucket with 8in or so antifreeze and water, so it doesnt freeze. Smear the inside of the bucket with peanut butter. lay a piece of wood on the edge of the bucket, to the floor. Now they have a ramp. They climb up, try to get the PB , fall in and drown. IDK if that cruel and inhumane. I dont think they last long in freezing cold water. I cant imagine its any more inhumane then some of the poisens that make thier kidneys rupture of whatever they do to kill the little rodents

Re: FREE storage, but lots of work

bait..liquid and/or solid, then... if she were mine.. I would try to seal off any access the critters have...that foam in a can goes a long way... If they can get their heads in there, they can probably set up home in your "motors home". What a gift!

Re: FREE storage, but lots of work

A couple of rat snakes would solve the problem