Getting rid of mice and smell

[jstamatov]

I thought I did a good job winterizing the boat, but they came in through the engine compartment vents. I just didn't think of that!<br /><br />Now I can't get rid of the mice **** smell. I've washed, scrubbed, etc. but to no avail. The boat is a 18ft. Wellcraft Classic, and the carpet (as well as carpet in the center hold) doesn't help matters.<br /><br />Any suggestions as to how to keep mice out, period, and how to get rid of the smell would be most appreciated.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Getting rid of mice and smell

The smell can be a real problem. I stored a box of old rags in my spare car for a few weeks. The rags had mouse pee on them. The smell still lingers, 3 months later.<br /><br />To prevent mouse entry, stuff all entry holes with Bounce dryer sheets. Don't forget the exhaust. We use a box of Bounce in and under our 30' camper ( it is permanently parked in the Canadian wilderness). No mice yet.

 

[JB]

Re: Getting rid of mice and smell

Old fashioned Moth Balls do a good job for me.

 

[ED21]

Re: Getting rid of mice and smell

Pet stores sell a product to get rid of urine smells. It's an enzyme added to water & scrubbed onto area. I've had limited success w/ it. (If urine gets into the carpet pad, forget it.)

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Getting rid of mice and smell

try an orange based cleaner or straight lemon juice.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Getting rid of mice and smell

Close all areas that they can enter from with tape.Put moth balls everywhere they may enter from too.Bleach is the best way to solve the odor problem but that will ruin any carpet.Charlie

 

[quantumleap]

Re: Getting rid of mice and smell

First, you need to clean the carpet by wetting it and extracting the water repeatedly (soapy water + carpet resolve applied by watering can + soft brush, followed immediately by shop vac, then rinse with clean water followed by shop vac. 3 or 4 passes each with both soap and rinse) Or you could rent a hand held rug doctor, but the shop-vac method works better for me as I can control the amount of soap/water being applied. <br /><br />Just scrubbing cleaner into it isn't going to remove the dried urine residue, All you end up doing is wetting it and rubbing it in better. You're not removing anything from the carpet, just adding more smells! <br /><br />You can use auto formula freebreeze for any remanining odor. I have used this method to detail cars and can make the ugliest carpets look new again.

 

[salty87]

Re: Getting rid of mice and smell

i'll second the enzyme stuff. i paid for carpet cleaning at my house a few weeks ago, while the cleaner was there a friend happened to stop by. he had left his truck window down and a cat snuck in at night and took care of his business in the cab of the truck. the smell wasn't too bad until the sun came out and started cooking it. then it got really bad.<br /><br />well my buddy stopped by at the right time since the carpet guy was at my house. for a 6 pack of cold ones, the carpet guy sprayed a bunch of that enzyme stuff and sucked it out. you could smell whatever the carpet guy sprayed and it was much better than what the cat left.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Getting rid of mice and smell

We use a product called Epoleon, and it works very well. I have used it to removed bat smell out of attics, skunk and dead carcass smell out of crawlspaces, and mice urine smell out of heating ducts. This is a product that only the pros can get as far as I know, and it is very expensive. It is a biological deodorizer, so if you can find anything similar over the counter, that is the way to go. Anything else just masks the smell. I did clean a truck I had once that the carpet was soaked in old food and soda and just a lot of very smelly stuff with Simple Green and that hooked it up.

 

[detailer]

Re: Getting rid of mice and smell

I was gonna say Simple Green, I use it all the time detailing cars, trucks, boats, etc. When I was in the business of installing and removing underground storage tanks and piping at service stations, we used Simple Green to de-gas tanks for transport and to clean out containment sumps after repairing a leak. These sumps had sensors in them that detected vapors (very sensitive)... Simple Green works!