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Author :Chelsea Barron in Education

No matter where you happen to find them, pests are...well, pests. Mice, ants, and other little critters are creepy, gross, and sometimes they can seem impossible to get rid of. This is true in a house of course, but they can actually even be more of a nuisance when found in your RV.

Unfortunately, because RVs often tend to 1) sit unattended, 2) spend lots of time in nature, and 3) aren’t usually airtight, they’re also the ideal home for all those pesky little creatures.

So what’s an RV owner to do? Unless you live in your rig, keeping a constant eye on things simply isn’t an option—and even in cases where this is an option, you won’t necessarily catch the little critters before they take over.

Fortunately, there are ways to remedy this situation. In fact, with just a little bit of extra effort on your part, you should be able to ensure your little home-on-wheels stays perfectly pest-free for the rest of its camping lifetime.

Watch Where You Park

Perhaps the most important thing an RV owner can do to keep pests out is to watch where they park. Grassy areas—especially those with tall, unkempt grass—are likely to host mice and snakes.

Additionally, areas with lots of leaves and bushes can be home to snake friends, as well as spiders. Spots next to garbage cans might lead to a cockroach infestation, and of course, ants can live nearly anywhere there’s dirt. Considering that ants are one of the most common RV pests, you’ll want to carefully check the ground before parking your RV, making sure there are no anthills.

Plug Holes

As important as it is to be careful where you park, it isn’t a foolproof method. You’ll want to make sure to plug any and all holes where a pest might enter. Keep in mind that ants are teeny tiny and can fit in a pinhole. Not only that, but mice can actually fit through pretty small holes. Some can squeeze through spaces as small as a ballpoint pen!

Small holes can be plugged with foam or steel wool. Larger holes can be covered with mesh, but make sure to secure all sides of the mesh.

Be Careful with Food

Food attracts pests, so keep it all well sealed in plastic containers, glass jars, and/or zipper bags. Bad fruit should be thrown out immediately, and any crumbs that are dropped should be cleaned up right away. Finally, you will want to be sure to remove all food from your rig before storing it for any amount of time.

You’d be surprised how clever these little pests can be, and returning to an ant- or mouse-infested trailer or motorhome is never fun.

Use Peppermint

In addition to putting all food away, it’s also a good idea to set out some deterrents before storing your RV. One of the safest pest repellents out there is peppermint essential oil, and believe it or not, it actually works quite well. The odor of the oil is nice to human noses, but quite offensive to small rodents and insects.

To use peppermint oil as a deterrent, simply put a few drops of it on several cotton balls and place them in corners throughout the trailer or motorhome. Not only will this help keep pests out, it’ll also give your home-on-wheels a very pleasant aroma. It’s a win-win!

Related Read: RV Pest Control: DIY Pest Control

Pull Out the Big Guns

Of course, if peppermint essential oil doesn’t do the trick, you’ll need to get a bit more aggressive. In this case, there are different options depending on your situation.

For Ants

To get rid of ants, the best option is cornmeal. This can be sprinkled around the outside of the RV and in various places inside of it. Because it’s food, the little bugs will take that poison home to their queen who will then ingest it and feed it to others. Unfortunately for them, the cornmeal then expands when the ants drink water, causing their organs to rupture. Eventually this wipes out the entire colony.

While you’re waiting for the poison to do its thing, you can also improve the situation by spraying ant spray. However, be careful with this stuff if you have pets or children in the rig.

Related Read: Battling Ants in Your RV

For Mice

As far as mice go, the best method is definitely the good old-fashioned trap. Poison is fine except that it often leaves you with a dead mouse smell. Besides, small children and pets might find the poison and that can be dangerous. Therefore, I recommend sticking with glue traps or snap traps and calling it a day.

For Spiders

Spiders do dislike peppermint, but they absolutely despise white vinegar. Therefore, if you’re having a spider problem specifically, it’s time to fill the spray bottle with a nice mixture of white vinegar and water. Spray down the cracks and crevices of your RV with the mixture and wait for it to repel all those eight-legged visitors.


Of course, spiders, ants, mice, roaches, and snakes aren’t the only kinds of pests you might have to deal with in your RV. However, most of these tips will work for preventing an infestation of any kind. Therefore, using these tips everywhere you go is always a safe bet against any and all little critters.

Obviously, a pest-free camping experience is a better camping experience, so go ahead and give the tips above a try. Better safe than sorry!