Protect Your Car Wiring: A Mechanic’s All-Natural DIY Solution To Keep Mice at Bay
Summer is over, and winter is on its way. And for car owners, your car engine bay is about to become an irresistible draw for mice seeking shelter from the cold weather. These unexpected visitors usually come with an unwelcome habit– they like to chew your car's wiring. This chewing can lead to significant car damage and costly repairs.
This car mechanic on TikTok shared his all-natural DIY hack to repel mice from your car engine; all it takes is peppermint oil.
Check out this TikTok:
@kingsautorepairinc Winter is coming and that means mice are going to move to where it this warm. The love cars because they are warm and have all the things they like to use to build a home for themselves. Use this trick to keep the mice from chewing the soy based wiring in your car. They might still build a house but the will not chew the wiring as long as you spray it#mechanic #carrepair #mechaniclife ♬ original sound – Kings Auto Repair Inc
In recent years, car wiring has started using soy-based wrapping, which can be surprisingly enticing to mice. The outcome? Chewed wires, electrical malfunctions, and potentially costly repair bills. But before reaching for chemical-laden solutions, consider an all-natural approach involving peppermint oil.
Here's how it works:
Ingredients:
- Peppermint essential oil
- Water
- Spray bottle
Steps:
Mix water and a few drops of peppermint essential oil in a spray bottle. You don't have to worry about exact measurements, but 15-20 drops of essential oil in 8 ounces of water is an excellent place to start.
Before parking your car, generously spray the mixture underneath your vehicle and pay special attention to the engine bay area. Mice's dislike of the strong smell of peppermint makes this DIY deterrent effective. Remember to reapply as needed since the peppermint loses its potency over time.
Other Ways To Keep Mice Away From Cars
While the peppermint oil solution is a fantastic natural remedy, here are some additional measures you can take to keep mice away from your vehicles:
- Keep Your Car Clean: Regularly clean your car, inside and out. Mice are attracted to crumbs and food debris because a clean interior can discourage their presence.
- Remove Attractants: Store any food, birdseed, or pet food away from your car. These items can lure mice to your vicinity.
- Use Traps: Place mouse traps or bait stations around your garage or parking area to capture any mice that come close to your car.
- Seal Gaps: Seal any gaps or openings in your garage or parking area that could serve as entry points for mice.
- Park Indoors: Whenever possible, park your car indoors, where it's less accessible to rodents.
As winter approaches and the threat of mice seeking warmth in your engine bay looms, this all-natural DIY peppermint oil hack offers a simple and effective solution.
Research journalist, Freelance writer, Managing Editor
- Expertise: automotive content, trending topics.
- Education: LeTourneau University, Bachelors of Science in Business Administration.
- Over 400 articles and short news pieces published across the web.
Experience: Madison Cates is a journalist located in the great state of Texas. She began writing over eight years ago. Her first major research piece was published by the Journal of Business and Economics in 2018. After growing up in a household of eight brothers and a dad who was always restoring old Camaros, she naturally pivoted her freelance career into the automotive industry. There, she found her passion.
Her experience paved the way for her to work with multiple large corporations in automotive news and trending topics. Now, she now finds her home at Wealth of Geeks where she proudly serves as Managing Editor of Autos. Madison is always down to geek out over the latest beautiful cars on the market, and she enjoys providing her readers with tips to make car ownership easier and more enjoyable.