I Hate Mice!!!!!!

[Widows Son]

So, I have this old car, a 1969 Lincoln MK III. I usually leave it in my garage over the Winter. This year a friend offered to let me store it in an outbuilding he has at his horse farm. He stores his 59 Corvette there but keeps his Cobra at his house. Made all the preparations last Fall. Put all sorts of anti mouse sheets inside the car, sprinkled grainular all around the outside of the car, covered it...you get the picture. When I got it home I noticed a few droppings inside the car, not too bad. But, the trunk was pretty well covered. Cleaned the interior with Clorox wipes, didn't see any damage. No nests, chewed leather, or urine stains. But, there is a smell of urine. Can anyone recommend a solution I can mix up and squirt on the carpeting???Something that will eliminate the smell, not just cover it up?????

[Maleg]

Did you try the pet urine variety of carpet cleaners?

The horse is out of the barn, but in the future put bars of Irish Spring soap in the car prior to storage. It’s excellent mouse and squirrel repellent.

BTW, inspect your wiring harness carefully. Mice love to chew wiring.

[Widows Son]

Originally Posted by Maleg

Did you try the pet urine variety of carpet cleaners?

The horse is out of the barn, but in the future put bars of Irish Spring soap in the car prior to storage. It’s excellent mouse and squirrel repellent.

BTW, inspect your wiring harness carefully. Mice love to chew wiring.

I did the dryer sheet thing, I will try your method next year!! I had my tractor's wiring harness eaten two years ago, you're correct. There were some Chinese made harnesses made a few years ago with something in the insulation that the mice loved to eat, can't remember the particulars.

[Maleg]

Originally Posted by Widows Son

I did the dryer sheet thing, I will try your method next year!! I had my tractor's wiring harness eaten two years ago, you're correct. There were some Chinese made harnesses made a few years ago with something in the insulation that the mice loved to eat, can't remember the particulars.

I had to rewire a boat and a pickup truck one year. Among other things, they chewed through the battery cable on my diesel truck and destroyed the boat harness.

The boat mechanic recommended the Irish Spring. I haven’t had any trouble since.

[m j b]

I suspect that you'll need to find the source/location of the urine and clean it. If you're sure it's the carpet, then perhaps steam cleaning it? Perhaps start with baking soda?

[brandrea]

That’d be it for me … the very thought of rodent infestation makes me quiver.

Lincoln

[LeoHappyMan]

Originally Posted by Widows Son

So, I have this old car, a 1969 Lincoln MK III. I usually leave it in my garage over the Winter. This year a friend offered to let me store it in an outbuilding he has at his horse farm. He stores his 59 Corvette there but keeps his Cobra at his house. Made all the preparations last Fall. Put all sorts of anti mouse sheets inside the car, sprinkled grainular all around the outside of the car, covered it...you get the picture. When I got it home I noticed a few droppings inside the car, not too bad. But, the trunk was pretty well covered. Cleaned the interior with Clorox wipes, didn't see any damage. No nests, chewed leather, or urine stains. But, there is a smell of urine. Can anyone recommend a solution I can mix up and squirt on the carpeting???Something that will eliminate the smell, not just cover it up?????

Park your car in any safe area where you can open the doors of car for 6 to 7 hours. Fresh air will help the bad smell will go out gradually.

[Chewbacca]

My detailer fills an electrostatic sprayer with mint oil and water and sprays the entire car interior, trunk, engine bay etc every fall. Use quite a bit. Mint is a natural rodent deterrent and it works wonders, to him anyway. Also before spring to air them out. Tea tree oil is a substitute. Same thing crime scene cleaners do when they find rotting bodies. Or try a professional detailer.

Last resort is a match and some gasoline.

[AzPaul]

Next year, be sure to put up some small signs around the car directing the mice not to pee there.
They're not all that bright so it's a mistake to think they'll just know better.

[Blansky]

There are products that mask the smell which are on sale everywhere and then there are products that use enzymes that attack the molecules and neutralize the smell.

There is also vinegar and baking soda.

Lots of info on the internet on getting rid of bad smells but its a bit of a crap shoot pardon the pun.

I've used this stuff on my outdoor turf. https://turfresh.com/about/see-the-science/

I'd try the vinegar and baking soda stuff first and if that doesn't do it move to the more exotic stuff.

[Letsgodiving]

I recently spilled a particularly pungent bait bucket in the back of my 4Runner and although I had a rubber mat back there some of it got on the carpet. I went to a pet store and bought some neutralizing spray which helped but letting it air out over a couple of weeks eventually got rid of the smell. I drove it with the windows down everywhere I went and left them down all day on non-rainy days.

[Widows Son]

Thanks for the help guys!!! I washed her a couple of days ago and noticed a real foul smelling liquid on the ground after. The puddle was directly behind the passenger side front rocker panel. When I parked it in the garage the same puddle appeared there. I'm thinking that there may be a nest with some dead mice on the frame or in the fender wheel well. Really stinks!!! I have a feeling the mice ate the poison then expired in the nest. I have a friend with a lift, that's my next move. I don't think the nest is under the dash, there's no evidence on the front floorboards. The mystery continues.....

[RichM]

Originally Posted by Widows Son

Thanks for the help guys!!! I washed her a couple of days ago and noticed a real foul smelling liquid on the ground after. The puddle was directly behind the passenger side front rocker panel. When I parked it in the garage the same puddle appeared there. I'm thinking that there may be a nest with some dead mice on the frame or in the fender wheel well. Really stinks!!! I have a feeling the mice ate the poison then expired in the nest. I have a friend with a lift, that's my next move. I don't think the nest is under the dash, there's no evidence on the front floorboards. The mystery continues.....

Use glue traps next year. Put two by each tire. One on the front side and one on the rear side of each tire. That’s usually where they climb up and enter the car.

Never, I repeat never poison them. They always seem to die in a place where you can’t easily get to. My guess, they died in or at the nest.

Good luck. There is a lot of good information on YouTube.

[Booth9999]

Originally Posted by Widows Son

I did the dryer sheet thing, I will try your method next year!! I had my tractor's wiring harness eaten two years ago, you're correct. There were some Chinese made harnesses made a few years ago with something in the insulation that the mice loved to eat, can't remember the particulars.

It was Japanese auto makers like Toyota that decided to make the wire casing out of soybeans. They ate some of my wife’s 4Runner harness when I let it sit a bit too long last year. I haven’t heard of Chinese wire doing the same but I wouldn’t be surprised.

[RW16610]

I've seen the aftermath of this in car restoration videos. Thankfully you've received some great advice by the posters above to mitigate this in the future. Definitely something I wouldn't want to be dealing with either.

Here's to you getting things back in order and enjoying the car soon again.

[JJGreen]

This happened to me also (this Spring). Porsche in storage.

Normally I buy those electronic sound devices and plug them in all around the car. This is the first time I've noticed something in the car. I wasn't very happy!