RVr's Guide to Winter Storage

BISMARCK, N.D., Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Now that winter has arrived, your RV is likely sitting in a covered garage somewhere. And hopefully it's not serving as a winter home for unwanted guests like mice, rats, and squirrels.

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Rodents are notorious for chewing through vehicle wiring, plastic and rubber lines. They also leave a big mess behind, defecating on countertops, floors, and even in beds. If you haven't taken preventative measures to keep rodents out, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise the next time you take your RV out for a trip.

So, what can you do to protect your RV from rodent damage?

1. When you're ready to store your RV for the winter, start by inspecting the underside of the vehicle. Look in all corners and crevices, especially where plumbing and wiring enter the RV. If you can see any daylight, mice can get in. Fill any holes or gaps with the strongest caulk.
2. Remove all food from the RV, even things like flour and sugar that are being stored in airtight containers. A ravenous rodent can do a lot of damage chewing through containers, and even wooden cabinets, to get food. Also be sure the floors and countertops have been well-cleaned so there are no remnants of food about.
3. If possible try to park or store your RV on a solid surface, like pavement or concrete. Avoid grass, fields, or wooded areas which harbor mice, rats, and squirrels.
4. If you don't mind the smell of mothballs you can scatter them throughout areas of the RV rodents are likely to hide, feed, congregate or nest in, including storage compartments and the underside. Another option would be to place pouches of Fresh Cab® in strategic locations.

Fresh Cab® is an all-natural blend of plant fiber and essential oils, invented by Kari Warberg Block, a farm wife from North Dakota. "I was offended at the smell of moth balls, and disliked the staleness we found in our Implements in the spring, so I came up with these natural pouches to both freshen & protect our expensive equipment during storage. I first tried mints, but they didn't work that well, or last that long. It took many years to find the best scent to repel all rodents, which was Balsam Fir. It smells like an Alaskan Wilderness, and lasts for months.

During testing Ms. Block discovered that a balsam-fir molecule (the active ingredient in Fresh Cab®) will trigger a limbic response when inhaled by a rodent -causing them to flee the treated area. Independent studies verified it effective 9 out of 10 times, and completely safe to use. EPA #82016

The product comes strongly recommended by members of the Good Sam Club, the world's largest RV owner's association. Tom Freidt, who owns Riverwood RV Sales & Service in Mandan, N.D., has been recommending it for years. "We've had great success with Fresh Cab® around here," he says. "Mice are no longer a problem in the winter time." Other RV testimonials: http://www.earth-kind.com/testimonials/

Fresh Cab made it through the rigorous scrutiny of the Fed.EPA to become the first & only natural rodent repellent proven to be effective. It's sold at all Menards, most National hardware stores & Implement dealers, or Manufacturer website: www.earth-kind.com. There you can place an order, or enter your ZIP code to find the dealer nearest you.

Learn more about the dangers of rodents here: www.earth-kind.com/learn

SOURCE Earth-Kind, Inc.