Mice in RVs, Campers and Stored Vehicles

Before you climb into a camper that sat all winter, open every door, window and hatch and let it air for at least 20 minutes, the CDC says. Wear gloves. Soak droppings and nests with disinfectant for 5 minutes before you wipe them up. Don't vacuum anything until it's disinfected. Then find out how they got in.

RVs, campers, trailers and project cars give mice and pack rats exactly what they want: a dark, quiet space full of cushions, insulation and crumbs. Around Albuquerque, vehicles parked beside a house that backs onto open land, or stored on a rural lot east of the mountains, get hit most.

The New Mexico Department of Health includes stored vehicles in its hantavirus warning, next to cabins, sheds and garages. It tells people to ventilate them before going in. A camper is a small enclosed space, so dust from dried droppings stays concentrated. NMSU Extension recommends a HEPA or N-100 respirator for confined spaces.

Pack rats are the other problem. University of Arizona Extension says woodrats nest in the engine compartments of vehicles that sit and chew the plastic shielding on wiring. A trailer parked by the junipers in High Desert or Westgate is an easy target.

The CDC's vehicle steps, adapted for a camper:

• Work in a ventilated area, wearing plastic gloves and long sleeves
• Open all doors, windows, hatches and the hood; air it out for 20 minutes
• Disconnect the battery before inspecting the engine compartment
• Spray droppings and nests until soaked; wait 5 minutes
• Pick up the waste with paper towels and double-bag it
• Wipe counters, cabinets and drawers with disinfectant
• Replace any air filter with nesting in it
• Reconnect the battery once everything is dry

Fabric that mice nested in is hard to clean thoroughly. Plastic, glass and metal can be disinfected, but the CDC says to throw out contaminated cardboard and bag insulation for removal. Mattresses and cushions with nests or heavy droppings are usually better replaced. If the mess is spread through wall or floor insulation, hire it out. See droppings and nest cleanup.

Look underneath and around the edges:

• Plumbing and electrical openings in the floor
• Gaps around slide-outs and their seals
• Holes where the shore power cord and water lines enter
• Furnace and fridge vents
• The engine bay and air intake on motorhomes

Empty the food, including sealed packages. Remove bedding or store it in sealed bins. Close floor openings with quarter-inch hardware cloth or metal; NMSU says mice need only a quarter inch. Set snap traps inside before you close it up. Park away from brush and woodpiles, and check it every few weeks through the winter. A balsam fir oil repellent may help with pack rats, Extension says, as an add-on to the rest.

If a pack rat already nested in the engine bay, see rodents in cars and garages and pack rat nests. Wiring damage goes to a mechanic.

A quick check every few weeks catches problems early. Open the door and look for droppings on the floor and counters before you step in. Check traps you left. Pop the hood and look for sticks or shredded material on top of the engine and in the air filter box. If you see new droppings, air it out before going further and follow the cleanup steps. Moving or starting the vehicle now and then also helps, since pack rats prefer things that sit still.

An RV parked beside brush, a woodpile or a block wall gives pack rats and mice cover right next to the entry points. Park it on gravel or pavement with open space around it, away from junipers and stored lumber. A storage lot with paved pads is often better than a dirt side yard. If you keep it at home, clear a few feet around it and check under it when you check inside.

Hire it out if droppings are spread through cabinets and insulation, if nests are in the walls or ducts or if a motorhome's engine bay has a pack rat nest. A provider can clean with respirators and protective gear, and many will seal floor openings while they're there. Wiring and mechanical repairs still go to an RV technician or mechanic. See droppings and nest cleanup.

• Cleaning Up After Mice Without Breathing In Hantavirus
• Pack Rat Nests: Finding Them and Dealing With Them
• Deer Mice in Garages and Sheds: Cleanup and Keeping Them Out
• When the Nights Turn Cold: Getting Ahead of Fall Mice

Services: Rodents in Cars and Garages / Droppings and Nest Cleanup / Pack Rat Control

1. CDC: How to Clean Up After Rodents
2. New Mexico Department of Health: First hantavirus case of 2026 (March 2026)
3. NMSU Extension Guide L-209: Rodent Control and Protection from Hantavirus
4. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension: Woodrats