The smell of a dead mouse..

[Patrick45]

We haven't seen any evidence of mice being in the living space of our trailer but now we have a smell of what must be a dead mouse. I suspect the smell originates from the area above the belly membrane but short of taking it all down I would like to start with a cover up to see if/when it dissipates. The only thing that comes to mind are dryer scented sheets.. Does anyone have additional suggestions?

[2oldman]

OP may be gone.

[SidecarFlip]

Only one thing better than a dead mouse smell.... cat pee...

[ScottG]

Campfire Time wrote:

Lwiddis wrote:
x2 on o zone.

X3. I haven't had to use one for dead mouse odor, yet. But I've been told that's the only way to get rid of the smell. Even if you can find there is a residual small for a while.

X4.
For some reason I thought the OP's mouse was under the floor so I didn't suggest ozone.
I once had an ozone service guy tell me they could kill the smell of a dead body in a house (he used one to remove cig smoke smell from a TT I bought). So one expired Micky sholdn't be any challenge.
You can even rent an ozone machine from HomeDepot.

[Horsedoc]

Not trying to be a S/A but years ago an English teacher asked the same question. YEARS AGO
"How does a dead mouse smell? He doesn't smell, he's dead. He stinks".

[midnightsadie]

thats a very good point.. battery smell is very strong .

[doxiemom11]

Have you checked your batteries - foul smell when they don't have any water.

[midnightsadie]

when you get them out ,get a bottle of peppermint oil ,mine comes with a eye dropper and put some every where even on the tires also buy a box of FRESH CAB . I take the fresh cab out of the packet and make up ten or so with old panty hose ,put them all around the rv use both products inside and in the compartments. we have no mice for years. rv@boat sit in a pole bldg. good luck.

[Campfire_Time]

Lwiddis wrote:
x2 on o zone.

X3. I haven't had to use one for dead mouse odor, yet. But I've been told that's the only way to get rid of the smell. Even if you can find there is a residual small for a while.

[Iraqvet05]

If there was one mouse inside, there are probably more. I worked briefly for a pest control company. The strategy in mouse control in a stick and brick house is to identify and seal points of entry, place baited traps inside to cull the remaining mice in the house then place rodentcide in pet/child-safe bait stations outside. We used copper mesh and a brick mortar repair compound to seal holes you could stick your finger thru. Larger holes were sealed with galvanized flashing.

I'll add from my own experience that despite removing all food from my TT, I had mice in the camper more than once. It's not only food they are after, it's shelter.

[freetime58]

2oldman wrote:

freetime58 wrote:
Setting traps with bait on the inside of your unit in an attempt to capture upon entry is a REAL BAD idea.

I guess it's REAL BAD for you. Works fine for ME. I don't want them inside pissing and **** ting in my walls. You can have a mouse inside for weeks and not even know it.

Good for you, just know by baiting them with traps on the inside when they are still outside is the reason they are coming inside to begin with.....to get in and at the food source......the bait! Pretty simple actually. But if it's working for you, carry on!

[wopachop]

Positive cabin pressure will help if it's not too cold outside. Put a small fan in a window furthest away from the smell. Seal any gaps with cardboard or rolled up towels. Ideally the smell backtracks to the hole the mouse climbed in. Or at least vents the smell outside until it dries up and stops smelling.

I have a dead mouse in my ceiling. Read that slivers of Irish Spring keeps mammals away. Some say spiders too but I read it's only mammals like mice.

If your trailer sits you can leave mouse traps set on the frame rails with no bait. Inside the trailer set the traps along walls in lower cabinets.

Get a flashlight and check your onboard generator if equipped. Look for nest material. If you have compressed air spray behind the genny and watch for nest material to come floating out.

[ksg5000]

freetime58 wrote:

Setting traps with bait on the inside of your unit in an attempt to capture upon entry is a REAL BAD idea. Now, if they are already inside.....bait/trap away!

That makes sense to me. No sense baiting mice with peanut butter unless they are already in the rig. My experience has been that "no food" usually means less critter problems.

[Lwiddis]

x2 on o zone.

[BobsYourUncle]

I would look in the less than obvious places. It's there somewhere, that's a given. That gross smell will linger a long time.

I have sought out sounds and smells over the years when troubleshooting something by enlisting the assistance of a flexible clear plastic tube. About 3/8" ID or so works well. Buy it at Home Depot or similar by the foot.

When I have a weird sound to find I stick the tube in my ear and then move the other end around the area of the noise until I pinpoint it. Works like a charm.

I have done the same with smells. One end up my nose, literally. Shove it right up your nostril. Plug the other nostril by flattening with your finger. Stick the other end of the tube into places where you cannot possible get into to smell. Stick the tube in behind things under drawers, back of hard to reach cabinets, even down into the floor cavity where wires, pipes and such come out. Then sniff, sniff, sniff deeply to see if the odor is stronger there. Breathe in with the one nostril, breathe out with your mouth. By a process of elimination, you can get a sense as to the area the smell is originating from.

This works, I have done it many times. I do have a nose on me like a bloodhound and I can smell things any 100 people cannot. But its worth a try.

I had this problem last year with our TT. Where the flip is that disgusting smell coming from? I traced mine to under the kitchen sink. I got lucky, looked in the empty garbage container with no bag, mouse had crawled there, fell in and couldn't get back out. Easy fix.