Plugging a Rat Hole

[Old_Uncle_Dave]

-Well maybe not a rat, but a mouse hole.
I have seen some plugged with steel wool. Does this work or is there anything better.
TIA
Old Uncle Dave

[Old_Uncle_Dave]

Thanks all, There's never a dull moment here.

Old U. Dave

[Dennis12]

When inserting the steel wool make sure you have a good grip on their head. They will bite. You can also have them spayed or neutered along with a butt plug. All this for a mouse or rat hole

[rbpru]

I have used spray foam to keep squirrels out of my attic and I have seen soup can lids nailed over mouse holes.

The steel wool sounds as good as anything, they are industrious little critters for sure.

[theoldwizard1]

Stainless steel kitchen scrubbers for cleaning pots and pans. Heavier than most steel wool and it won't rust. If you are worried about them pulling it out, use some spay foam around the edges. That stuff dries hard and bonds well to almost anything.

[ADK_Camper]

I use stainless steel scrubbies from the dollar store; they don't rust. If you unwrap the little pads you get a long hollow sleeve. Most holes in campers occur where a pipe or wire passes through a wall or the floor. Just wrap the sleeve around the pipe or wire and work it into the hole. I've been two years mouse free using this technique.

[TNRIVERSIDE]

Steel wool works. Period.

[Community Alumni]

SoundGuy wrote:

Steel wool is a terrible solution as it will only rust and deteriorate over time. :M Brass wool won't. :B

It does rust and the steel wool on the inside will deteriorate, but oddly it still works. I've had some problem areas on my stick and brick that I filled with expanding foam and steel wool about 11 years ago. The rust colored foam is still there and the mice haven't touched it in all those years. I guess they don't enjoy rust either.

[SpeakEasy]

There is rodent-proof spray foam available. I am not saying that it works, because I don't know this. Just saying that there is such a thing.

-Speak

[ralph_day]

There's stainless steel wool too. Where I've plugged 4" big O pipe I spray with Fluid Film to stop the rusting.

[SoundGuy]

Dryheat36 wrote:
Steel wool is one of the best products that rats will not chew on.

Steel wool is a terrible solution as it will only rust and deteriorate over time. :M Brass wool won't. :B

[YC_1]

Steel wool works. It hurts their fillings.

Seriously though, it does work well.

[SCVJeff]

rbrand wrote:
I filled the hole with expanding spray can insulation foam and trimed the opening.

Thats nothing but candy to them. I had a rat get into a $8,000 above ground spa and it tunneled through the entire foam filled lining chewing all the pipe on the way through. I ended up sawing it in pieces and trashing it.

Use what exterminators use: Steel Wool

[Dryheat36]

Steel wool is one of the best products that rats will not chew on. They can and will chew on most anything. You can always sandwich it between spray on foam or other sealant as once they reach the steel wool they will stop. Good luck!

[rbrand]

I filled the hole with expanding spray can insulation foam and trimed the opening.