Tips for Florida RV Summer Storage

by Anonymous
()

How to Keep Your RV Pest-Free

How to Keep Your RV Pest-Free

We plan to leave our 5th wheel in Florida (outside)for six months this summer. We have electricity available at the storage site. Does anyone have any hints or tips for keeping our RV free of mold and insects while it is in storage?

ANSWER First, let's address the issue of preventing mold. We have a very good article in our RV Lifestyle Articles section of our website called RV Tips for Keeping Your RV Mold and Mildew Free. I believe this should give you the proper steps you need to take to prevent mold and mildew from forming.

Now let's address the insects. Here are some simple tips for preventing an invasion of insects into an RV when in storage. Some of them are common sense and some of them are unique solutions that RVers have come up with and say that they work

Just a heads up for you, I do not guarantee that all these tips work, but give it a shot. Let's start with the simplest steps first.

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* Make sure you have removed all fruits and vegetables from the RV before storage. Rotting fruits and vegetables attract and produce all kinds of creepy crawlies.

This is especially important if you have kids or grandkids that have traveled with you. They may have stuck a Banana, apple or orange in a drawer or cabinet, so they can eat it later, but they forget to eat it later. I know this one from experience.

* Remove all other foodstuffs from the RV unless they are sealed in a can or bottle.

* Get rid of all standing water. If you have an Ice Maker in your 5th wheel's fridge, make sure you empty the water out of it.

Put plugs in all the sink drains; make sure the toilet seats are down. Cover the shower or bathtub drain (yes, some RVs do have bathtubs).

* Turn off the propane at the tank, not only is this a safety tip, but it also stops little insects who love the smell of propane odorizer from congregating in the stove and fridge area. Believe it or not there does not have to be any leak of propane, these little critters somehow can detect it and are drawn to it like a moth is drawn to a light.

* Make sure all windows, exterior doors, and slideouts are tightly closed.

* If you are storing the RV in an area where pets etc. cannot get to it, spread Roach and ant powder around the tires, leveler jacks, etc. Remember if it rains the powder will have to be re-applied.

* Since your RV is going to be plugged into electric, make sure
that the Trailer's power cord is not touching the ground.

* Check for any areas under your Fiver that may allow insects to crawl in. Do the same for the interior, in particular around slideouts, cabinets, etc. If you find some gaps, go to the hardware store and get a can of expanding foam sealer and seal them.

* Make sure the inside of the RV is clean, I mean really clean, even one little crumb is like a buffet to certain insects.

* Since you will have electricity you might want to go to the hardware store and see if they sell insect and rodent ultrasonic devices. These devices plug into a normal electrical outlet. They supposedly produce a high frequency sound that only rodents and certain insects can hear. This sound is supposed to drive them away.

Be forewarned, if you have a pet Gerbil or pet rat, this sound will also drive them insane.

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* For preventing a Roach or ant infestation sprinkle diatomaceous earth and/or 20 Mule Team Borax around and between cabinets, on floors, and into any crevices. Do this with caution, as you are going to be the one that has to clean this up when you are ready to use the RV again.

* Now we enter into suggestions, that I cannot vouch for personally, but in research to answer your question these are tricks that other RVers swear by. The following items should be put in bowls and liberally spread around the RV, they are not in any particular order.

1. Mothballs

2. Pieces of Irish Spring Soap

3. Fabric Softener Sheets.

4. Peppermint Altoids.

5. Cotton balls soaked with Tea Tree Oil, Cedar Oil, Lavender Oil, heck, why not try used motor oil (just in case, the used motor oil was just a joke).

6. Some RVers suggest using rags soaked in Coyote or Fox urine. Supposedly this repels some rodents and insects (it's repelling me just writing about it). This great product is supposedly sold in sporting good stores. If you are brave enough to go to your local sporting goods store and ask the salesperson which aisle the Coyote Urine is on, then go for it. This is one that I am not personally going to try.

I would not recommend using all of the substances above at the same time. I don't even want to guess what the trailer will smell like when you first open it up after being stored for six months.

OK, hopefully, some of these suggestions will help you.

If any of you out there have other suggestions, please click on the post a comment link below this article.

Good Luck and Happy RVing.

RVing Al

Comments for Tips for Florida RV Summer Storage

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Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		AZ storage
by: Anonymous


Liquid Gold

Leaving as much water as possible in open containers (water jugs, pop bottles, small or large barrels). Partially cover the barrels to slow evaporation. Also fill your water pipes with the pink antifreeze, not the water heater. Traps also.

I use Liquid Gold on the woodwork, especially if you have veneer. It will dry and peel.

Vents open to release heat, no cover, and all batteries removed. I didn't know heat killed them.

Stabil in the gasoline and run through the generator and engine (mine is gas).

I'm told all tanks should be empty, but I'm still looking for advice on that.

Luckily, I have a cool cover (carport) to park mine under and keep it out of the sun, and I'd highly recommend finding one to rent for storage down here.
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Summer Storage
by: CrittrKpr


Damp Rid

I suggest putting Damp Rid in the rv. Get the large plastic container style, sit it in the tub/shower, and one on the each end of the rv. They also sell a product called "Sun Pack". It really works good, but only about 4-6 weeks, and the fumes are bad.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Florida humidity
by: Buly


Peppermint Oil

We just brought our new (2015) Dutch Star home. From experience with storing boats in FL, I bought a dehumidifier. Have been running it for couple of days inside the MH, and it removes about a 1/2 gallon of water a day from inside the RV. I can't believe it myself.

On the other hand, I have mothballs in the engine room and generator compartment. Also some in the basement lockers.

Will try the cotton balls with peppermint oil trick too.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Mixed Signals
by: New 2 Storage

We're new to storing our travel trailer in Florida for 9 months but some advise has been to leave the roof vents open (if they're covered) to let the heat out while others advise to close the trailer up tight. Any opinions? We cover all the windows with foil sheets and were going to put the vent pillows up in the vents but if we leave them open, no need for the pillows. Also we used bug bombs last year but have been told to just put dryer sheets throughout the trailer. Any opinions??
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Mice and peppermint oil
by: Cathy

Peppermint oil and cotton balls is the best deterrent for mice. I put the cotton balls in a glass jar, sprinkled Peppermint oil in, shook well, and let it set a week.

When we were ready to leave, I placed cotton balls all over the house. After six months, No mice had come in when they had the previous two years without cotton balls and Peppermint oil. And not a bad smell to come back to. And this was a house with a field behind it!
Rating
starstar 		gas in line gen
by: G Witt Anonymous

Has any one left gas in 5 wheel , 30 ft run from tank to genereator and left in fla summer without running gen every 2 weeks with fuel conditioner and was happy with gen? GW
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Canned goods
by: Anonymous

Check and throw out any out dated canned goods that might explode during the hot summer!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Peppermint oil
by: JMTTECH

We found, after some massive efforts to keep mice away, that cotton balls saturated with peppermint oil (you can usually find it at any GNC store or from Amazon, about $7 for a 1 oz. bottle) does an amazing job of discouraging rodents & some other critters at bay.

Apparently they can't stand the smell. Plus, the odor is not unbearable and some people actually find it pleasant. We have used this technique in a motor home and a vacation mobile home with excellent results.

We will generally put a saturated (I do not mean dripping but use a liberal dose) cotton ball under sinks, in cabinets, in the storage bays, etc. We found it to be much more pleasant to keep them out than come back to smelly dead critters in mouse traps.

You may want to put them in places your pets can't get to. Not good to ingest the full strength peppermint oil. Also wash your hands thouroghly after handling the oil.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		insect repellent
by: Anonymous

I've heard a lot of people who swear by bay leaves scattered in the cupboards, floors etc. Sounds more appealing that some of the suggestions, i.e. fox urine!!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Storing Rv in Arizona
by: Char

Has anyone heard the tip about filling thirty gallon garbage cans with water and leaving them in the stored RV?

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