Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 09, 2025 ...

Re: RAT - My First

Reply #25 – September 13, 2016, 12:36:49 pm

I tried cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil in yogurt cups. We were parked in a Texas state park near Whitney TX, the critters actually moved the cotton balls from the cups on one side of my front storage bay to the other side of the bay. So they definitely don't like the peppermint oil. I also use chunks of Irish Spring soap and dryer sheets in the yogurt cups, at least two on each side of each bay. No problem so far. Going to add lights in the engine bay.

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Re: RAT - My First

Reply #26 – September 13, 2016, 01:15:09 pm

I was out looking at my 8.2 DD V8 and discovered a very old stash of peanut, acorn, and hickory shells, along with a miscellaneous bunch of animal food stuff in the valley between the heads--under my intake manifold. All seemed very old and dried out, but no telling as to age because the engine heat would have dried the stuff out anyway.
I vacuumed out everything I could reach with a vacuum hose nozzle and then took the leaf blower to it. Now totally clean after another "snoop" with the nozzle.
I then replenished my peppermint oil pop can/cotton holders throughout the engine compartment (4), up front under the "hoods" (1), under the lift up dash top (1), the dump valve compartment (1) because that is where the inverter & wiring is. Used one whole 1oz bottle and now the coach smells so good I came in hungry!!
I still have another bottle to replenish the deterrents when the coach goes into storage where the pesky red squirrels are.
Good thing I found the "stash" as it, in my belief, was a fire waiting to happen!!

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