‘Honestly Just Let Him Live There, It’s Chilly’: Woman Discovers Unexpected Passenger In her Car. She Leaves the Car Door Open Overnight But It Doesn’t Help. Now What?
A TikTok content creator’s latest post seems to have hit a decisive point with some viewers after she presented an unexpected problem.
It seems as though a mouse has taken up a small residence in her car.
Holly, (@.hollly.mollly) posted about her predicament on Dec. 15, getting 4,000 views within two days.
As Holly explained in her TikTok, she had tried a variety of things beforehand.
“[Imagine if you] already tried opening all the doors for like an hour, trying to let it run out,” she said.
However, the good old, “leave the door open trick” hasn’t worked for her so she came up with another idea.
“And then last night you heard a little bit of scurrying, so you left a french fry on the floor of your car to see if hypothetically there was still a mouse, and you woke up when the french fry was gone,” Holly shares.
This left Holly frazzled and confused on what are the next steps after seeing the french fry was gone.
“What do I do? Well, hypothetically, what would I do?” she concludes.
It’s left many people wondering, what’s a realistic, practical way to get a mouse out of your car?
Commenters Chimed In On This Mouse In The Car
In her comment’s section, she’s received a range of suggestions. Some were genuine and others were entirely impractical.
“Keep your car clean in the first place would help. Only reason he would have been in there in the first place is because of food,” one Tikok user commented.
“Put some peanut butter on a trap and done lol,” one suggested.
“Honestly just let him live there, it’s chilly,” one added.
“Hire my boy tom,” one joked.
How Often Do Mice Actually Make Their Homes In Cars?
It’s actually not an uncommon encounter to find a mouse burrowed inside a car. Cars are generally warm and spacious, making them easy homes for the creatures. During the winter months in rural areas, mice can look for easy shelter options, leading them to end up in vehicles.
Regular car dining increases the risk of mice, as they’re attracted to easy food sources, Pest Pointers reports. That’s why it’s generally not a good idea to leave wrappers or waste in your vehicle, especially during the winter.
It’s worth noticing that they’re not innocent tenants when living in your vehicle. Mice can cause a large amount of damage if left unattended. They chew on wires and other circuitry due to their excessive need to gnaw, making for expensive repairs in the long run.
Strategies To Remove An Unexpected (Furry) Passenger
The first step to removing your unexpected passenger is fully looking through the vehicle for any gnaw marks, droppings, or other signs of life. It is important to see where the mouse might be leaving waste or biting, as that can help identify where to place traps or deterrents.
Doing a deep clean of the interior will help remove any food residue, wrappers, or other waste that vermin inside the car may be eating. As one Reddit thread commenter stated, “Definitely don’t give it a cookie.” When there are no food sources in the car, there is a good chance the vermin will naturally leave.
If you notice the mouse continues to squat in your car, you can use mouse traps, natural repellents, and barrier blocking to get rid of it.
If you find any obvious entry points, make sure to seal them or visit a local shop that can ensure they are properly closed. This can prevent future entry and make it easier to eventually trap a stubborn mouse. You can use duct tape on these spots or expanding foam, but be careful not to seal anything important to the car’s general functionality.
Are There Any Ways To Get Rid Of A Mouse Without Harming It?
Many commenters were worried about hurting the vermin, as this can feel slightly unethical if you have pacifist leanings or a softer heart. But, they’re generally difficult to get rid of, especially if there’s an infestation.
There are a few ways you can make a mouse leave your car without setting lethal mousetraps. For one, you can use “no-kill” mouse traps. These traps humanely catch the rodents, making it easy to transport them to a forest or nearby area instead of your vehicle. Just put peanut butter or a treat inside the no-kill traps before setting them.
Using peppermint oil is also a great way to push the vermin out. A commenter on r/nostupidquestions recommended a very specific formula for using peppermint oil.
“10 drops in around a quart of water in a spray bottle for out-of-sight areas, [and then] several drops on cotton balls scattered around the car,” they commented. According to them, that will inevitably push the vermin out.
Ultimately, mice do pose a risk to your car, but it’s possible to remove them safely without harming them. If the infestation continues, however, it may be worth considering other options.
We’ve reached out to Holly to see if the mouse is still living in her car. We will let you know if she responds.
@.hollly.molllyHelp
