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Surprised nobody has mentioned peppermint oil. It's what's used in all the commercial repellants. Mice, rats, chipmunks can't stand it. I buy the oil at a health food store. Put about 1ml into a spray bottle and fill the rest with water. Mist spray whatever and the mice completely avoid it. I use it on my truck fuse box and air cleaner box, stored skidoos and zero turn mower, inside the frame on my trailers, etc. Reapply every 6 months. re: mothballs - be careful using these in any confined space where you'll be breathing the air, as napthalene is actually very nasty stuff if you read the MSDS on it. I can't stand the residual stench of it and it will melt and destroy certain rubbers and plastics. My friend put mothballs under the cowling on his new 50hp Yamaha outboard. When he removed the cover in the spring, the mothballs had totally ruined the top plastic flywheel cover, rubber on his throttle cable, starter pawn catch, etc.
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Here's the MSD stuff for mothballs
Potential Health Effects
Eye: Naphthalene is an eye irritant. The vapor causes eye irritation at 15 ppm. Eye contact with the solid material may result in conjunctivitis, superficial injury to the cornea, diminished visual acuity, and other effects. It may cause cataracts.
Skin: Causes mild skin irritation. May be absorbed through the skin in harmful amounts. Incidence of skin hypersensitivity is not widespread in the general population &, based on the long history of use of naphthalene as a consumer product, this effect is mostly confined to industrial exposure where coal tar contamination may be present.
Ingestion: Harmful if swallowed. May cause liver and kidney damage. May cause methemoglobinemia, cyanosis (bluish discoloration of skin due to deficient oxygenation of the blood), convulsions, and death. May cause severe digestive tract irritation with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Ingestion of large quantities may cause severe hemolytic anemia and hemoglobinuria.
Inhalation: Harmful if inhaled. Causes respiratory tract irritation. Readily absorbed when inhaled. Material volatilizes at room temperature. Hemolytic anemia (destruction of red blood cells) is the primary health concern for humans exposed to naphthalene for either short or long periods of time. Other effects may include nausea, profuse perspiration, vomiting, kidney damage and liver damage. Optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve) has been observed. Cataracts have also occurred.
Chronic: Prolonged or repeated skin contact may cause dermatitis. May cause liver and kidney damage. May cause anemia and other blood cell abnormalities. Animal studies have reported that fetal effects/abnormalities may occur when maternal toxicity is seen. Effects may be delayed. Chronic exposure may cause lung damage. Laboratory experiments have resulted in mutagenic effects. Chronic exposure may cause corneal injury, optical neuritis, blurred vision, and possible cataract formation. Chronic inhalation, skin absorption or ingestion of naphthalene have caused severe hemolytic anemia.
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Don't forget the other benefits of Naphthalene. The only difference between 87 octane gasoline and 91 is the addition of naphthalene. At the end of the season to keep the pests out, is you can add some to your gasoline to slightly increase the octane.
Agreed though. Remove the moth balls from the boat and vent before sleeping on your boat for extended periods of time.
Add some to your gas tank to help dispose of.
