4 tips to stop rats in their tracks
You may have heard horror stories about Tesla owners opening their glove compartments and find rats hidden inside. If you’ve recently paid a flat fee for an electric vehicle, it’s prudent to take proactive steps to protect your new ride.
You don’t have to live in fear, but it’s wise to take precautions. Here are four ways EV owners can prevent rodent damage.
1. Clean and organize your garage
One of the best ways to protect your electric vehicle from rodent damage is to keep it in a locked garage when you’re not driving it. Many people think of rats and mice, which are legitimate pests. However, squirrels and chipmunks also seek cozy winter homes this time of year, and the collection of threads under your hood seems ripe for chewing.
Your garage space may also seem as a friendly home for rodents, especially if there are food scraps in your garbage. This leftover moo goo gai pan smells like an assortment for a hungry rat. Clean and organize your space, using covered trash cans for waste and keeping cardboard and papers off the floor so pests have fewer places to nest.
2. Keep moving
Rodents are opportunistic creatures, but are not necessarily nomadic. Like many creatures, they prefer to find a stable base. Your car will not qualify if you drive it frequently.
Therefore, do not reserve your electric vehicle only for special occasions. Take her for a walk at least once a week, more often is better.
3. Clean and deodorize
Is your backseat a graveyard of fallen fries and runaway Cheetos? Rats have an incredible sense of smell and can detect this delicate aroma three times faster than humans. It’s worth taking out the vacuum cleaner once a week and thoroughly cleaning your interior.
After cleaning your vehicle of crumbs, why not go further to prevent rodents from damaging your electric vehicle? The same essential oils that delight your nostrils cause rats to wrinkle their noses in disgust. Why not try fending them off with a few peppermint soaked cotton balls, lemon or eucalyptus? You’ll improve your car’s smell while keeping pests at bay.
4. Improve your confidence
This is not so much advice for prevention as advice to the wise should the worst happen. Make sure you have full EV coverage to cover any rodent damage. Depending on your model, you may want to talk to your insurer about increasing your policy to a luxury plan.
It’s always important to talk to your insurance company when buying a new car. However, if you missed this discussion, it’s not too late.
Prevent rodents from destroying your ride
Your ride is your baby. You don’t want to think about rodents damaging your vehicle, but it can happen.
However, EV owners can avoid rodent damage by following the tips above. It’s worth it to preserve the beauty and value of your automobile.