Already lost one stereo amp this year to the little buggers 
Critter invasion.....
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Spokane USA
Critter invasion.....
I've been storing one of my restored trucks in a secure and, in the past anyway, well sealed shop that belongs to my neighbor. This winter went very long though and at least one of those little 4 legged nasties we all hate to find made his/her way inside the building, and after some nibbling on a hoist lever boot, got inside the truck. The typical result was of course found as I got the truck out recently for some use. I've washed out the inside, removed the seats for redo, as well as the floor mat. It is down to the metal only surfaces, but still it has that nasty odor of rodent invasion.
What I'd like to find out is what is best to clean the inside of the cab with that will remove that odor, and of course sanitize the area. Any help would be most appreciated!!
Also what is good to use to keep the critters from getting at the shifter and other lever boots. I've been told wadded up tinfoil helps, but have never tried that.
Thanks.....
RG in Spokane
What I'd like to find out is what is best to clean the inside of the cab with that will remove that odor, and of course sanitize the area. Any help would be most appreciated!!
Also what is good to use to keep the critters from getting at the shifter and other lever boots. I've been told wadded up tinfoil helps, but have never tried that.
Thanks.....
RG in Spokane
Logistics Pro
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,489
Likes: 5
From: Valley Center, CA
There are numerous expensive projucts on the market to remove odors. However, being cheap by nature, I would use a paste made from water and baking soda. It's low cost and will not hurt your truck. Good luck, and let us know how you solved the problem. There are probably many others in a similar situation.
Jag
Jag
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,303
Likes: 1,062
From: NM
Several good threads on the HAMB about this, and links or references to other sources:
mouse **** smell on my new seat - THE H.A.M.B.
mouse **** smell on my new seat - THE H.A.M.B.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,489
Likes: 5
From: Valley Center, CA
This idea won't help with the rats, but there is a service here in Sacramento that pumps a mixture of oxygen and acetelene into the gopher holes and then ignites it! The ground jumps all around the guy for ten to twenty feet. 
By by gopher. Jag
By by gopher. Jag
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Littleton, New Hampshire
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Posting Guru
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From: Moyie, BC Canada
I really like the gopher elimination idea....lol. Seriously though, Scrubbing with Pine sol works pretty good too.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Oxford, Indiana
What year truck is it? I don't know about the later model trucks, but the '48-'52 trucks have a pocket above the windshield that the headliner is supposed to tuck into. Mice LOVE to climb up the pillars and build nests in this area. If you've pulled everything else out of the cab and it still stinks, you might want to prod around that area with a coathanger and see what you find. I've seen a lot of these trucks with that area completely rotted out from mouse urine.
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pine sol is good for first wash, then water with ammonia,--non sudsy--- works rather well. try throwing moth ***** around and under trucks. burns their little noses. now --- all you have to do is catch the moths! lol
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Spokane USA
Wow ... thanks everyone for all the help, and of course a few interesting and shall I say, "unusual" remedies? Good stuff all though. Think I need to get to the pet store for some of their stuff, and will be getting results in the next few days. The truck is my 57 F600 MH4x4 ex-firetruck, now stake bed shop truck. So far no evidence of the critters meandering up into the overhead areas thankfully. There is no headliner in the cab, so that helps.
I did do one thing that has long been a fix for bad odors in a refrigerator ... putting fresh cut grass in a bucket in the cab with it closed up and out in the sun. That has helped a little, but more work is needed. I'll reply later next week after doing a few things to clear things out. I did put in some tin foil below the shifter boots for the hoist controls, 4x4 lever, e-brake, and shifter. Lots of stuff coming through the floor in this truck, but for now I think it is sealed up. IF the mouse population chews through all that tin foil, I doubt they will be very hungry long!!
RG in Spokane
I did do one thing that has long been a fix for bad odors in a refrigerator ... putting fresh cut grass in a bucket in the cab with it closed up and out in the sun. That has helped a little, but more work is needed. I'll reply later next week after doing a few things to clear things out. I did put in some tin foil below the shifter boots for the hoist controls, 4x4 lever, e-brake, and shifter. Lots of stuff coming through the floor in this truck, but for now I think it is sealed up. IF the mouse population chews through all that tin foil, I doubt they will be very hungry long!!
RG in Spokane
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