To keep mice out of your jet ski, block all access points. Use a cover and keep it inside if possible. Then, work to secure your jet ski by filling crevices and sealing off gaps that mice love to nest in during the long winter. Use a spray, mothballs or other repellent to keep wildlife away from openings.

Mice love all of the pipes and holes in a personal watercraft. If you store outside in wooded areas, you have potential for snakes, squirrels, chipmunks and other small wildlife entering your ski, as well. Some of these can destroy parts of your ski, others can be dangerous when you come across them next season.

There are several methods that can be used to keep mice out, but prevention is key. Mice should be denied access to your home, and ultimately, your jet ski, by closing off all entryways inside. Using a high quality tight fitting cover is a start.

You can buy this rodent repellent kit on Amazon, which should take care of an entire ski. More on this kit below. We use this steel wool package from Amazon every year, and it can be re-used multiple years.

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The Mouse in the House – How Mice Gain Entry

House mice are the most common type of mice and may enter your home throughout the year.

They look for items like paper and cardboard to build their nests and can cause a lot of structural damage.

Deer mice are generally found in outdoor buildings but can also burrow their way into your homes and cause electrical damage by chewing through wires.

White-footed mice are found in colder areas of the country and are more likely to enter homes during colder months, leaving their forest habitats.

Mice usually find their way into your home through small holes in roofs, skirting boards, basements, and attics.

Any opening outside of your home can be used as an entry point for a rodent.

Unfortunately, mice do not only take residence in your home, but can also cause immense damage through chewing electrical wires, increasing the chances of a house fire, and carry a range of disease-causing bacteria.

Keeping it Squeaky Clean – Prevention

The best prevention against mice is to remove all avenues for them to gain access to your home or jet ski.

There are several ways that can be done, saving you the potential headache of a rodent family moving into your attic without paying rent.

Creating Barriers

Mice can fit into the smallest of spaces, so it’s vital to look at your home with their eyes and identify problem spots.

If there is an attached garage to your home, check if there are potential entry points in there as well. Mice do not like being exposed, so cutting back foliage and trees close to your house will also lessen the chances of rodent entry. 

When it comes to your PWCs or cars that are stored away for winter, dry steel wool in exhaust pipes is recommended, as mice refuse to chew through anything like that. 

This steel wool pack from Amazon has enough material to protect 2 skis. We’ve been using it since 2022, when we moved to a wooded area without enough indoor storage.

Say Cheese – Intervention

Sometimes, even the best security can be overcome and it may be possible that a mouse has entered your home. There are several methods that can be used to deal with an infestation.

Traditional traps

Most organizations will recommend traps when it comes to mice. There are several types of traps that can be used from the traditional to the more humane. 

These kinds of mouse traps still exist but have become less favored due to their cruel method of killing a mouse.

There are also poisons that can be used but not only are they inhumane, these can be harmful to both animals and young children in the home if accidentally ingested (source). 

Humane traps focus on catching mice and other rodents to release them back into the wild later. You can place these traps near your jet ski, but you must check them often. Otherwise, the mouse will eventually starve, defeating the purpose of using a humane trap.

There are several possible options, including plastic and metal ones that trap mice without harming them. Remember when relocating a mouse, don’t release it right in your or a neighbor’s backyard.

Scented diversions – natural repellants

Mice have a highly developed sense of smell, which makes them more sensitive to odors around the home. There are several items that can be used to discourage mice from entering houses and mechanical items.

These oils and scents should be placed around your home in areas where mice are most likely to enter. You can spray these on a shop towel and place it around or on your jet ski.

A good natural repellent is pure peppermint oil. This strongly scented oil can be mixed with water or witch hazel and sprayed into zones where mice are known to frequent. 

The oils should be pure and concentrated to offend any passing mice’s olfactory nerves. Another plus for this method is that your house will smell great. 

A strongly scented soap can also be used to keep mice away. Some people even swear that it can keep deers and moose away.

A common method of creating a soap repellent is by boiling water, slicing the soap into it and while it is still hot, pouring the hot water around the perimeter of your home.

Obviously, this method is not recommended indoors (source).

Mothballs are also a common home remedy, especially in outdoor areas and if placed under and around your PWC, are very likely to discourage any rodent intruders.

Dryer sheets stuffed into key areas of the jet ski like the engine can also be a strong natural deterrent (source).

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, these methods and ideas will keep your PWC safe through the cooler months and ready for the sun and ocean breeze as soon as summer hits. Be sure to keep it on a battery tender as well, so it’s ready to go.