{"id":11150,"date":"2023-10-24T16:21:46","date_gmt":"2023-10-24T23:21:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog2.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/?p=11150"},"modified":"2024-01-29T15:27:08","modified_gmt":"2024-01-29T22:27:08","slug":"what-can-i-leave-in-my-rv-over-the-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/what-can-i-leave-in-my-rv-over-the-winter\/","title":{"rendered":"What Can I Leave in My RV over the Winter?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You open the door to your camper for the first time in three months, and it hits you… <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rank, indescribable<\/em> smell of rodents (and other pests) <\/strong>who made themselves at home in your cozy camper during the winter months. It was a paradise to them: insulated walls, a ready food supply, drawers to build their nests in, and plenty of things to gnaw through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now you get to go through the tedious, painfully smelly <\/em>process of clearing out the squatters and sterilizing every inch of your RV<\/strong>, just to get rid of that post-winter smell. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it doesn’t have to be that way. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a little knowledge and preparation during the winterization process<\/a>, you can keep your RV from becoming a winter resort for small rodents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“What can I leave in my RV over the winter?<\/em>” First, let’s talk about what NOT <\/strong>to leave. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Items You Should NOT Leave in Your RV over the Winter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To be clear, cleaning out your RV for winter isn’t only about preventing rodents. Cold temperatures can affect items differently, so let’s explore what NOT to leave in your RV over the winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Make<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don’t:<\/strong> Food and Hygiene Supplies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Food attracts rodents<\/em>. When you remove their food source, they’ll look elsewhere for shelter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now<\/em>, you may think that as long as the food is sealed in plastic bags or Tupperware containers, it should be safe. Unfortunately, you’d be wrong<\/em>.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mice and rats can chew through plastic containers<\/strong> like olive oil bottles, so cardboard boxes are easy pickings for them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While it’s safest to remove all food items<\/strong>, you can<\/strong><\/em> use your RV for emergency food storage. As a best practice, only leave heavy-duty food storage containers and canned food in your RV over the winter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While hygiene products don’t spoil, the scent attracts bugs and rodents, <\/em>so make sure you take out the soap, deodorant, and toothpaste, as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t: <\/strong>RV Batteries <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Frigid winter temperatures won’t only wreak havoc on your RV’s battery, but the charger, too<\/em>. When chargers get cold, they discharge faster, which decreases their effectiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information on how to safely disconnect an RV battery,  check out the video below: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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