How to Stop Mice from Building a Nest Inside a BBQ Grill?

  • By: Brendan

At the end of each grilling season, I clean my grills thoroughly, cover and store them in a dedicated area of my shed.

But unlike many grill owners, I check on my grill periodically in the winter to ensure that it is clean and free from pests such as rats.

How to Stop Mice from Building a Nest Inside a BBQ Grill

There are several ways of preventing rat nests in your BBQ grill including cleaning the grill thoroughly, eliminating possible nesting areas and food sources, and covering it with a zippered cover when not in use for longer periods of time.


Why Do Mice Build Nest Inside a BBQ Grill?

When the weather drops, mice look for two things—food to make it through the winter months, and warmth and shelter when the weather drops suddenly, both of which are easily available in your stored BBQ grill.

Finding a mouse in your grill is a very common experience, and most of these problems occur frequently in the fall as soon as the temperatures drop.

Mice are easily attracted to places that have the slightest smell of food (think yummy grease and burned food bits). They not only nest in your BBQ grill but while there produce feces and urine, which needless to say is an overwhelming and unpleasant odor for any grill owner.


How Ged Rid of Mice Nest from BBQ Grill?

Before getting into the different ways to get rid of mice nests in a BBQ grill, you need to identify the type of rodent infestation you’re dealing with because it dictates the type of action you need to take to prevent mice from getting into your grill for good.

If you’re grilling for the first time after a long winter, and you find mouse dropping, and no nest or mice, you need to take the necessary steps to thoroughly clean your grill.

But if you pop open your grill after a long period of time, and you find a mama mouse with its babies clinging to her, you’ll have to either dispose of the grill and buy a new one or take some extreme measures to keep the rodents away for good.

  1. Make sure you wear gloves and a face mask when dealing with any type of pest infestation.
  2. If there are live rodents in the grill, you will have to remove them manually, which can be a challenging task. For reduced risk of a bite, you can leave the grill open overnight, but make sure that the grill is far away from your house when doing so, or else the rodents will find comfort in your home.
  3. Next, you’ll have to remove all the nesting material including charcoal, leaves, twigs, and again remember to wear gloves to prevent getting exposed to rodent droppings.
  4. After removing all the nesting material, thoroughly clean your grill to get rid of any urine, droppings, pheromones, and bits of food that could attract mice back to the grill.

How to Sanitize a Grill After Removing Mouse Nest?

Sanitizing a Grill after Mice Nest

Cleaning your grill after a rodent infestation requires a slightly different approach than cleaning a BBQ after a grilling session.

  1. Start by removing all the movable parts such as the grill grates, warming rack, etc. from the inside of the grill.
  2. Next, pull out the grease tray, and set it aside with the other parts.
  3. You will need a powerful disinfectant when sanitizing your gas grill such as PureGreen24.
  4. Grab a large tub or bucket, pour some disinfectant along with water, and let the grill’s part soak in the solution for rough two to three hours.
  5. Remove the parts from the disinfectant solution and scrub each part thoroughly with a cleaning brush.
  6. Resoak the parts in a bucket of soapy water, and let them sit for about half-hour to an hour. Wash the parts individually and let them air dry. Repeat this step if you find any more soap residue.

How to Stop Mice from Building Nest Inside a BBQ Grill?

Just like the saying goes “prevention is better than cure”, it’s best to take the necessary steps to prevent mice from calling your grill home in the winter or else you risk permanent damage to your grill.

1. Disassemble your grill 

Assembling a grill isn’t easy, and the same is true with dissembling the grill but is perhaps the best way to stop mice from making a nest.

You can follow the manufacturer’s instructions on assembling the grill to take it apart and store it in the winter.

2. Cover your grill 

Grill covers are a great way to keep mice and other pests at bay when your grill isn’t in use. Make sure you buy a grill cover that can be secured tightly over your grill, and one that is weather, water, and UV resistant.

3. Install an ultrasonic pest repellant

Using an ultrasonic mice repellant is perhaps one of the most cost-efficient ways to keep mice away from your grill.

The Merratric pest repellant is a compact yet powerful mice repellant. It is equipped with a smart chip, which amplifies the ultrasonic waves to constantly disturb and irritate the nervous system of mice and other pests.

4. Mousetraps

Mousetraps aren’t really a repellant per se but can be placed around and below your grill to prevent mice from reaching your grill box. There are different types of mouse traps available including electric mouse traps, and humane catch and release mouse traps.


Tips for Keeping Grill Safe from Mice

Any rodent is a reason for concern whether it’s in your grill or home, but here are a few handy tips on keeping your grill safe from mice.

1. Block all entry points

When packing up your grill to store in the winter, be sure to seal the light, preferably with a twist tie so that it doesn’t come undone. Further, place the grill indoors in your garage or shed, and cover it with a suitable grill cover.

Garages and sheds can also be cozy homes for mice, so ensure that the bottom of your doors is sealed to prevent rodents from getting in.

2. Move bird feeders far away from your grill

The seeds and grains that go into bird feeders aren’t just a treat for birds, but for rodents too. Birds are messy eaters, and drop food grains on the ground, which will quickly attract rodents.

3. Seal pet food

Store your dog and cat food in airtight containers or the rats will munch on it before your pets do. Additionally, store these containers elevated well above the floor to keep rodents out of reach.

4. Keep your garage or shed clean

We often keep our homes spotlessly clean but often ignore spaces such as garages and sheds. It’s important to clean your garage or shed often and keep it clutter-free.

You can place other types of repellants in your garage or shed such as cloves, mothballs, and camphor.

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