Bugs, Bugs And More Bugs

Now that Spring has finally sprung, and Summer is on the way, it is time for the bugs of the RV campgrounds to rise up against their camping overlords.  I am sure that you have had your fair share of bugs either the crawling type or the buzzbomb type. I will try to give you some hints and tips on how to get rid of both types safely and cheaply.

 So let's go.

Ants

Ants we all seem to collect them either during storage or while camping. Here is a cheap and pet safe way to get rid of them both in the RV or your sticks and bricks.

You need to mix in equal parts of,

1 part baking soda

           and

1 part powdered sugar (not the granulated kind used in coffee)

You will need.
   

1 lid from any jar

Mix the baking soda and powdered sugar and put into jar lid and put out where you have seen the ants. It will not be long and the ants will be gone. So you may ask why this works. Inside of ants, there is an acid type fluid when mixed with the baking soda causes the ants to explode. If you or the dog should eat the mixture nothing much happens, it just doesn't taste good.

Cornmeal is another safe way to get rid of ants, but it can be a bit messy. Just sprinkle the meal around the nesting area or along the ant trail. In a day or so the ants will be gone.

Stink Bugs

These little devils are not native to the USA but, like many of our ancestors have immigrated to a better life here in the USA. So how do you get rid of them now that they have hitched a ride in your RV?

In a spray bottle, combine 32 ounces of hot water and three-quarters of a cup of Dawn dishwashing liquid and spray the exterior of your RV's, windows, and doors. On the inside spray around baseboards inside cabinets, closets, and any other dark area inside the RV. For an extra kick, you can use the anti-bacterial variety of dishwashing liquid, but understand that it contains additional chemicals. Of course, a good bug spray will also work but might not be safe for Fido.

Wasps

You are getting your RV ready to go for spring and you spie a wasps nest or several wasps returning to the same spot time after time. What can you do? Well spray the area or nest with WD40 and that will rid you of the nest or neutralize the area that the wasps were going to use to build their nest.

There are also a variety of commercially made glass wasp traps that claim that they are helpful in reducing wasp populations in the area. The trick is to make sure you keep replacing the bait, as wasps like fresh bait. And also, please consider using savory bait, such as tuna, as that will attract the yellow jackets and wasps, but not honeybees, which a sweet bait will. The glass traps are actually very pretty, but you can also make your own inexpensive version out of any type of plastic bottle (soda pop bottle, or water bottle). 

Follow these instructions to make your own.

Mud Dauber (Wasp)

While these wasps are non-aggressive to humans, they do cause problems to RVers by getting into places they should not be.  Like gas orifices of the heating system, hot water system, and refrigerator.  The best defense here is to plug the holes leading into these areas of the RV.  

See below for screening suggestions to keep them out of your RV.

Mosquito

The scourge of the RV camping experience the Mosquito. First, how do you keep them off you? Use Skin-So-Soft. You can purchase here Skin-So-Soft and it really does work for several hours. It is safe for kids and does not contain Deets. However during scientific tests, Deep Woods Off, proved to be the best you could buy in keeping Mosquitoes away from you. BUT it does contain DEETS. Please be careful when using Deets around children. Be sure to follow directions for use of the product.

So what about those flying around? We need to construct a mosquito trap.

Please follow this link to "Wiki How" to see how it is done. 

Make-a-Plastic-Bottle-Mosquito-Trap

Bait the trap. Mix 1/4 cup of Brown Sugar with 8oz of hot water. Mix thoroughly and allow to cool. After the mixture cools, pour into the bottom of the plastic bottle. Add 1/4 TSP of Yeast. 

DO NOT MIX!!! The mixture gives off carbon dioxide that attracts the Mosquitoes.

Once the Mosquitoes are tricked into going in they can't figure out how to get out, so they get trapped and die.

Dispose of the Mosquito trap regularly whenever the number of dead Mosquitoes does not appear to be increasing.

 You have saved the planet and your camping area from thousands (well maybe hundreds) of Mosquitoes.

We thank you!

So how do you stop or slow down bugs getting into your RV when the front door is kept closed most of the time?  You put screens over the openings caused by the water heater, furnace, and refrigerator.

Let's take each one and see what can be done.

Water heater.  You can buy a water heater vent screen, such as this one, Flying Insect Screen

Flying Insect Screen

and install it (easy DIY project) over the water heater RV vent.  I have a KZ Spree and could not find a water heater vent cover so I covered the inside of the water heater cover louvers with insect screen and used silicone to bond the screen to the metal water heater cover.  Works great.

Furnace vent. You can buy a furnace vent screen, such as this one, RV Furnace Screen

RV Furnace Screen

The kit comes with everything you need and will keep the Mud Daubers out.

Refrigerator Vents.  You can buy a refrigerator vent screen, such as this one, Refrigerator Vent Screens

 Refrigerator Vent Screens

I installed these on my Open Range 5er and use some zip ties to hold the screens in place so they would not move around.  This was a simple DIY project and will keep the bugs and Mud Daubers out.  Check around windows and doors for any cracks or small openings that may have developed and keep storage doors closed while camping and you should keep the bugs out and enjoy the indoors as much as the outdoors.

Until Next Time.

And finally, please remember that this blog is an Amazon affiliate. When you order something through any of the Amazon links, it doesn’t add anything to your cost, but I do earn a small commission on everything you buy. 

Just click on an Amazon link, then shop as usual.

12 Volt Emergency Power & Emergency Tire Pump

When you dash off for a weekend camping vacation, most of us just don't sweat the details.  I know, I don't and that is what gets us all into trouble.  Last camping season,  the wife, grandkids, and I headed out for just such a weekend.  It was early in the season and when we got to the campsite we were the only ones around.





So far so good.  We had a great time exploring the Spring outdoors and when we were ready to go the truck would not start.  Normally that would not be a problem because we would have lots of fellow campers around us to help out.  Not this time.  There also was the time we were on our way to Branson MO to meet relatives, when one of the trailer tires decided to blow and the spare was nearly flat.  Forgot to air up the spare tire at the beginning of camping season.  Hey, it happens.  Short term memory fading as I get older.
All of this drove home the point that Murphy is always with us and bad thing happen to good people as well.  So what is the solution?  One of these, 12Volt Emergency Power & Tire Pump

12Volt Emergency Power & Tire Pump



What this thing does is provide emergency power to start your truck not all of the units that look like this one will start a V8 or larger engine, as well as an air station to pump-up just about anything that needs air.  You can use a standard AC extension cord as the power cord to charge the unit up.  You can even leave it plugged in for a continuous charge and not damage the unit.  Oh, it does have a DC output jack that may be used for 12volt stuff.  Also, it has a built-in tire pump that will pump up most TT and 5th wheel tires.  Again many of these combo units can't pump up RVs tires before the cows come home.  As always be sure you check your rigs tire pressure when the tire is cold not when it has been run on the road for several hours.

Due to the fact that newer 5th wheels are using tires that require more pressure than the above unit can provide.  I am suggesting that you might want to take a look at the following RV Tire Pump.  While this unit will not start your car or truck in will pump up RV tires up to 150 lbs.

High-Pressure RV Tire Pump

But I hear you say that you needed something that had AC power like the 110volts that comes out of the power pedestal that your RV is plugged into.  Fear not, because you can use one of these, 110volt and USB Dual Power Inverter

110volt and USB Dual Power Inverter

The 300W DC-AC Power Inverter with USB charging ports is designed for most major brand notebook computers, digital portables devices like, video camcorder, digital camera, iPhone, Galaxy phones and computers, iPod, cell phone, PSP handheld Game, DVD player & etc.
You may want to pick-up the battery hook-up cable just in case.  It looks like this, 12volt Battery Clip-on Accessory Socket

12volt Battery Clip-on Accessory Socket

This device allows you to hook-up to any 12volt battery or any device that has 12volt battery clamps, such as the 12Volt Emergency Power & Tire Pump.
Some of us will like a bit more AC power than the little power converter above can provide if that is the case you might want to consider this, 1000watt Power Converter

1000watt Power Converter

This more powerful converter can power notebook computers, TVs, fans, refrigerators, game machines, DVDs, lights, musical instruments.  And can be powered by the 12Volt Emergency Power & Tire Pump above.  So if you need 110volt power at the picnic table or anywhere while camping, there are ways to get it that will help keep your family safe and make camping fun.

Don't forget that you can use Emergency Power at home when the lights go out to recharge your cell phones and provide power for lights.







Until Next Time


Please remember that this blog is an Amazon affiliate. When you order something through any of the Amazon links, it doesn’t add anything to your cost, but I do earn a small commission on everything you buy. Just click on an Amazon link, then shop as usual.

Martha!!! The String On The Blind Broke Again!!!

It happens to most of us,  we grab the shade bar at the bottom of the window blind and pull down to get ready for bed and the darn string running through the blind breaks and while it will go down all the way, there is no possible way that it will go up and stay where you want it in the morning. RATS now what?

RV Window Shade

Above is your typical RV window shade and if you look close you can see the string running through the blind material.  I suppose you could buy a RV Blind String Repair Kit, shown below

RV Pleated Shade First Aid Kit

While the hours spent restringing the blind with your spouse may be enjoyable, you might want to consider the frustration of not getting it right even after the 5th attempt. 
My suggestion is to replace that blind with something that is a whole lot prettier and will class up the inside of your rig as simple as ABC.

There are two basic RV Blinds.  First the roller blind.  As the name implies it is on a roller and you pull it down to the level you want and the blind will stay there.  The roller blind comes with two blinds on the roller. One is the daytime shade and the other is the night time or black out shade.  The roller can be installed on the outside of the window frame or on the inside of the window frame and is offered in colors for the daytime and night time shade.

Roller Bind Shade

Measuring Instructions:
Determine if the shade will mount outside the window frame onto the wall (Outside mount) or if the shade will be mounted inside the window frame (Inside mount) 

NOTE: Most RV applications are Outside mount.

Outside mount: Measure the width (across) of the area to be covered.Example - Edge of the window to the edge of window plus 2" added for additional coverage.

Example: Top of the  frame to  the bottom of  the frame with an additional 2" added for mounting above and below  the window.(outside mount)

Inside Mount: Measure the exact opening size and subtract a half inch. Measure the length (Drop) of the area to be covered.

If draperies or valances are already installed be sure your measurement for width allows the shade to fit under the current window treatment.
You can see that you end up with two shades one for daytime and one for night time.  You may find that this is not really what you are looking for and would rather have a true Vinyl 1 Inch Mini Blind.

Vinyl ! inch mini Blind

Measuring Instructions:
Determine if the blind will mount outside the window frame onto the wall (outside mount) or if the blind will be mounted inside the window frame (inside mount)  

NOTE: Most RV applications are outside mount.

Outside mount: Measure the width (across) of the area to be covered.  
Example - Edge of  the window to the edge of window plus 2" added for additional coverage.

Example: Top of the frame to the bottom of  the frame with an additional 2" added for mounting above and below  the window.(outside mount)

Inside Mount: Measure the exact opening size and subtract a half inch. 
Measure the length (drop) of  the area to be covered.

If draperies or valances are already installed be sure your measurement for width allows the blind to fit under the current window treatment.

You can get wooden blinds or different color Vinyl blinds to match or enhance the inside appearance of your rig.  Metal blinds are not recommended because of moisture in the rig.  The edge of the blind tends to rust and the blinds are a bit sharp around kids and fur-babies.
Caution: if you remove blinds from your windows keep all screws that were used to be sure that you do not use a screw that is too long for your RV side walls.

Until next time.

The Open Range RV Owners is a Facebook Group on RVing with Hints & Tips. A group for the Full-timer as well as the Newbie. In case U can't find us "Facebook.com/groups/Open Range RV Owners" we are here hoping you will join us!

And finally, please remember that this blog is an Amazon affiliate. When you order something through any of the Amazon links, it doesn’t add anything to your cost, but I do earn a small commission on everything you buy. Just click on an Amazon link, then shop as usual.