My summer has been going fairly well with one exception. About a month ago I got into my car and it smelled horrible like something died in the dashboard well something did die but it wasn't in the dashboard.

WUPE logo
Get our free mobile app

It turns out that after I took my vehicle to the shop it was discovered there were some dead mouse carcasses underneath the carpet. In addition, these critters destroyed the vehicle's headliner and air box. As you can imagine these are costly repairs but luckily I put in a claim so my insurance company is helping to shoulder some of the repair costs.

Massachusetts Folks Can Experiment with Different Mice Prevention Methods; I'm Trying Dryer Sheets

Since the destruction occurred I have been experimenting with different methods to keep mice away in my other vehicle. One method I'm testing is tucking dryer sheets in various areas of the car to see if I can prevent critter activity.

Do Dryer Sheets Actually Keep Mice Away from Your Vehicle?

This dryer sheet method has been so far so good for me. However, there are many sites and people that dispute this method. Some say it doesn't work while others say it's not a good long-term solution for keeping mice away. House Digest is one of the sites that says it's an okay short-term solution but it's a solution that isn't built to last. Here's what the article stated about trying to keep mice away with dryer sheets (in this case they're referring to homes).

Dryer sheets have been known to keep mice away from people's homes. Pest Kill says that those rodents don't like dryer sheets because they have a strong smell. Mice have a horrible vision but a great sense of smell, so rubbing a dryer sheet along their path or placing these sheets in the corners of your pantry or cabinets may repel them. However, while these sheets may be a good first option for getting rid of rodents, they're not a great long-term solution. This is because mice could get used to the smell and adapt. Dryer sheets also won't be very effective if you have a larger infestation.

As you can see it may not be the best long-term solution but my thinking is since I have dryer sheets in my home anyway I'll give them a try in my car. Something is better than nothing. As we all know mice run rampant and no matter where you live in Massachusetts like a big city like Boston or Worcester or a smaller area like Pittsfield chances are you're going to be dealing with rodents from time to time whether it's in your home, car or garage. So, the next time you are riding in a friend's car and you see dryer sheets in the interior let them be as that friend is probably using them to deal with a mouse situation.

LOOK: Here are the states where you are most likely to hit an animal

Hitting an animal while driving is a frightening experience, and this list ranks all 50 states in order of the likelihood of such incidents happening, in addition to providing tips on how to avoid them.

Gallery Credit: Dom DiFurio & Jacob Osborn

RANKED: Here Are the 63 Smartest Dog Breeds

Does your loyal pup's breed make the list? Read on to see if you'll be bragging to the neighbors about your dog's intellectual prowess the next time you take your fur baby out for a walk. Don't worry: Even if your dog's breed doesn't land on the list, that doesn't mean he's not a good boy--some traits simply can't be measured.

Gallery Credit: Sabienna Bowman

Check out these 50 fascinating facts about dogs:

Gallery Credit: Linda Lombardi

More From WUPE