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Easy Actions to Get Rid of Rats and Mice in Your Spa

get rid of mice and rats-

Get Rid Of Rats And Mice

In this post, we are going to give you a few easy actions you can take to get rid of rats and mice in your spa. Rodents and other pests love the warm, cozy, sheltered, space inside the equipment compartment of your spa; It is the perfect environment for a nest! Even though these critters are small, they can cause some BIG damage to your spa components, resulting in costly repairs.

First Steps

The first thing you’re going to want to do in the Critter-Proofing process is to look for any gaps or holes on the exterior of your spa. Mice are very tiny and can fit through gaps that are only 1/4″ wide. There are certain areas of your spa that are notorious for letting critters in:

  • The equipment compartment
  • The floorboards, or base of the tub
  • The plumbing openings
  • Unrepaired siding

On rare occasions, depending on where you live, people have even found lizards and snakes (YIKES) in their plumbing!

What To Do

If you do find cracks, holes, or openings, that are close to or greater than 1/4″, you can use wire wool to close up the opening. Mice love to chew, so make sure your patch job is strong! Knowing this, Watkins created aluminum perforated strips (click here to buy now) specifically made to mount at the bottom of the equipment access door. The area below the access door is the main entrance for most pests.

Replace Damaged Walls & Siding

Leaving damaged siding unrepaired can result in a multitude of troubles that will end up costing way more than a couple of wooden slats.
When replacing any damaged siding, if you notice lots of space around any plumbing or tubing openings, you can block these spaces by pushing mesh copper stuffing between the opening and the tubing. Using metal materials for stuffing open spaces will ensure the mice and rats cannot chew through the barricades you’ve set in place.

We will create a post in the future on how to repair your spas siding. In the meantime, if you need any help with repairs, please call our technicians at (805) 541-9000

Preventative Measures

There are a few preventative measures you can take to keep rats and mice away. Believe it or not, mice and rats hate the smell of peppermint; therefore, placing a few cotton balls soaked in peppermint essential oils in your equipment compartment will help keep the critters at bay!
If you are okay with using them, mouse traps are an effective way to catch critters in the act. Lastly, try not to leave pet food (or person food for that matter) near your spa. Rodents are always attracted to food and trash.

Following these simple tips will ensure that you are doing the best to get rid of rats and mice in your spa.

NOTE: If these tips do not solve your pest problems you should call an exterminator or pest control professional.


Questions about your spa? Contact us! We are the top Hotspring spa parts retailer on the web.

Call us at (805)541-9000

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In addition to “Easy Actions to Get Rid of Rats and Mice in Your Hot Tub,” we offer:

  • Our Parts Finder which allows you to find exact-match replacements for your hot tub
  • Free technical support that will allow you to maintain and repair your own spa accordingly
  • Information regarding your products and their usage through our blog posts.
  • Tutorials and assistance through our videos
  • Follow us on our Facebook page

Our goal here at Backyard Plus is to help save you money by avoiding costly service calls for repairs that you can easily do yourself!