Hey, I'd like to find some decent desiccant packets (I think I have that right, the packets that absorb moisture) for use while the GTA's in storage. I'd like to put one under the spare, toss one in the other side, in the little trunk area, etc... Any idea where I get these things? Would an open bag of kitty litter or a roll of tissue paper work just as well? I'd prefer desiccant packets since I could pretty much leave them in all year round without spilled kitty litter or soggy paper. Thanks.

 

I'm not sure where to get them... you could always raid a shoestore?

 

That would be my suggestion. We used to throw those things out by the hundreds at The Bay. Are those the packets you mean? I never knew what they were called...just that you're not supposed to eat them.

Also, there's a diferent kind of kitty litter you could use. It looks like little white beads, it's dustless, and extremely absorbant. I'd buy some of that at Pet Value or Super Pet, or Paul Mac's or where ever and buy some cheap knee-high nylons at the dollar store. You could make some lttle sachets of absorbant material that way. That would keep the moisture down without making any mess. You'd need a lot of those little shoe packets to keep your whole car dry inside. You might wanna put some mothballs under the hood too to keep rodents at bay. They made a mess of my underhood soundproofing one year.

 

May sound funny, but what also works is laying an open bag of BBQ charcoal bricketts in the car. They absorb moisture pretty good and still make for a picnic in the spring

 

Yeah, same sorta idea. Where are you storing it, SBlackfoot, that it's going to be so damp? Cuz one other thing I'd suggest if it's a dampness from the ground up would be to park it on a tarp to keep the moisture down. I have one of those blue Crappy Tire jobbies for that exact purpose. It also catches any oil drippings from having the car oil sprayed. The oil spray is a good protector againts moisture as well.

 

Also, throw a bunch of moth ***** under the car.
Like they say, a moth ball a day, keeps the rodents away.

 

There's an echo in here.

 

I've never seen dessicant in bags any larger than the ones you find packed with cameras and guitars and so on but you'd expect it's also used for shipping large eqipment as well so you might find something big enough to use in the car.

As for charcoal that might work. When one of our dogs was having difficulties with too much gas in the alimentary canal my mother would throw a bit of charcoal in the food - tune him down a few octaves no problem.

 

For starters, it's called silica gel. Try any crafts store like Michael's or something, it's used also for drying flowers. I picked up a whole container of the silica stuff for something like $10 and it's lasted me three years so far.

 

Sorry Tracey. Must be a sign of age. BTW, did I tell about that mothball trick

 

I might actually remember to buy some this year thanks to you.

 

Well I just found out that my father may have some leads on some desiccant packets (Sorry, "silica gel" ) at the machine shop where he works. Hopefully they're bigger than the average shoe box size.

It's being stored in an attached garage so moisture isn't a huge deal, but some well placed protection couldn't hurt. (How's that for a phrase eh?)

The other thing I was thinking was a roll of tissue paper here and there. Would that help at all?

As for rodents, shouldn't they be afraid of 'birds? I know, a bad and obvious joke but what the hell.

 

I also heard of using baking soda (Cow Brand - the stuff you put in your fridge). Just put it in a foil pie pan on the floor. But the cheapest was mentioned already - BBQ charcoal (good for removing mildew odors from a long winter lock-up at the cottage too).

 

Charcoal... Please forgive the amaturish question, but wouldn't my interior smell like a barbeque in the spring? lol

 

Only if you lit it Not recommended. It's not unlike an activated charcoal filter. Or Brita filter that uses charcoal.

Actually Martha Stewart (wife friggin lives on HGTV LMAO) highly recommends it.