Stay safe when cleaning up rodent droppings

 

First, get the gagging out of the way. Then proceed carefully and methodically – it’s more complicated than just sweeping the rodent droppings away.

 

  • Rodent droppings can contain harmful bacteria viruses – like hantavirus. Hantavirus is BAD, and fatal in about 40% of cases, infecting your lungs.

 

  • It’s transmitted by inhaling the virus. The virus is airborne – and when you sweep or vacuum mouse dropping, you release the virus into the air. In a nutshell, don’t ever sweep or vacuum mouse poop!

 

mouse trap and poop around it

No sweeping! No breathing!

  • A few notes about what to wear when cleaning up mouse droppings – gloves gloves gloves, clothes you can either toss out in a plastic bag or immediately launder with hot water. Respirators are highly recommended as well.

 

Guide to cleaning up mice and rodent poop

 

  • Eliminate the rodents from the area. Seal up rooms and trap the critters. If you find evidence of mice, you can assume their food source is within a 20 ft radius or so. This narrows things down a lot for how to secure and cut off food sources. You can learn more about mice and rats and how to manage their lives in this awesome post here.

 

  • Treat dead mice and rats the same way you would their droppings – with caution, cleaning, and bagging.

 

little mouse behind a bridle in a tack room

So cute, and so horrible.

 

  • Ventilate the area before you start your clean-up process. Do this for at least a half-hour, and leave the area when you are ventilating the rooms.

 

  • MIx a bleach and water solution (one part bleach, ten parts water) and spray the snot out of urine and droppings with your bleach concoction. Let this marinate for at least five minutes.

 

  • Use paper towels to swoop up the droppings and bleach mixture. Bag the paper towels up, secure the bag, and toss.

 

rat and mouse trap that snaps shut

Arm yourself. And follow the same cautions as you would cleaning droppings.

 

  • Then clean and disinfect the whole area – walls, floors, counters, etc. The bleach solution is good, or you could use a commercial cleaner. Your favorite pest control company could advise you on some solutions that would be good for you.

 

  • Dispose of gloves and hit the laundry. I’m also thinking a shower is in order.
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