CATEGORY:
Rodent Infestations
Summary:
Mouse infestations can pose serious health hazards as rodents are carriers of diseases. It's important to clean up mouse droppings and residue to prevent the spread of these diseases. Proper protection including gloves, a respirator, and protective goggles should be worn during cleanup. Bleach and water can be used to disinfect the area. Insurance may cover the cleanup of rodent droppings. Dead mice should be disposed of properly and protective measures taken. Signs of a mouse infestation include droppings, scratch marks, and nesting materials. Dos for rodent control include inspecting regularly, sealing off entry points, and taking out trash. Don'ts include ignoring standing water or leftover food and attempting to deal with an infestation without proper knowledge and protection. Professional help is available for those who prefer it.
Being in the middle of a rodent infestation is one of the worst things that can happen to a homeowner. It’s not only because it’s relatively hard to deal with an infestation, but also because rodents are known carriers of horrible diseases. In case you’re looking for ways to deal with a mouse infestation, be sure to always keep your own safety and wellbeing in mind.
Now, many people think they’ve solved the predicament of infestation as soon as the rodents are eradicated, but that’s far from being true. Droppings, poo, and residue, in general, can be a health hazard and can cause serious issues if not handled correctly. Join us while we break down some of the methods used for dealing with pesky infestations.
Before we dive into the methods of removal and dealing with an infestation, it’s probably a good idea to define what actually constitutes an infestation. The question of how many mice are considered an infestation is not an easy one to answer, and the answer is not just some random, arbitrary number. It can be quite hard for an average homeowner to determine whether they are dealing with a full-scale infestation or just one or two wandering mice.
With that being said, one male and one female mouse are all it takes for an infestation to happen. It is well-known that mice have between five and ten litters a year, and can carry between five and twelve babies in one litter.
Therefore, one female mouse has the potential to give birth to a hundred and twenty babies during a single year. If we take into account five female mice, which is a realistic possibility, you’re going to be dealing with more than six hundred little Petri dishes running around in the span of a single year.
The most important factor why people ought to clean up after a mouse infestation is the lurking health hazards. As we’ve mentioned, rodents are carriers of some of the most gruesome diseases, including:
Rodent-spawned infections are responsible for over ten million deaths in the last hundred years. In fact, these infections were a threat to all of humanity back in the late Middle Ages, causing over two hundred million deaths in Europe alone!
Therefore, it’s safe to conclude that rodents are, in fact, an extremely dangerous health hazard.
Rodent feces are one of the most hazardous elements, and as such, should be treated as soon as possible, and more importantly, should be treated by trained professionals. With that being said, you too can get rid of mouse droppings if you follow a few important steps and wear appropriate protection.
Any leftover residue should be treated as septic material. Therefore, you ought to wear rubber or latex gloves, a respirator, and protective goggles in order to protect yourself from potential contamination.
Now that you’re wearing protective equipment, it’s time to get rid of rodent feces. The first order of business is to saturate the dry residue with a common household disinfectant. This is an important part of the process because it prevents feces bacteria from becoming airborne.
If you don’t have a commercial disinfectant in your home, mix bleach and water in a 1:10 ratio respectively. Soak the areas with feces and wait for about 10-15 minutes. After that, start removing the feces with a paper towel or a piece of cloth. Make sure you’re still wearing gloves!
Once you pick up everything, soak the same area again with the bleach solution and wipe it with a new piece of cloth.
If you’re wondering how to get rid of mouse urine smell, bleach and thorough cleanup are the solutions. Materials and things that cannot be exposed to bleach should be thoroughly and heavily laundered. Don’t hesitate to wash a piece of material on high temperatures multiple times. With that being said, we would advise you to get rid of any clothes and textiles in general that was once contaminated with rodent feces; it’s usually not worth going through the effort of cleaning those.
In most cases, yes, the insurance does cover the cleanup of rodent droppings. However, it’s important for you to document the process during the cleanup in order to be eligible to file a claim. At Spaulding Decon, we will be more than happy to lend you a hand and provide you with the proper paperwork.
It’s important to keep in mind that an infestation itself may not be enough for an insurance claim, but given that mice cause a lot of damage to one’s home by eating drywall, wires, and insulation – it’s a fine line between eligibility and ineligibility. Not all insurance policies are created equal, and that’s why it’s important to contact and hire professionals to deal with the legal aspects of the process.
While you may think you’re done dealing with mice after cleaning up their feces, it’s far from being over. Many of these rodents will end up dying between your walls, in corners of your room, and even in your kitchen.
As you can probably assume, mouse droppings in your kitchen are an incredible health hazard and should be dealt with promptly and thoroughly. When getting rid of dead mice, proper protection and a strong disinfectant are the two most important elements.
Mix bleach and water as instructed previously (1:10), put on your rubber or latex gloves, and you’re ready for action! Once you stumble upon a dead rodent, spray it and its surroundings with the cleaning formula. Subsequently, pick the rodent up, put it in a trash bag, and safely dispose of its body outside.
On top of that, dispose of your gloves, and wash your hands thoroughly! As you can tell, this process is far from being rocket science, but it requires thoroughness and precision.
It’s not always easy to determine whether you have a potential problem with rodents. Sometimes, they stay low and live far from sight until there’s so many of them that they have to come out to get some food. At that moment, it’s often too late to think about whether it’s an infestation or not, because it usually is. Mice are timid animals, meaning they won’t wander around your home for no reason.
Here are some of the most common telltale signs that point to a mouse infestation:
If you happen to notice any of these signs, please address them immediately, before the situation escalates into a full-blown infestation. Needless to say, acting fast will save you money, effort, and most importantly – prevent exposure to potentially lethal diseases.
Now that we’ve covered the process of cleaning up, it’s time to see what you should and shouldn’t do when it comes to rodent control.
While it isn’t too hard to figure out how to clean mouse poop, it’s definitely hard to do it properly. Be sure to always wear protection and rather than feeling confident about your expertise, go ahead and conduct a bit of research before dealing with an infestation.
On the other hand, if you would like to leave it to the professionals, we will be more than happy to remove rodent urine odor and deal with a potential infestation in a professional manner. If you would like to know more about cleaning services, predicaments with rodents and other related subjects read our other articles!
Are you concerned that you have rodents inside your house? Do you worry that you’ve seen little rodent droppings laying around the property? If so, then you need to learn more about how to identify rodent droppings.Did you know that rodent poop can be hazardous for your family and pets? It isn’t uncommon for both rats and mice to have Hantavirus in their poop, which can cause the lethal disease Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).
The incessant sounds of mice scurrying through your walls are starting to drive you crazy. Couple that with their random appearances and inclination to eat anything they get their hands on and these pests are bound to drive anyone crazy.However, there’s another thing they leave behind that some people forget to remove: rodent droppings. Worse still, these droppings pose dangers to your health you wouldn’t think possible. But why exactly is it worth going through all the trouble to remove them?
Droppings from mice are not a difficult task to deal with – should the right equipment be available. Mouse droppings in fabric can be hazardous to one’s health and should be dealt with promptly. Sometimes it is best for to hire a professional to remove the droppings simply to make sure anyone coming in contact with these fabrics in the future remain safe from the bacteria of mouse droppings.
