How To Clean Mouse And Rat Droppings

How do you clean mouse and rat droppings?

• Know how rodent droppings look like
• Follow the safety precautions before cleaning
• Use the right disinfectant
• Pick up the droppings
• Disinfect the affected area
• Dispose of the droppings properly

Rats and mice are dangerous not just because they can cause structural damage but also because they can spread diseases just from their waste. Rodents such as rats and mice have droppings and urine that can carry viruses such as hantavirus, leptospirosis, salmonella, and more. For these reasons, it’s important to know how to clean mouse and rat droppings properly. Keep on reading!

Know How Rodent Droppings Look Like

Mouse droppings are approximately the size of a rice grain. Their droppings are usually about ⅛ to ¼ of an inch in length. These are usually found in food storage areas, bathroom cabinets, crawl spaces, air vents, and the like.

On the other hand, rat droppings are wider and larger than mouse droppings. These are usually about half of an inch in length, and sometimes even up to one inch. Rat droppings can be found almost anywhere, but are often seen in the basement, crawl spaces and the like. Rats like to spend time on a floor’s base level compared to mice.

Follow The Safety Precautions Before Cleaning

Handling rodent contaminated items and surfaces can expose you to several illnesses, so it’s important to know the safety precautions before cleaning. Below are the basic rules to follow when dealing with rodent droppings:

• Ventilate the area for 30 minutes before cleaning. This means opening the doors and windows. Stay out of the area while waiting.
• Wear rubber gloves. Wash the gloves before removing them again. After cleaning, dispose of the gloves and wash your hands thoroughly.
• Don’t touch the mouse droppings with bare hands. 
• Don’t sweep and vacuum the droppings.
• Disinfect the contaminated area afterward.

If dealing with a heavy rodent infestation, it’s a must to wear coveralls, boots, gloves, goggles, and respiratory devices to prevent exposure to pathogens.

Use The Right Disinfectant

A commercial disinfectant or bleach and water mixture are suitable for disinfecting the affected area. When making the bleach mixture, combine 1 part of bleach with 9 parts of water. Wet the droppings or urine with disinfectant and let soak for a few minutes. 

Pick Up The Droppings

After soaking the waste, the rodent droppings can be removed using paper towels, cleaning rags, or nonabsorbent gloves before being put into trash bags. Adhesive cardboard pads may also be used to remove droppings from carpets, hardwood floors, and clothing. 

It’s best not to sweep or vacuum the droppings because this can spread the disease particles in the area. By sweeping or vacuuming, you are creating virus-containing dust that can be inhaled.

Disinfect The Affected Area

Once the affected area is clean from rodent droppings, you can reapply the disinfectant on the area. Don’t forget the neighboring spots, which may also have been exposed to rodents. Remember to always wear rubber or latex gloves when handling contaminated items.  

Steam clean carpets and furniture upholstery. Make sure to use professional-grade steam cleaners and disinfectants. You can also machine wash bedsheets or clothes where the droppings have been. Spin dry the fabrics at a high temperature to kill any lingering viruses.

For items that can’t be disinfected with liquids, you can place them outdoors to expose them to the heat. This applies to documents, books, and other paper materials. 

Dispose Of The Droppings Properly

The rodent droppings must be placed in a trash bag. Place this trash bag into another plastic bag before sealing. Make sure to dispose of the plastic bags in the right garbage bins. After that, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

Key Takeaway

Rat and mice droppings are different from other dust and debris that you can easily sweep or vacuum just like normal. Their droppings can contain pathogens that can spread diseases in your home or office. That’s why there are special safety precautions that must be followed when dealing with rodent droppings. 

If you want to know how to clean mouse and rat droppings properly, you can contact us here at Topbest! One of the best ways to get rid of their waste is to get rid of the root of the problem — the mice and rats themselves. Here at Topbest, we have professional pest control teams that can handle the problem. If you’re interested in booking an inspection, click here.