How to clean up a dead mouse
Cleaning up rodent urine and droppings
Step 1: Put on rubber or plastic gloves.
Step 2: Spray urine and feces with bleach solution or an EPA-registered disinfectant until very wet. Leave on for 5 minutes or according to the directions on the sanitizer label.
Step 3: Use paper towels to wipe up the urine or feces and detergent.
Step 4: Throw the paper towels in a covered trash can that is emptied regularly.
Step 5: Wipe or swam the area with a disinfectant.
- Clean all hard surfaces including floors, countertops, cabinets and drawers.
- Follow the instructions below to clean and disinfect other types of surfaces.
Step 6: Wash gloved hands with soap and water or a disinfectant before removing gloves.
Step 7: Wash hands with soap and warm water after removing gloves, or use a waterless, alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap is not available and hands are not visibly soiled.
How to clean up a dead mouse
Clean up dead rodents or rodent nests
Fleas are common on rodents. Consider using insect repellents (such as DEET or other EPA-registered repellents) on clothing, shoes and hands to reduce the risk of flea bites and minimize exposure to flea-borne diseases while picking up dead rodents and removing nesting materials.
Step 1: Wear rubber or plastic gloves.
Step 2: Spray the dead rodent, the nest, and the surrounding area with a disinfectant. Leave on for 5 minutes or according to the directions on the sanitizer label.
Step 3: Place the dead rodent or nesting material in a plastic bag along with any used traps unless you plan to reuse the trap.
Step 4: Tie the ends of the bag in a knot to seal the bag. Place the full bag in a second plastic bag and seal this bag by tying the ends into a knot.
Step 5: Throw the bag in a covered trash can that is emptied regularly, or contact your public health department for information on other ways to dispose of dead rodents.
Step 6: Wash gloved hands with soap and water or a disinfectant before removing gloves.
Step 7: Wash hands with soap and warm water after removing gloves, or use a waterless, alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap is not available and hands are not visibly soiled.
If you plan to reuse the trap
Conventional snap traps can be reused. If you plan to reuse the trap, soak the trap with the rodent in disinfectant (using a bucket) for 5 minutes while wearing rubber gloves. Remove the rodent from the trap by holding the trap over a plastic bag and lifting the metal bar. Drop the rodent into the bag. Rinse the trap well with water to remove the disinfectant smell and let it dry completely. Follow steps 4-6 above by double bagging the rodent, discarding the bag and washing your gloves and hands.
Clean up different types of rooms
Houses and outbuildings such as cabins, sheds and barns
Prepare
- Before cleaning, open all doors and windows for 30 minutes to ventilate the room. Leave the area during this time.
- Re-enter the area and look for rodent droppings.
- Put on rubber or plastic gloves.
Clean
- Clean up all rodent urine, droppings, nests or dead rodents.
- Mop hard floors or spray dirty outbuilding floors with disinfectant.
- If the exposed insulation is contaminated with urine and feces, place it in plastic bags for removal.
- Clean hard surfaces like countertops, cabinets, and drawers with a disinfectant.
- Clean and disinfect other surfaces and items as recommended.
- Take storage boxes and containers with potentially contaminated items outside to a well-ventilated area that gets direct sunlight.
- Remove all potentially contaminated materials outdoors. Stay upwind to avoid getting dust or dirt blown in your face.
- Discard any items that are no longer needed.
- Clean and disinfect all hard or non-porous objects with a bleach solution or disinfectant as recommended. Follow recommendations for other materials, such as fabric and paper.
- Discard boxes contaminated with urine or feces. Plastic, glass, or metal containers can be disinfected with bleach solution or disinfectant.
- Wash gloved hands with soap and water or a disinfectant before removing gloves.
- Wash hands with soap and warm water after removing gloves, or use a waterless, alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap is not available and hands are not visibly soiled.
Air ducts (heating and cooling ventilation systems)
If there are signs of rodents having access to heating and cooling ventilation systems, it is best to contact a professional rodent extermination service to remove them. Companies specializing in sewer cleaning know the problems and risks of rodent infestation in ventilation systems.
How to inspect and disinfect a vehicle
vehicles
Rodents can make their nests in cars, trucks, RVs, and other vehicles, especially if such vehicles are infrequently used. Check and clean your vehicle to prevent the spread of rodent borne diseases. Consult a qualified mechanic or automotive professional for assistance.
While the vehicle is in a well-ventilated area, you should inspect it for rodent activity; detect litter, nests or dead rodents; and disinfect to clean the vehicle.
Test
Open the bonnet, vehicle doors and trunk to allow the interior and engine compartment to air out for 20 minutes. (When starting a vehicle that has been idling for a long period of time, first ventilate and check the air intakes and filters before starting the engine.) Check the interior of the vehicle. To avoid electric shock, remove the cables from the battery before inspecting the engine compartment. Be sure to wear plastic gloves and a long-sleeved shirt.
Recognize
Find any dead rodents, nesting materials, or rodent excrement (such as urine or feces). Collect cleaning supplies to clean and disinfect.
Disinfect
- Do not Use a vacuum or high-pressure sprayer on rodent urine, feces, or contaminated surfaces until disinfected.
- Spray materials with disinfectant until completely soaked and leave for 5 minutes or according to label directions.
- Pick up the materials with a paper towel and discard the waste in the trash. If you find nesting material in the air intake system, remove both the nesting material and the air filter and discard in the trash. Insert the new replacement filter and close the device.
- After the rodent droppings and nesting material have been removed, clean the rest of the area with additional disinfectant.
- Reconnect the battery when the area is dry.
- Wash gloved hands with soap and water or a disinfectant before removing gloves. Then wash hands with soap and warm water after removing gloves.
Prevent future colonization of vehicles. Rodents can enter the passenger compartment through wiring, rusted areas and cable ducts. Snap traps and poison baits are effective in preventing rodents from entering vehicles. Do not leave food anywhere in the car as this can attract rodents.
Cleaning and disinfecting various surfaces
Porous and non-hard surfaces require different cleaning and disinfection methods.
Clothing, bedding and stuffed animals
Wash potentially contaminated bedding, clothing, or stuffed animals with hot water and detergent. Machine dry on high or hang to air dry in the sun.
carpets and upholstery
Shampoo carpets and upholstered furniture with a commercially available disinfectant or with a commercially available steam cleaner or shampoo.
Books, papers and other non-washable items
Leaving books, papers and other items that cannot be cleaned with a liquid disinfectant (e.g. books and papers) outside in the sunlight for several hours or for at least three weeks (extended period) of six weeks is strongly recommended ).
