Mouse infestations can cause a lot of damage and cost homeowners a lot of money. Whether it is small or large, a mouse infestation always needs to be followed by a set of cleaning and decontamination measures.
We will show you how to get rid of the smell of mouse urine and how to clean mouse droppings. You will also learn how to get rid of the smell of dead mice and what to do with a dead mouse.
Why clean up and decontaminate after a mouse infestation?
Mice carry a large number of diseases, viruses and bacteria. Not all the pathogens that mice carry with them are harmful, but some, such as hantavirus, a dreaded virus responsible for serious epidemic infections, can cause death.
Mice usually transmit their diseases, viruses and bacteria through their urine, feces or saliva, which they leave everywhere they go. A mouse that wanders in your cupboards, on your counters or elsewhere in the house can therefore easily contaminate your space (coatings, appliances, surfaces, etc.) and your food, forcing you to throw it in the garbage.
Although they are small, it cannot be denied that mice are dangerous.
Precautions to take for a mouse infestation clean up and decontamination
Since this rodent is a threat to human health, you have to get rid of mice at the first signs of infestation, either by exterminating them yourself or by contacting a mouse exterminator. Only once the infestation has been stopped or controlled can the mouse infestation clean up and decontamination work begin in earnest.
If you want to clean and decontaminate your house yourself after a mouse infestation, we recommend 3 preventive measures.
Air out the space
Before you start cleaning and decontaminating after a mouse infestation, ventilate the space as best as you can. Open doors and windows to air out the area for at least 30 minutes. When doing this, get out of the room to avoid unnecessary breathing of stale air.
Avoid shaking up dust
As we have just seen, diseases, viruses and bacteria in mice are transmitted through their urine, feces or saliva. When cleaning, try as much as possible not to shake up dust or mouse droppings. Your health depends on it. Easier said than done, you might say. A professional exterminator, however, knows exactly how to do it. After all, it’s their job. That is precisely why we recommend that you hire a professional pest decontamination service whenever possible.
Purchase and wear the required safety equipment
This point is very important. Never clean a room contaminated with mouse urine, feces or saliva if you are not wearing the required safety equipment.
To protect yourself, wear a breathing mask with a high efficiency particle filter, such as the N100 respirator. Disposable paper dust masks are ineffective and should not be used to clean and decontaminate areas that have had a mouse infestation.
In addition to wearing a respirator mask, be sure to wear disposable rubber gloves, rubber boots and disposable shoe covers.
How to get rid of the smell of mouse urine
Mouse urine has a foul-smelling odour similar to the smell of ammonia. You will most likely want to remove it from your home. To clean mouse urine, we recommend this procedure:
- Mix one (1) part bleach with nine (9) parts water
- Spray the mixture on mouse urine and droppings using a strong jet
- Leave on for 10 minutes
- Get rid of mouse urine and droppings by picking them up with a paper towel, then dispose of the soiled paper towels in the trash
- Clean the surface or room a second time with the bleach mixture, then dispose of the paper towels, mops or other household equipment in the trash
- Empty the garbage bag, seal it tightly and place it in another garbage bag and dispose of it
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water
How to clean mouse droppings
The mouse reproduction rate is staggering, and each produces 50 to 80 droppings per day. Chances are you will see a certain amount of droppings and you will have to clean them up by cleaning and decontaminating the room.
Very important: when cleaning up mouse droppings, do not sweep or vacuum the droppings without first spraying them with a disinfectant, such as the bleach solution we just mentioned. This will prevent the release of harmful particles into the air.
Dead mouse smell: how to find and clean up dead mice
It is not only the urine and droppings of mice that give off a strong and unpleasant smell. When mice enter homes through a window or a drain and die, their decomposing bodies also give off a disgusting smell that you’ll want to eliminate from your nose… and from your home.
It is therefore necessary to locate and get rid of dead mice; otherwise the smell will persist despite cleaning and decontamination.
Find the dead mouse
Dead mouse smell can spread several meters away. Finding a dead mouse in the house can therefore sometimes be quite a challenge. You often have no choice but to rely on your sense of smell.
Usually, mice will hide in quiet places. To find mice more easily, focus on looking in the attic and basement. Look under floorboards, in insulation and air ducts, or near plumbing pipes. If you are dealing with mice in your house, you will probably find some in these spots.
Keep in mind that a dead mouse can also hide in difficult to reach areas like in walls. As you may have guessed, getting rid of mice in walls is not always easy, whether it is dead or alive.
Clean and disinfect the area where the dead mouse is located
Once the dead mouse has been removed, it is time to clean and disinfect the contaminated area. To decontaminate the area soiled by urine, droppings and dead mice, you will need:
- Rubber gloves
- N100 respirator mask
- Bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water)
Next, clean and disinfect the area as follows:
- Put on your rubber gloves
- Generously spray the dead mouse with your bleach solution
- Leave on for 10 minutes
- Pick up the dead mouse and hair remains with a paper towel, then dispose of the rodent and its contents in a garbage bag
- Empty the garbage bag, place it in another bag and dispose of it in the trash
- Clean your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.
Everything that has been contaminated by the dead mouse must also be cleaned and disinfected: sheets, clothes, pillows, etc.
What to do with a dead mouse
The big question: what to do with a dead mouse? The answer: it depends. Each municipality has different regulations, and as a good citizen, you will have to comply with them. There are usually 3 ways to get rid of a dead mouse:
- Burn it
- Bury it 2-3 metres under the ground in a compostable bag in a box
- Throw it in the garbage after wrapping it in newspaper and then in an airtight plastic bag
How to get rid of the smell of urine and dead mice
By now you have cleaned and decontaminated mouse urine, completed the cleaning of mouse droppings, and even got rid of your dead mice. Congratulations!
Now there is only one step left: clean the smell of mouse urine and get rid of the dead mouse smell to refresh the air inside your house after the mouse infestation.
Get rid of mouse urine smell by ventilating the space
Airing the room or space after a rodent infestation is very important to refresh the air and remove the smell of mouse urine. To do this, open the windows and place standing fans to blow the contaminated air through the windows.
Freshen the air with an effective aerosol freshener
After ventilating the room abundantly to get the smell of mouse urine out of your home, it is now time to freshen up the space. There are several deodorizing products on the market. These products are designed to neutralize and eliminate the smell of urine that lingers in the house after cleaning and decontamination.
The following products are effective in removing the smell of mouse urine and the smell of a dead mouse decomposing.
Charcoal
Charcoal is an effective freshener that easily removes unpleasant odours, such as sweat, cigarettes and rotting food. Charcoal is also very good for removing the smell of mouse urine and getting rid of a dead mouse smell.
This product has different names: charcoal deodorant, charcoal air freshener bag and black deodorant.
Ground coffee
Ground coffee is known to absorb the foul smells in the home. It is not the most powerful remedy for getting rid of the mouse urine smell, but it still does a good job. To get rid of mouse urine and dead mouse smell, simply place some in different places: air conditioning vents, in the basement, in cabinets, etc.
Odour removal bag
Odour removal bags are another way to get rid of mouse urine smell. They are also successfully used to get rid of dead mouse smell.
These bags typically hang over the crawl space or in any room of the house. Odour removal bags work quickly: within a few hours you will notice that the smell of urine will already be less noticeable.
Ionizer air purifier
In addition to eliminating odours, ionizer air purifiers purify the air, remove allergens, pollen, mould and dust. They also kill germs, viruses and bacteria.
A nice all-in-one product to try to get rid of mouse urine and dead mouse smell.
Nontoxic bio-enzymatic air fresheners
Nontoxic bio-enzymatic air fresheners are probably the most effective way to get rid of mouse urine smell, or even get rid of dead mouse smell.
They are also safe for children and pets and are very affordable.
Professional measures
Acetic acid, chlorine and formaldehyde are other products that neutralize mouse urine and dead mouse smells.
However, these products are not intended for the general public: they are professional disinfectants reserved for exterminators.
Other ways to freshen the air
Various other products also do a good job getting rid of mouse urine smell and dead mouse smell:
- Retail aerosols
- Scented candles
- Essential oil diffusers
- Incense
- Solid household air fresheners, in cartridge or stick form.
Get rid of urine smell from mice with prevention
Phew… The mouse urine smell is finally gone. The smell of dead mice as well. After having gone through such an ordeal, you will probably want to avoid it from happening again, right?
If this is the case, here are a few quick tips to keep mice at bay so that you do not have to clean their urine anymore:
- Use rodent proof caulking to prevent mice infestations
- Buy mouse traps and place them in strategic locations
- Keep the inside of your home clean and make your food inaccessible
- Remove debris from around the house and trim branches and vegetation that touches the house
The importance of a post-mouse infestation clean up and decontamination
In light of this information, you now understand why it is so important to clean and decontaminate your home after a mouse infestation. This is not easy, but it is well worth it. It is also necessary for your health and the health of the other occupants of your home.
For more information on mice, visit the blog section of our website. Contact us to do business with a trusted mouse exterminator. Our team will gladly restore the safety of your home after a rodent infestation.
We are happy to help!
