This article was co-authored by James Sears and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. James Sears leads the customer happiness team at Neatly, a group of cleaning gurus based in Los Angeles and Orange County, California. James and the team have nine years of experience and offer green cleaning, interior and exterior window washing, and general apartment cleaning services. He provides transformative cleaning experiences by reducing clutter and renewing your home environment. James is a Trustee Scholar at the University of Southern California.
There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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Blech! Few things are worse than finding a tell-tale pile of rodent droppings somewhere in your home. But which pesky critters made the mess: rats or mice? Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. Keep reading for plenty of tips, tricks, and hacks on how to identify and clean up after these unwanted guests.
Steps
How do you identify mouse droppings?
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1
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2The droppings look very dark. Mouse poop is typically black, but this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule—it really depends on what the critters are snacking on.[4] Older, less fresh scat will be a gray color and may seem dusty and crumbly.[5]
- Newer scat will have a shine to it.
- In some lighting, mouse droppings can look dark brown.[6]
How do you identify rat droppings?
What should I do if I find rodent poop?
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1Protect yourself from any potential contamination. Slip on a pair of disposable gloves, so you don’t have to handle the rodent waste directly.[15] For extra protection, slide on a mask.[16] If you can, open up any nearby doors or windows about a half-hour before you start cleaning to get some fresh air flowing through your cleaning space.[17]
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2Sanitize the contaminated area with diluted bleach. The CDC recommends spritzing the soiled area with a standard disinfectant or a diluted bleach mixture.[18] Lift up any rodent waste with a clean paper towel and throw it away.[19]
- A diluted bleach mixture should have a 1:10 bleach to water ratio.
- If you’re using a standard disinfectant, check the label to see how much it has to be diluted. You might also have to wait a certain amount of time for the chemicals to completely sanitize the area.
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3Disinfect the surrounding items and living space with diluted bleach. Take look at the surrounding space where you found the droppings—are there any items that were close to the mess? In an abundance of caution, wipe down all of these objects with a disinfectant to make sure they aren’t carrying any germs or diseases. Then, mop over all the surrounding floors and wipe down all the surfaces with the same diluted bleach mixture or commercial disinfectant that you used earlier.[20] If needed, use a steam cleaner or upholstery shampoo to sanitize any potentially contaminated furniture.[21]
- If you found droppings near your bed, strip the sheets and blankets and wash them on a hot water cycle.
What are some other signs of a rodent infestation?
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1Search for signs of gnaw marks. Rats and mice are infamous for their gnawing skills; with this in mind, don’t be surprised if you see some tell-tale nibbles in your bags of food, Rodents may also gnaw through non-edible items, like your floors and walls, in order to sneak into your home.[24]
- Unfortunately, a little damage can go a long way. Believe it or not, mice can shimmy through holes that are less than 1 in (2.5 cm) wide, while rats can push through openings that are about 1.2 in (3.0 cm) wide.[25]
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2Look for loose nesting materials in your home used by mice. House mice really love to cozy up in “nests” that are made from loose, soft scraps of material around your home, like cotton, insulation, strips of paper, and fabric. Keep a close eye on the floor for small pieces of these materials around your home; if you spot some, there’s a good chance that there are rodents nearby.[26]
- In general, all rodents prefer dark and isolated spots where they won’t be bothered. You’ll probably find a mouse nest in this kind of spot.
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3Spot greasy or dirty smudges along the walls and floor made by rats. Rats are notorious for their oily fur, and they often create greasy smudges as they scurry around your home. If you notice any of these greasy spots around your home, there’s a chance that you’re dealing with rats.[27]
How do you deal with a rodent infestation?
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1Block off entry points into your home. Inspect every section of your home for possible openings. In fact, the CDC recommends inspecting your kitchen cabinets, stove, refrigerator, fireplace, doors, pipes, vents, attic, cellar, and crawl space. Smaller gaps can be plugged up with steel wool and caulk, while bigger holes can be covered up with lath screen, hardware cloth, cement, or sheets of metal.[28]
- Be sure to check outside your home for possible entry points, too! Rodents can sneak in through your roof, windows, vents, and utility lines. In fact, some crafty critters can squeeze through gaps in your foundation or even beneath doors.
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2Set up snap traps. Add a pea-sized amount of peanut butter to each snap trap and place them perpendicular to the walls (creating a “T” shape). Arrange these traps around some of the rodents’ favorite hangouts, where you and your fellow household members don’t spend as much time. This might be in your attic, around the cellar, or somewhere in a crawlspace.[29]
- Don’t be discouraged if the traps don’t work right away. Rats tend to be super careful and probably won’t get trapped immediately.
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3Clear away any nesting or food sources around your home. Transfer your food to really sturdy containers—metal and thick plastic are excellent materials to consider. To get rid of further rodent temptation, be sure to sweep up any food messes; clean off your grill; store any loose, uneaten pet food and dump out any leftover water; place bird feeders a good distance from your home; store compost at least 100 ft (30 m) away; and use secure, sealing garbage lids for your cans.[30]
- The CDC suggests getting rid of any potential nesting spots around your home, like stacks of firewood, garbage cans, bundles of hay, unused tires, and tall grass or shrubs.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat precautions should I take while disposing of rat droppings?James SearsJames Sears leads the customer happiness team at Neatly, a group of cleaning gurus based in Los Angeles and Orange County, California. James and the team have nine years of experience and offer green cleaning, interior and exterior window washing, and general apartment cleaning services. He provides transformative cleaning experiences by reducing clutter and renewing your home environment. James is a Trustee Scholar at the University of Southern California.
House Cleaning ProfessionalWear gloves and a mask with a filter so that you do not inhale the dust from the rat droppings and the toxic bleach fumes.
References
- ↑ https://www.washtenaw.org/3022/Rats-Mice
- ↑ https://wildlife.unl.edu/pdfs/controlling-house-mice.pdf
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/DH044
- ↑ https://wildlife.unl.edu/pdfs/controlling-house-mice.pdf
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/DH044
- ↑ https://www.washtenaw.org/3022/Rats-Mice
- ↑ https://athenaeum.libs.uga.edu/bitstream/handle/10724/12234/C970.pdf
- ↑ https://www.washtenaw.org/3022/Rats-Mice
- ↑ https://www.maine.gov/dacf/php/gotpests/othercritters/rats.htm
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/DH044
- ↑ https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife/how-identify/identify-poo
- ↑ https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife/how-identify/identify-poo
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/DH044
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/diseases/direct.html
- ↑ https://healthcare.utah.edu/the-scope/shows.php?shows=0_qwp1qtkb
- ↑ https://healthcare.utah.edu/the-scope/shows.php?shows=0_qwp1qtkb
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/cleaning/index.html
- ↑ James Sears. House Cleaning Professional. Expert Interview. 28 August 2019.
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/cleaning/index.html
- ↑ James Sears. House Cleaning Professional. Expert Interview. 28 August 2019.
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/cleaning/index.html
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/cleaning/index.html
- ↑ James Sears. House Cleaning Professional. Expert Interview. 28 August 2019.
- ↑ https://www.epa.gov/rodenticides/identify-and-prevent-rodent-infestations
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/prevent_infestations/index.html
- ↑ https://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/press-releases/what-s-that-noise-six-tell-tale-signs-of-a-rodent-infestation/
- ↑ https://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/press-releases/what-s-that-noise-six-tell-tale-signs-of-a-rodent-infestation/
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/prevent_infestations/seal_up.html
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/prevent_infestations/index.html
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/prevent_infestations/index.html
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/cleaning/index.html