Mouse and rat leavings, from pellets to urine to bedding, may harbor germs. The CDC advises avoiding dust, so the steps below focus on keeping everything wet and contained. This article is a summary of that guidance, and the CDC box on this page links to the full source.
Before you begin.
Open doors and windows and let the space air out for at least half an hour. Leave the room while it does. Line up what you need: waterproof gloves, a disinfectant spray, rolls of paper towel, heavy bags and a lidded bin. Keep pets and children out.
The wet method, step by step.
- Pull on gloves before handling a thing.
- Drench pellets and nest scraps with disinfectant.
- Wait several minutes, as the product's label directs.
- Wipe with paper towels and place them in a plastic bag.
- Mop or wipe floors and surfaces with the same disinfectant.
- Seal the bag, place it inside a second bag and discard in the outdoor trash.
- Remove gloves, bag them too and wash hands with soap and water.
Never sweep or vacuum dry droppings. Never pick them up with bare hands.
What counts as small and what does not.
| Situation. | Who can do it. | Notes. |
|---|---|---|
| A few droppings on a counter or shelf. | You, following the wet method. | Air out first. |
| A handful in a garage corner. | You, with gloves. | Wet down first. |
| Droppings across an attic or crawl space. | A professional. | Insulation may need removal. |
| A dead animal. | Gloves and double bagging, or a professional. | See odor article. |
| Heavy nest material in vents or ducts. | A professional. | Do not run the system. |
Cleaning fabrics, boxes and stored items.
Items that touched droppings should be washed or discarded. Wash fabrics in hot water. Treat hard surfaces with the same disinfectant. Cardboard and paper that were soiled are best thrown away. Do not shake out rugs or blankets indoors.
Pets deserve a thought too. Keep dogs and cats out of the room until every surface has dried, since they lick floors and paws. If a pet ate something suspicious or seems unwell afterward, a veterinarian is the right call, and mentioning rodent exposure helps.
Skip the guesswork and describe your situation to a person.
(888) 686-4821After the cleanup.
Cleaning removes the evidence, and it does not stop new visitors. Find the way in, seal it and remove food sources. Our rodent-proofing page and cleanup page describe how that is done.
Wash your hands again, change clothes and keep an eye out for new droppings over the next few weeks. A flashlight sweep every second evening is enough, and a note on the calendar keeps the routine from slipping. Fresh droppings after a cleanup mean the animal is still around.
When to hand it over.
- You find more than you can reasonably handle in an hour.
- The area is a crawl space, attic or inside ductwork.
- Someone in the household has a weakened immune system or breathing problems.
- You are unsure what you are looking at.
A phone call is the simplest path. Describe where the droppings are and how many, and we will explain what a visit would involve.
Before you call: how the CDC says to clean up.
A slow pace means less grit drifting toward your face.
- Using a leaf blower in a garage with droppings is the worst choice, and an ordinary vacuum cleaner comes second.
- Sheds, attics, garages and spare rooms hold stale air when shut, so crack them open and give them half an hour.
- Wash your hands thoroughly once the work ends, even when gloves stayed on throughout.
- Treat the surface beneath and around the waste as well, because urine spreads further than the stain shows.
- Drop soiled towels and any dead animal into one plastic bag, using gloves or tongs, then tie it and place it in the household trash.
- Our expertise ends at pest work, so a clinician should handle any sickness that follows.
Look up the official wording.
Each link goes straight to the agency's own website.
- CDC walkthrough for rodent mess: The ventilate, soak and bag routine behind the cleanup advice on this page.
- EPA limits on rodent poison sold to consumers: Rules for over-the-counter bait, handy when comparing two store products.