Ugh, mouse droppings! If you find these around your house, the first thing you may want to do is find a pest control agency!
Cleaning them up will be another priority. After all, not only are mouse droppings gross, they can carry disease.
Mouse droppings can be especially hard to clean out of a carpet because they are small and have a sticky texture. But clean up is not impossible.
Read on to find out how you can get rid of mouse droppings on carpet to keep your home clean and safe.
Can You Vacuum Mouse Droppings?
There is no doubt that the easiest way to clean a carpet is to vacuum it. If you have mouse droppings on your carpet, it may seem like vacuuming is the easiest way to get rid of them.
However, vacuuming can create dust that may contain the Hantavirus. This is a virus mainly spread by rodents that can produce various flu-like symptoms.
While vacuums can pick up droppings, there’s a risk of inhaling the virus from the particles that may leak through vacuum exhaust.
Avoid using a vacuum cleaner to keep your family safe from this deadly virus.
What is the Safest Way to Clean Mouse Droppings?
It is crucial not to create dust when cleaning mouse droppings. Therefore, the safest option is to use a detergent or disinfectant.
When cleaning with a detergent or disinfectant, there are several steps to take that will ensure that you don’t risk spreading disease. I’ll summarize these in the next section.
How Do I Clean Mouse Droppings Off the Carpet?
Follow these steps to remove mouse droppings safely and effectively without risking your family’s health.
Tools:
Cleaning mouse droppings safely starts with the right tools. Recommended cleaning supplies include the following:
- Rubber gloves
- Disinfectant or detergent
- Paper towels
- Sealable Plastic Bags
Step 1: Ventilate house
Before attempting to clean mouse droppings, open all doors and windows to let your house ventilate for at least 30 minutes. Stay out of the area until it’s thoroughly ventilated. This will ensure that you don’t inhale any hazardous dust that may be hanging around in the air.
Step 2: Apply Disinfectant
Put on rubber gloves and use a detergent or a disinfectant to soak the area thoroughly. There are many disinfectants on the market. Be sure the one you are using is safe to use on carpets.
Your carpet may have a care tag or owner’s manual that will let you know which cleaners and disinfectants are safe. If you can’t find a care tag or owner’s manual, contact the manufacturer or ask an expert for advice.
Once you have determined which disinfectant is safe for your carpet, apply the solution to droppings with a spray bottle.
Step 3: Let it sit
Leave the solution on the carpet for five minutes to properly disinfect the carpet.
Step 4: Picking up droppings
After five minutes, the solution should cause the droppings to loosen so you can easily remove them from the carpet. Do so using a paper towel. Afterward, immediately place the paper towel in a plastic bag and seal it tightly.
Step 5: Dispose of Droppings
Once you have put the droppings in the plastic bag, put the bag in a trash container with a tight-fitting lid. If possible, take the container outside of the home.
Step 6: Wash Gloves and Hands
Before taking the gloves off, wash them using antibacterial soap. Wash all the areas of the gloves for at least 20 seconds to kill the bacteria present. Then remove them and use the same procedure to wash your hands.
Step 7: Steam Clean Carpet [Optional]
To ensure bacteria or viruses don’t linger, use a steam cleaner to disinfect the carpet. Most options have an onboard heater that will heat water to disinfect the surface. Opt for a steam cleaner with a nozzle and pad that’s suitable for this type of surface.
Additional Cleaning Tips
In addition to cleaning mouse droppings, you will want to make sure all your surfaces are clean after a mouse infestation.
Mice urinate as they move so you might not see any puddles, but that doesn’t mean your home isn’t contaminated.
To make sure your surfaces are spotless, wipe, or mop the hard surfaces in your home with a disinfecting cleaner.
Any surfaces where you prepare food and all pots, pans, cutlery, and utensils should be cleaned with hot water and an antibacterial dishwashing liquid.
You should also use a kitchen surface spray cleaner to clean food cupboards and kitchen drawers.
Tips for Preventing Mouse Infestation.
While knowing how to clean mouse droppings from your carpet is valuable information, avoiding an infestation is ideal. Here are some tips that will help you keep rodents out of your home.
- Install door sweeps under doors and repair damaged window and door screens. Place these on vents and chimney openings. Use caulk, steel wool, or a combination of both to seal cracks and holes on the exterior of your home. These steps will keep mice from getting in from the outside.
- Mice are attracted to food. Seal the food in airtight containers, so they don’t become lured by the scent. Take out garbage regularly.
- Mice are also attracted to moisture. They like to camp out in places where they can drink at their leisure. Fixing leaking pipes and clogged drains will keep your home moisture-free, so mice don’t feel welcome.
- Inspect items brought into the house, such as boxes and grocery bags, to make sure mice don’t sneak in with outside packages.
- Firewood and shrubbery are enticing to mice. Be sure to trim your bushes and lawn regularly and don’t leave any wood near to the home. Eliminating mice hide-outs will make them less likely to hang around your residence.
