Mouse poop - sterilizing the scorched earth after we won the war

Drez

So, long story short, we had a tiny mouse problem in my home for a brief time. We got rid of them now, but they managed to literally shit all over some of the nooks and crannies of some rooms here.

My question is, what's the best way to sterlize after? Using latex gloves, I usually pick up or vacuum the mouse poop. For wooden or plastic surfaces, I have been using Lysol/Chlorox disinfectant wipes. For carpet...not really sure what to do, but they don't seem to have shit on any carpeting really.

What about textiles (clothing, pillows, etc)? Is picking the poop off and then washing the clothes/pillow sufficient? Is it okay to sleep on it after that? Or safer to toss the pillow and pillowcase?

I'm probably overthinking it but I know the poop can carry disease so I wanted to ask here first.

Bowen

Your risk of disease is pretty low if its not fresh. A vacuum + disinfectant of some kind will get rid of enough of it to be worth your sanity short of burning your house down. Do it with gloves and you'll be good.

QuantumTurk

If you want to be sure, bleach what you can. Honestly, bio labs use bleach to kill freaking everything. Clorox or store brand, does not matter, put a bleach solution on it if you can, and you will be fine. Just do it in a well ventilated area/take breaks, and don't mix with other cleaners.

Drez

Thanks.

As for the pillow/clothes, I just washed a pillow in generic laundry detergent. The poop was dry. That should be fine, right?

Bowen

Yeah you should be fine. Just be on the lookout for hantavirus which is the biggest ticket item I believe. So long as you wear cleaning gear to get rid of it, and wash on hot + dry thoroughly you should be fine.

Drez

Thanks.

I actually did cold/cold without thinking (the wash is done). Should I redo it?

As far as I know, it was just one or two very small pieces of dried poop. My sister found the pillow in a corner of her room and I was trying to figure out what to do with it.

I think most of the other areas are easy to sterilize with disinfectant wipes; it was pretty much just these two pillows and a few other bits of clothing.

Bowen

Go ahead and redo it, it won't hurt (unless you have bedsheets that will shrink then I'd reconsider!). I hate rodents.

Drez

bowen wrote:

Go ahead and redo it, it won't hurt (unless you have bedsheets that will shrink then I'd reconsider!). I hate rodents.

Meh. Alright.

I hate laundry as much as I hate rodents.

mts

actually not to freak you out but dry poop and carcasses etc can cause disease, thats how hanta is passed.

anyway as far as cleanup, 10% bleach solution is fine for surfaces, those wipes you use are fine.

sheets and washables just wash in hot water and if whites add some bleach to load, and some of that colorsafe bleach alternative for darks

for carpeting maybe rent a steam cleaner

i would personally be satified with a vacumn and a single wash but i work with mice so i am used to poop, pee and blood on me

Drez

Thanks all. I double washed the items in question and I will take special precautions cleaning other areas.

Noxy

If you are worried about hanta virus, sunlight will kill it. So expose the stuff you are worried about to UV for 3+ hours and you should be good. Not sure how to do that to stuff inside the house, but things like clothing could be hung or something.