No one likes the smell of a dead mouse in their homes. Surprisingly a lot of people experience this a lot and most times getting rid of the scent can be infuriating, but don’t worry because in this article I will show you how to get rid of the dead mouse smell that’s in your home.
Before I get I tell you what to do, I just wanted to say that I’m no expert in things like this, but the reason why I know about this situation is that it used to happen to me a lot. So while the methods I show you might be useful, don’t take them as professional help.
What does it smell like?
When there is a foul smell in your house you can often times tell what it is. This is the same for the smell of a deceased mouse, this smell is usually way fouler and you can smell it from almost any area in the house. There are only two things that can give a similar foul odor compared to a dead mouse and that is a garbage bin that hasn’t been washed or emptied in a while and also rotten cabbage.
How long does the smell last?
The smell usually lasts for 1 week or more depending on the size of the mouse and the temperature of the place it was in.
How to locate the smell
Trying to find the location of the smell is probably the hardest part but a necessary step when getting rid of the smell. The first thing you should do is go into the room where the foul odor is the strongest and look for any cracks or holes in the walls. Also, check everywhere in your house if you’re having a hard time finding it in the area where the smell is strong. Be sure to check under your furniture, cabinets, cupboards, walls, etc.
If you still haven’t found the location of the smell then you probably need to look for sunflower-sized droppings around your home. If you see these then it probably means the mouse is nearby.
After finding where the smell is coming from it is now time to show you how to get rid of it.
How to get rid of dead mouse smell
If you found the area where the dead mouse is but you can’t reach it because it may be inside your walls, well I have good news and bad news. The good news is that the smell will eventually go away over time. The bad news is that the smell will get really bad before it can get better and it will take up to a couple of weeks for the foul smell to be completely gone. But don’t worry I will still show you a way to mask the scent until it hoes away.
To do this you can use air deodorizers, such as air fresheners, etc. But some air fresheners don’t blend well with other foul odors. You can also place ground coffee around the area where the smell is coming from. Ground coffee is great at absorbing odors and it usually smells great. You can also use activated charcoal instead of ground coffee. Other things you can use includes:
- Odor removing bags
- Air ionizer machines
- Pet odor sprays
While this is a good method it still mostly relies on the masking of the scent, which can be effective but most people just want to get rid of the scent and not have to wait for weeks to do so. But if you found the body of the mouse, getting rid of the scent will be much easier and faster.
Option 2
The first thing you want to do is to get rid of the mouse body. But before you do so make sure to wear a disposable glove, mask, and goggles to prevent cross-contamination. After that spray the area and the rodent with bleach and water. After that just place the mouse inside a plastic bag. You can double or triple the bag to make sure that the smell won’t come out of it. Throw away the mouse in the outside trash can. Now it’s time to get rid of the mask and gloves, also make sure to wash the goggles. After removing the gloves make sure to wash your hands properly.
Cleaning the area
After disposing of the mouse you have to make sure to clean the area where it was. There are different products and items you can use to clean the area and I will show you them:
Make sure you are wearing gloves when cleaning
Vinegar– Cleaning with vinegar will not only clean the area but also deodorize it as well. So make sure to spray some vinegar over the area where the mouse was and clean it with a clean cloth. Make sure you are wearing gloves. I also do not recommend using that cloth again so maybe it’s best to use paper towels instead.
Bleach– Mix bleach and water together place it in a spray bottle and spray the area where the mouse was. Then use a piece of paper towel to clean the area.
Disinfectant– There are a lot of disinfectant products you can use. After picking which one you are going to use pour or spray some of it on the area and use a paper towel to clean.
After doing this make sure to dispose of the paper towels and the gloves. Then wash your hands with soap and warm water.
Make sure to air out your home
Make sure to open up all the windows and some of the doors in your home so that fresh air can come in.
How to prevent the smell
To prevent this smell from ever happening again you need to find out why mice are entering your home in the first place. One of the reasons can be that you live in an area filled with rats like new york. Another reason can be that you have a messy home with open food all over the place. Rodents love filth and food so be sure to always keep your home clean and get rid of any food on the ground and countertop such as crumbs and make sure to cover the ones that are in your cabinet and countertops as well such as sugar, rice, chips and anything else.
If you want to know some interesting ways to make your home smell good then you should check this out.
Conclusion
This article showed you how to get rid of the dead mouse smell and I hoped you found it useful.
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