If you have at least a few mice, an unpleasant and very persistent smell cannot be avoided. How to get rid of it - this article.
Small rodents have coexisted with humans for centuries, causing enormous trouble and causing harm. In the house, the mouse spoils clothes, equipment, furniture, and destroys food.
We must not forget that mice are carriers of dangerous infections and diseases. They are so serious that they can be fatal.
The mouse is a cunning animal; after being adjacent to people for a long time, it does not reveal itself. This happens until a certain time, until one rodent is discovered, then another. When exterminating rodents indoors, it may happen that the mouse corpse goes unnoticed. A mouse smell immediately appears in the house, reminiscent of the presence of rodents. It is necessary to begin eliminating the creatures and smell in the room immediately, otherwise the person will face unpleasant consequences.
Causes of odor
The mouse smell cannot be confused with anything else. Usually its source is: waste products, fur with sebaceous secretions, food debris from the habitats of mice. Also, the reason for the “incense” from living rodents is the secretions that the male produces to attract females.
A particularly strong, unpleasant “aroma” appears when their corpse decomposes. To get rid of it, you need to find the body of the pest and carry out a general cleaning of the house using chemicals. You won’t be able to get rid of a strong odor by just washing the floors with bleach; you need an integrated approach.
Vinegar
The main impact of the rat invasion falls on summer residents and owners of large country houses. In winter, in search of warmth and food, rats run into houses where not all survive until spring. And a fairly common way to combat the smell of dead rodents is vinegar.
In order to remove the smell, it is enough to simply treat all horizontal surfaces of the house with vinegar: countertops, window sills, floors next to baseboards, furniture, in general, all the places where rats could run. Acetic acid quickly neutralizes cadaveric poison and odor, after which it evaporates after a while.
Treating furniture in your apartment with a vinegar solution will help get rid of the cadaverous smell of dead rats
Why is he dangerous?
It is especially dangerous for allergy sufferers and people with bronchial asthma. Mice are carriers of various diseases (for example, typhoid fever). Pathogenic microorganisms are present in their excrement. This smell attracts flies, which contribute to the spread of pathogenic microbes. If you do not begin to solve the problem, the situation may worsen.
Important! Mouse odor is easily absorbed into wooden surfaces.
What diseases do mice carry and how can you get infected from them? Read more in the article here.
What will you need?
We will use handy, but no less effective means to combat mouse odor. We also use auxiliary tools. We have placed everything you need in the table and in the photo.
| Active remedies: | Auxiliary tools: |
| Vinegar | Water |
| Manganese solution | Spray |
| Hydrogen peroxide | Container for preparing solutions |
| Chlorine | Latex gloves |
| Essential oils | Sponges, napkins, rags |
| Absorbents (soda, salt, lime) | — |
| Ionizers | — |
| Chemicals | — |
“Chlorine” Lime – absorbent Products containing formaldehyde Hydrogen peroxide Potassium permanganate Vinegar
Ways to detect a dead mouse
To eliminate unpleasant odor, it is necessary to find out the source of its occurrence. This is easy to do if the corpse of a rodent lies on the floor and is visible to the naked eye. But often, a rat or mouse dies in hard-to-reach places, which complicates the search.
In old furniture
To get rid of the smell of mice that comes from the sofa, you need to lay it out and carefully inspect it for the presence of rodents. The corpse of a dead mouse may end up under removable housing elements or under upholstery material. For detection and subsequent removal, the boards need to be unscrewed, the bevel must be torn off or removed.
Important! If the mouse corpse is old, the wooden elements of the old furniture will be saturated with this smell, so in the future it can only be used in the countryside. To get rid of the unpleasant odor, coat the wooden frame with clear varnish or impregnate it with an antiseptic composition.
In the ventilation
This is a favorite place for rodents; here they can simply hide or build a nest. If one of them died here, the smell will spread literally throughout the house. Therefore, it is necessary to begin the immediate destruction of the “incense”, along with the discovered corpse. It’s worth saying right away that using an air freshener will not help radically solve the problem; more serious methods are needed.
In bags of cereals
Animals are attracted to food storage areas that can be easily accessed. For example, through cracks, ventilation holes. If cereals are stored in unsealed containers, but in ordinary plastic bags or bags, mice gnaw through them and get inside. Afterwards, all stocks must be disposed of. So housewives should take care of having well-closing containers.
On a note. If cereals are stored in a pantry or in the basement of the house, you need to let your cat in there periodically. You can leave it overnight if there are no breakable dishes. It is also necessary to provide her with access to all corners and between the bags so that she can catch her prey.
Under the baseboard
Rodents that run into a person’s home can climb into the gap between the wall and the baseboard and die there. To remove the smell of mice in the house, you will have to dismantle the baseboard and carry out a thorough treatment. All existing cracks and holes should be sealed with cement mortar with the addition of broken glass. Be careful when working, otherwise you may injure yourself.
Interesting! A decomposing corpse can be quickly identified by tracking the trajectory of the flies.
Chlorine
Chlorine, as you know, has an interesting property: it removes any odors, and at the same time disinfects the surface being treated. The most famous representative of chlorine-containing products is “Belizna”.
Using bleach is similar to using vinegar. It is also necessary to treat horizontal surfaces, especially carefully around the baseboard and in all cracks in the walls. In addition to the smell, whiteness can destroy various microorganisms that can be harmful to health and pose a risk of poisoning.
White (bleach) removes unpleasant odors well
How to eliminate mouse odor
To get rid of the smell of mice in your home, you first need to find the source. But even after this, it can remind of itself if it is absorbed into the floor, wall, furniture, textiles. To quickly solve the problem, you can use folk remedies.
Ventilation
The simplest, but ineffective method of getting rid of traces of the presence of rodents, especially if the apartment has been empty for a long time, and there was simply no one to clean it up. Its use is recommended if the rodent's stay was short-term. And home furnishings, things, and finishing materials did not have time to become saturated with its smell. It is advisable to carry out ventilation in sunny weather, this will enhance the effectiveness of the procedure.
Open all windows and doors for several hours to allow a draft to flow through the apartment. Hang upholstered furniture, blankets, pillows, carpets, rugs outside. If you plan to turn on the air conditioner, you should first disassemble it; mouse corpses are often found inside this device.
Advice! To increase the intensity of air flow, it is necessary to install a fan in the doorways.
After airing, you can use an air freshener with a deodorizing effect.
Wash
You can get rid of the smell on clothes and textiles by washing. For greater effect, set the washing machine function to the highest temperature suitable for clothes.
Clean carpets with a vacuum cleaner. If possible, hang them outside. This issue can be resolved by contacting a dry cleaner.
Chlorine treatment
You can use white to treat your apartment. Dilute it with water according to the attached instructions. Moisten a rag in this solution and treat all hard surfaces: window sills, doorways, etc. Particular attention should be paid to corners and “secret” places of rodents.
Attention! Carry out the treatment with gloves. This method is not recommended for people with bronchial asthma.
Chlorine is effective in combating persistent odors; it is preferable to use it in basements, warehouses, and garages. Not recommended for use in rooms where there are small children and pets.
Hydrogen peroxide
Use this folk method after treatment with a chlorine-containing agent. Peroxide has an antibacterial effect and will destroy the remaining pathogenic microbes that the whiteness could not cope with.
Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray the areas where the mice might travel. If things are damaged, they can be soaked in a solution of peroxide and water (proportion 1:6) for half an hour, then washed in a machine. This method is not suitable for thin textiles.
Wet cleaning will help get rid of the smell of pests in the house. To do this, you will need to make a working solution consisting of the following components:
- 0.8 l of peroxide (3%);
- 0.1 l of liquid dish soap;
- 10 tablespoons of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).
To prepare the working solution, select glass containers and carry out processing using protective gloves. At the end of the procedure, wash with soap.
Potassium permanganate solution
It will help disinfect the room from infections that these pests could bring into the house. You need to prepare a highly concentrated liquid composition: 10 teaspoons of medicine per liter of water.
Soak a rag in the solution and treat all surfaces, including cabinets, wooden furniture frames, baseboards, and corners. Carry out the treatment with gloves.
On a note! If you periodically treat your apartment with potassium permanganate, rodents will never appear. The smell repels uninvited “neighbors”.
Vinegar
Acetic acid is a natural disinfectant. It will help get rid of not only mouse odor, but also pathogenic microbes. Prepare a solution: 10 teaspoons of 9% acetic acid per 5 liters of warm water. Pour into a spray bottle for easy use of the prepared composition, shake it periodically.
Treat all surfaces and suspected rodent habitation areas. After treatment, open windows and doors to ventilate the pungent odor of acid.
Chemicals
They will also help solve the problem if the mouse in the wall has died. This place must be dismantled and treated with any of the following chemicals:
- "Chloropicrin." Available in the form of tablets or granules, it belongs to toxicity class IV. Use for treating any surfaces, including dishes, tools, furniture. Its active substance is sodium DHCC, occupies 87% of the total composition;
- Medifox. This is a concentrated liquid and belongs to toxicity class IV. Destroys pathogenic microorganisms and effectively combats unpleasant rodent odors. Active ingredients: non-alkonium chloride, PHMG hydrochloride, triamine dodecyldipropylene;
- "Lizafin." Available in liquid form, it belongs to toxicity class III. It can be used to process not only various surfaces, but also textiles and furniture upholstery;
- Medifox Dez. Eliminates unpleasant odor and germs after rodents have been in the house.
When using, read the instructions and follow safety precautions.
Absorbents
Purchased products in the form of powders, tablets, aerosols only mask the problem, but do not eliminate it. Therefore, it is worth using folk remedies: baking soda, lime, salt. They should be placed in close proximity to the main source of “incense”.
- Salt. Fill a small fabric bag with absorbent and place it on the shelf. But there is another option: sprinkle salt on the source of the unpleasant odor, and after a couple of hours replace it with a new layer. It perfectly absorbs moisture and various aromas.
- Lime. Its principle of use is no different from the method described above, but it is recommended to use it in non-residential premises, away from pets and children. Spread a thick layer of lime over the area where the mouse died. Destroys pathogenic microbes carried by rodents.
- Baking soda absorbs not only the “incense”, but also particles of decay of organic tissues. Plus, it will be possible to disinfect the house.
On a note! Use incense sticks to solve the problem. You need to choose a pleasant aroma, as it will be absorbed into the wallpaper and interior items. Set the sticks on fire and walk with them throughout the apartment. The fragrant smell will last for several weeks. When it evaporates, you can repeat the process if necessary.
Ozone installations
Ozone is used by professional companies to treat premises against rodents. The ozone installation not only drives away pests for a long time, but also gets rid of the mouse corpse odor in a matter of minutes. It also helps cleanse the air space of toxic elements.
The main advantage of this method is that after processing there are no traces left on household appliances, textiles and other items.
Mummifying poisons
Getting rid of the smell of corpses is one thing. But how can you make sure that after deratization of the room the chance of getting a “bouquet of aromas” is sharply reduced? Many people poison rats with conventional poisons, from which the rodent dies where death overtakes it. Great luck if he died in a visible place or right in the middle of the room so that he could be removed.
To prevent this from happening, you need to use special mummifying poisons. We wrote about them in this article. After death, the dead rodents begin to gradually dry out, turning into a real mummy, and do not emit unpleasant odors at all. These poisons have different effects: they can accumulate in the body, or they can kill immediately. Therefore, you can choose exactly the one that suits your situation.
Eliminating mouse odor on different surfaces
If a mouse has been in the house, all surfaces must be treated, not just the floor, walls, cabinets and other objects. You can also use any folk remedy for this.
Furniture
A vinegar solution is used to clean leather upholstery and varnished surfaces. To do this, you will need to prepare a solution: water and the bite are mixed in equal proportions.
Upholstered furniture can also be damaged by rodents. However, it cannot always be washed like removable bed linen. But you can clean mattresses, sports bags, sofas and armchairs without any problems. To do this, make the following solution:
- 0.5 liters of water and the same amount of pure alcohol (vodka 40% is also suitable);
- 120 grams of baking soda;
- 15 ml of any essential oil.
Boil water, cool to room temperature, pour into a spray bottle. Next, add the remaining components here. Spray the solution onto the upholstery of upholstered furniture and wait until it dries completely. You don't need to do anything else. If the smell remains, repeat the procedure one or two more times, you can increase the amount of essential oil by 5 ml.
On a note. Corn flour will help clean furniture covers. Lightly dust the fabric with flour and vacuum after half an hour. There will be no trace of the smell left.
Carpet
You can get rid of a mild mouse “incense” using a soap solution and a brush. Dissolve 1/2 bar of laundry soap in warm water, after grating it on a coarse grater. After treatment, repeat the process, but with clean water. If the weather permits, it is better to do this outdoors, because at home it is not always possible to “successfully” clean the carpet; there will definitely be stains.
To do this, you need to hang the carpet on a rope and stretch a hose to this place. Wet with water, apply shampoo or a special cleaner for carpets. Rub with a brush, paying special attention to the area from which the mouse smell emanates. Leave for literally a few minutes so that the product is deeply absorbed into the carpet fibers, thereby breaking down the dirt. Rinse well with water from a hose.
If the smell remains, the procedure should be repeated. Some housewives recommend using baking soda first (sprinkling it in an even layer on the carpet), then cleaning with shampoo.
For more severe dirt, use a vacuum cleaner or steam cleaner. If cleaning yourself does not bring a positive result, the carpet should be dry cleaned.
Potassium permangantsovka
Potassium permanganate is used almost everywhere: small children are bathed with it, they drink it for intestinal disorders, it is used for disinfection, and much more. In addition, potassium permanganate copes with the destruction of stench much better than some odor neutralizers. Therefore, if a rat died under the floor or behind a wall, and the corpse began to emit a stench, potassium permanganate is perfect.
To remove the smell, it will be enough to simply wash the floors and baseboards in those places where rats most often ran, and spray it into those places (cracks) where the corpse of a rodent may be located. In addition, potassium permanganate will also destroy most of the harmful bacteria that parasites might leave behind, so the risk of becoming infected with something in the future is reduced to zero.
Potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate)
Use of chemicals
To eliminate unpleasant odors in residential premises, there are a number of professional products developed by the chemical industry:
- "Lizafin." Domestic product. Available in concentrated liquid form in volumes of 1 and 5 liters. It contains active substances: 30% benzalkonium chloride, 0.5% glutaraldehyde, 0.5% glyoxal. Disinfects any surfaces, incl. furniture, plumbing fixtures, tools, textiles. Belongs to toxicity class 3;
- Medifox . Domestic disinfectant. Available in concentrated liquid form with a volume of 1 liter. It contains active ingredients: 5% non-alkonium chloride, 7% dodecyldipropylene triamine, 5% PHMG hydrochloride. Destroys most pathogenic bacteria and effectively removes sources of odors. Belongs to toxicity class 4;
- "Chlorapin" . Domestic remedy. Available in tablet or granular form. Its main active ingredient is 87% sodium DHCC. Suitable for processing any surfaces, incl. dishes, tools, furniture, and for washing clothes. Belongs to toxicity class 4.
Essential oils
Aromatic herbs are a good help in the fight against both the mice themselves and the smell of dead animals, but the smell of dried plants is subtle and quickly disappears, so it is better to use essential oils. The most commonly used oils are peppermint, lavender, and coniferous trees. The product is applied to a cotton ball and left in the problem area.
Coffee beans
Coffee beans are an excellent absorbent. To neutralize the smell of a dead mouse, coffee beans are laid out near the source in bulk or placed in a cotton bag. Dry coffee grounds have the same effect.
Formalin
Formalin, or formaldehyde, is used by pathologists to neutralize cadaveric odor. The substance will also help to cope with the stench of a dead mouse. It should be remembered that the compound is quite toxic, and use it at home with great caution.
Prevention
To prevent mice from appearing, follow these steps:
— carry out regular cleaning of premises using disinfectants;
- store food in a closed container;
- do not leave food particles on the table or floor;
— place dried herbs in the corners, their aromas repel rodents;
- seal all cracks and openings through which rodents can enter the house.
Reviews-stories
Hello everyone! We had this problem. We fought it with the help of Bianol. The drug is sold in a 1 liter bottle. You can buy it anywhere in hardware stores. After a one-time use, all the nasty smell left by the mice was gone.
Good afternoon. My name is Petr. Wrongly fought against mice. I poisoned them with a special poison before the business trip. The entrance to the basement of the house was closed, they died in the basement, which caused a terrible stench in the house. I arrived and almost suffocated. Then I only read on the poison packaging that mice that have eaten poison come out into the air and seem to be short of breath. In general, I removed the corpses and used Glykodez as a disinfectant. One liter bottle was enough for everything, I also left it for the house to wash everything there. The tool is awesome. The smell went away after about a few days, with constant ventilation.
Recommendations for carrying out work
Rodents
Modern drugs to combat stench while simultaneously destroying sources of unpleasant odors are available for purchase. All products are certified by Rospotrebnadzor. They are easy to use. It is important to act as directed on the packaging and wear protective clothing. All work on premises must be carried out by adults in compliance with safety regulations.
Before using the products, it is necessary to check the integrity of the packages and release dates in order to prevent the use of expired and spoiled drugs. After preparing the working solutions, the concentrates are stored out of the reach of children and animals. The unspent remainder of the working solutions is disposed of.
Sometimes situations arise when the condition for a quiet life can only be urgent treatment of all things and premises using potent agents to eliminate odors. There is always a way out: the choice of drugs that are suitable for getting rid of stench is quite wide. You just need to read the manufacturer's advice and follow their recommendations.
*Prices are valid for September 2022.
