How to Clean Up After a Rodent Infestation
Rodent infestation can be a nuisance. These creatures not only damage your property but also cause and spread diseases. They mostly hide and breed in areas that are dark, warm and without human traffic like the attics, crawlspaces, basements and other storage areas. Rodents are shy creatures which hide throughout the day and come out at night. If you suspect your house has been infested by these creatures, you can start by looking for things like their droppings, urine, and nests. Once you are sure there are rodents in your home, you can follow the following steps to get rid of them and clean your attic, basement, or crawlspace areas;
Before you start the attic cleaning process, make sure that you get rid of the rodents by trapping the existing ones and finish off by rodent proofing your home. If after a week of trapping no rodents are found, it means that there are no active rodents in the area. You can also start cleaning as the droppings and urine are no longer infectious. Open all doors and windows for about 30 minutes to let in fresh air and to let out any contaminated air before you start cleaning. It is advisable to leave the room as the airing-out period takes place.
How to safely clean your attic, crawlspace or basement after a rodent infestation
- Cover your hands by wearing rubber, vinyl gloves or latex when you clean up the droppings, urine or nests. A dust mask will also protect you against dust and moulds but not from the viruses.
- Use bleach and water solution (1:9, bleach to water), or a household disinfectant to spray any urine, droppings and nest materials. Let it soak for some time. This is to make inactive any remaining virus. A paper towel or rag can be used to pick them up and throw them away.
- Clean drawers, cabinets and counter-tops with bleach and water solutions or a disinfectant and a clean rag.
- When performing crawlspace cleaning, it is advisable to put in plastic bags any insulation that has been contaminated with urine and droppings before throwing it away.
- Throw away all cardboard boxes that are contaminated. Any contaminated metal, glass or plastic containers can be cleaned and disinfected with bleach and water solution or a disinfectant.
- Spray the floor with bleach/water solution or disinfectant before mopping it.
- In case materials in the storage boxes are contaminated, you can;
- Start by taking all the boxes outside in a well-ventilated area that is exposed to the sun.
- Remove the contaminated material from the boxes. If the contents cannot be washed or thrown away like books and papers, leave them outdoors in the sun for several hours. Use a cloth that is moistened with disinfectant to wipe the items. Make sure to wear protective gear for your hands.
If you prefer professional attic/crawlspace cleaning and decontamination services or rodent proofing, contact Element Home Solutions in the Bay Area
If you reside in the Bay Area and you would prefer professional cleaning services, call us and we will take care of it. Element Home Solutions offers attic cleaning, crawlspace cleaning, rodent proofing and more services which you can find on our homepage. Request a free quote today online or give us a call at 888-980-4822 and we will be happy to assist you.