How To Get Rid Of Mouse Urine Smell
Have you ever had mice activity in your home? If so, you know that their urine can leave an unpleasant odor behind. Mice can set up shop in just a few days, and they leave their droppings wherever they go. Not only can the smell be offensive, but their urine can also pose a health hazard to humans.
Mix a solution that is equal parts white vinegar and water and spray it over the mouse urine. Sprinkle baking soda and carpet cleaner onto the mouse urine to soak it up and remove the smell. Rent a steam cleaner to remove the smell from the floor and place a bowl of white vinegar out to remove the smell from the air.
The smell and potential health hazards will not go away unless you take the proper steps to remove the mouse urine. Read on to find out how to do this quickly and effectively.
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Removing Mouse Urine Smell from Wood
Whether they are in your floorboards, an old dresser, or your walls, mice love to make a home within wooden structures. The scent of their droppings can soak into the wood and continue to give off the smell for years. To eliminate the smell, you can either use baking soda, bleach, or a commercial enzymatic cleaner.
Contact with mice droppings can transmit viruses and bacteria. Be sure to wear protective equipment when using these methods. This should at least include gloves, masks, and eye protection.
Baking Soda
A simple solution is to sprinkle baking soda wherever the urine has soaked in. Allow this to sit for at least 24 hours, and then vacuum or dust the excess baking soda away. This may need to be combined with other cleaning methods to be fully effective.
Bleach
Start by making a diluted bleach solution of ¼ teaspoon household bleach for every 2 cups of water. Use this solution to wipe down the soiled surfaces.
The bleach should infiltrate the wood and kill the source of the smell. Always be extra cautious and do your research before working with chemicals like bleach. Bleach can also be used as a preventative measure to keep mice and rats away.
Commercial Cleaner
Cleaning products that use enzymes to fight animal urine and other stains are called enzymatic cleaners. Popular enzymatic cleaners include Nature’s Miracle, TriNova, and many cleaners designed for pet stains.
These all-in-one solutions should get to the core of the mouse urine smell and eliminate the source.
Removing Mouse Urine Smell from Your Carpets
Carpets soaked in mouse urine can be one of the toughest clean-up jobs to tackle. If your budget allows, you may hire a professional carpet cleaner. Otherwise, you will need to rent and use a commercial carpet cleaner.
Hiring a professional carpet cleaner can cost hundreds of dollars, depending on the size of your home. Most people choose to rent a machine for cleaning at a fraction of the cost.
To clean your own carpets, follow these steps:
Step 1: Rent a Carpet Cleaner
Visit a home improvement or pet store to rent a commercial carpet cleaner. They usually cost around $30 per day. You will also need to purchase the compatible cleaning solutions. Your total cost should still be under $100. This is a large savings compared to the cost of hiring a professional.
Step 2: Make a Vinegar Solution
Fill a bottle with a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water. Vinegar neutralizes the smells without having an effect on your carpet’s color. Shake up your bottle and spray it liberally on the soiled areas of the carpet. Allow the mixture to soak in.
Step 3: Use Baking Soda
Sprinkle baking soda on the affected area and allow it to soak in for a few hours. The baking soda will help neutralize and break down the organic materials that are causing persistent smells. Vacuum up the excess baking soda.
Step 4: Use the Carpet Cleaner
Now, use the steam cleaner to clean the soiled areas of the carpet. Follow your specific carpet cleaner’s instructions on how to operate. Make sure you are using the proper cleaning solutions recommended by the machine’s manufacturer.
Step 5: Ozone Generator
If your budget allows, you can also try the use of an ozone generator. These machines will purify the air, but they will not attack the source of the problem. These devices can be expensive, but it may be possible to rent one depending on your area.
Ozone generators work by converting oxygen into ozone and removing pollutants from the air. Although ozone generators can help, they will not remove the source of the problem. They can only clean the air, not the materials that have soaked into your carpet.
A low-cost alternative to an ozone generator is white vinegar. If left out in a bowl, white vinegar will soak up residual smells from the air.
Step 6: Air Out
Allow the affected space to air out. If the smell persists, you may need to repeat these steps again. If you are having trouble with your steam cleaner, you may be making a common carpet cleaning mistake.
Safety Precautions
Always be cautious when working around mouse droppings. The droppings can contain many different pathogens, including the potentially fatal hantavirus. The virus can remain active even if the mice are long gone.
Always wear proper safety gear when working around mouse nests. This gear can include a respirator, gloves, goggles, and protective clothing.
Preventative Care
After you have removed the smell, you can perform some preventative care to make sure the mice don’t return in the future.
Here are some tips:
Use Peppermint Oil
Mice are known to be repulsed by the scent of peppermint oil. Put a few drops of oil near possible mouse entryways. Alternatively, you can mix a few drops of oil in a spray bottle filled with water. Mist the corners of your house or anywhere you see mice activity.
Place Mouse Traps
Place mouse traps around your house. It only takes a few days for mice to set up shop. Leaving traps out will continuously help keep your mouse population down. Make sure to check traps regularly and change them as needed.
Seal up Holes with Steel Wool
Use steel wool to fill in any spaces that you know mice are entering from. Mice cannot chew through steel wool and will be forced to find an alternate route.
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Related Questions
Can you always smell mouse pee?
Sometimes a mouse infestation will not get bad enough to radiate an odor. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t remedy the problem immediately. Mouse urine has been known to spread the Hanta Virus, a potentially deadly virus.
Why does mouse urine smell bad?
Mice use their urine as a method of communication. The strong scent is thought to be caused by proteins in the urine. Male mice leave behind their scent to “speak” to other mice about their gender, location, and more.
What does mouse urine smell like?
Mice droppings can leave a strong ammonia smell reminiscent of stale urine. The smell will get stronger as you get closer to where they spend their time. It will be especially noticeable in enclosed spaces, such as an attic, basement, or cabinets.
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