Remember all those old cartoons that show a woman standing on a chair screaming when she sees a mouse run across the floor? Well that is me! I am absolutely terrified of those little creatures. I would rather see a snake or huge spider crawling across the floor then a tiny little mouse. I know it sounds childish to be that afraid of a tiny little creature who is supposedly more afraid of me that I am of it but for me it is the other way around. I freak out big time at the sight of a mouse alive or dead and I have good reasons for being that way. Let's start with what caused my phobia in the first place and then we will go from there.
When I was about 7 years old our neighbors white mouse escaped. It showed up at our house a few days later. The day we first saw it in the house my mom grabbed a broom and was chasing that mouse all over the place to try and kill it.
She cornered it in the laundry room and I was standing just out side the door to the room barefooted. Suddenly the mouse made a mad dash for it and ran right across my foot and in doing so it either bit me or it got me with it's claws, Any way it drew blood. My mom quickly grabbed me up and took me into the bathroom where she washed my foot good with hot water and soap then applied bleach to my foot to kill any germs, wrapped it up in a band aid and went back to chasing the mouse. She finally caught it and killed it with the broom. Now all of that did not really scare me as I had played with the mouse a few times over at my neighbor's house but what came next made me terrified of mice, rats and other rodents the rest of my life.
Picture two teenage boys ages 15 and 17 who loved to tease and pester their much younger sister (who by the way is the baby of the family). For days those goof balls teased me constantly about having to have 21 shots for 21 days in my belly button because I would get rabies from the mouse bite or scratch. By the time they got done they had built up such a fear in me of rodents and shots that I have never been able to over come it. Even after they realized what they had done and tried to tell me it was all a lie, that I really would not have to get 21 shots for 21 days in my belly button, the damage was done. I could never overcome that fear and it is still with me 50 years later as strong as ever. I have tried and tried to over come it but I can't. I even freak out and run the other way if I find the dried of remains of a dead rodent somewhere. I even walked off my job one time leaving my purse, my money and my winter coat because my dumb ass foreman found out I was deathly afraid of rodents. He found a live rat and thought it would be funny to chase me around the shop with it. Of course, he found out it wasn't so funny the next day when the boss found out why I had walked off my job. He got written up and told if he did it again he would be fired. I received nothing for walking out except that my boss paid me for the hours I lost because of the foreman.
What you have read above is just part of the reason I fear mice, rats and rodents of any kind. There are many other reasons I fear them. It is because of all the diseases they can carry and transmit to humans. Diseases like Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, Lassa Fever,
Leptospirosis, Lymphoctic Chorio Meningitis, Rat bite fever and the Plague just to name a few. Any of these can be deadly and the start of a pandemic. And they carry fleas which can bite humans and make them sick.
I am not going to get into all the damage that mice and rats can do to your home but I will address what they can do to your food and prep supplies. These rodents can chew through almost anything. They will get into almost any food packaging except for metal and glass. That is why most of my food storage is always kept in glass canning jars or metal popcorn, cookie and candy tins.
Though I have not seen it, I have heard of mice even chewing through a plastic peanut butter jar and eating the peanut butter. Food is expensive enough for me so I don't want the added of expense of paying for mice to eat too. Rats and the fleas they carried are what caused the black plague centuries ago which killed so many people.
They leave their droppings and urine every where which causes airborne germs which you can breathe in and become sick. Of course, they bring disease carrying fleas into your home. So now you know all the reasons I fear mice, rats and other rodents to the point that I am terrified of them. So let's go on to how to keep them out of your home and if they do get in, how to get rid of them safely so you do not get sick from them. Even dead ones can make you sick.
The information on how to prevent an infestation and how to clean up after mice once they get in to your homes comes from the CDC. It is well worth reading and learning from and will help you in the prevention keeping yourself and your family safe.
Seal it up and prevent infestations.
Seal up holes inside and outside the home to prevent entry by rodents.
Mice can squeeze through a hole the size of a nickel, and rats can squeeze through a hole the size of a half dollar! Prevent rodents from entering the home by checking inside and outside the house for gaps or holes.
Where to look for gaps or holes inside your home
- Inside, under, and behind kitchen cabinets, refrigerators and stoves.
- Inside closets near the floor corners.
- Around the fireplace.
- Around doors.
- Around the pipes under sinks and washing machines.
- Around the pipes going to hot water heaters and furnaces.
- Around floor vents and dryer vents.
- Inside the attic.
- In the basement or crawl space.
- In the basement and laundry room floor drains.
- Between the floor and wall juncture.
Where to look for gaps or holes outside your home
- In the roof among the rafters, gables, and eaves.
- Around windows.
- Around doors.
- Around the foundation
- Attic vents and crawl space vents.
- Under doors.
- Around holes for electrical, plumbing, cable, and gas lines.
Fill small holes with steel wool. Put caulk around the steel wool to keep it in place. Use lath screen or lath metal, cement, hardware cloth, or metal sheeting to fix large holes. These materials can be found at your local hardware store. Fix gaps in trailer skirtings and use flashing around the base of the house. If you do not remember to seal up entry holes in your home, rodents will continue to get inside. Outbuildings and garages should also be sealed to prevent the entrance of rodents.
Trap it up.
Trap rodents around the home to help reduce the rodent population
Choose an appropriate snap trap. Traps for catching mice are different from those for catching rats. Carefully read the instructions before setting the trap.
When setting the trap, place a small amount of peanut butter (approximately the size of a pea) on the bait pan of the snap trap. Position the bait end of the trap next to the wall so it forms a "T" with the wall. Rodents prefer to run next to walls or other objects for safety and do not like being out in the open.
In attics, basements, and crawlspaces and other areas that do not have regular human traffic, set traps in any area where there is evidence of frequent rodent activity. Some rodents, particularly rats, are very cautious and several days may pass before they approach the traps. Other rodents, such as house mice and deer mice, are less cautious and may be trapped more quickly.
We do not recommend using glue traps or live traps. These traps can scare mice that are caught live and cause them to urinate. Since their urine may contain germs this may increase your risk of being exposed to diseases.
Also, place traps in outbuildings and in areas that might likely serve as rodent shelters. Natural rodent predators, such as non-poisonous snakes, owls, and hawks, may also help control and reduce the number of rodents outside the home.
If you trap inside your home, but do not seal up rodent entry holes, new rodents will enter the dwelling.
Clean up
Clean up rodent food sources and nesting sites.
Prevent contact with rodents by cleaning up your home, workplace, or campsite.
Eliminate possible rodent food sources
- Keep food in thick plastic or metal containers with tight lids.
- Clean up spilled food right away and wash dishes and cooking utensils soon after use.
- Keep outside cooking areas and grills clean.
- Always put pet food away after use and do not leave pet-food or water bowls out overnight.
- Keep bird feeders away from the house and utilize squirrel guards to limit access to the feeder by squirrels and other rodents.
- Use a thick plastic or metal garbage can with a tight lid.
- Keep compost bins as far away from the house as possible (100 feet or more is best).
- Keep grains and animal feed in thick plastic or metal containers with tight lids. In the evening, uneaten animal feed should be returned to containers with lids.
If storing trash and food waste inside the home, do so in rodent-proof containers, and frequently clean the containers with soap and water. Dispose of trash and garbage on a frequent and regular basis, and pick up or eliminate clutter.
Eliminate possible nesting sites outside the home. Elevate hay, woodpiles, and garbage cans at least 1 foot off the ground. Move woodpiles far away from the house (100 feet or more is best). Get rid of old trucks, cars, and old tires that mice and rats could use as homes. Keep grass cut short and shrubbery within 100 feet of the home well trimmed.
Cleaning up after rodents.
Urine and droppings.
Take precautions before and during clean up of rodent-infested areas. Before cleaning, trap the rodents and seal up any entryways to ensure that no rodents can get in. Continue trapping for a week. If no rodents are captured, the active infestation has been eliminated and enough time has passed so that any infectious virus in the rodent's urine/droppings or nesting material is no longer infectious.
Before starting clean up of the space, ventilate the space by opening the doors and windows for at least 30 minutes to allow fresh air to enter the area. Use cross-ventilation and leave the area during the airing-out period.
First, clean up any urine and droppings. When you begin cleaning, it is important that you do not stir up dust by sweeping or vacuuming up droppings, urine, or nesting materials.
Mopping with disinfectant
- Wear rubber, latex, or vinyl gloves when cleaning urine and droppings.
- Spray the urine and droppings with a disinfectant or a mixture of bleach and water and let soak 5 minutes. The recommended concentration of bleach solution is 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. When using a commercial disinfectant, following the manufacturer's instructions on the label for dilution and disinfection time.
- Use a paper towel to pick up the urine and droppings, and dispose of the waste in the garbage.
- After the rodent droppings and urine have been removed, disinfect items that might have been contaminated by rodents or their urine and droppings.
Next, clean and disinfect the whole area
- Mop floors and clean countertops with disinfectant or bleach solution.
- Steam clean or shampoo upholstered furniture and carpets with evidence of rodent exposure.
- Wash any bedding and clothing with laundry detergent in hot water if exposed to rodent urine or droppings.
Lastly, remove gloves, and thoroughly wash hands with soap and water (or use a waterless alcohol-based hand rub when soap is not available and hands are not visibly soiled).
Dead rodents or nests.
Wear rubber, latex, or vinyl gloves when cleaning up dead rodents or nests.
- Spray the dead rodent or nest and the surrounding area with a disinfectant or a mixture of bleach and water.
- Soak rodent, nesting materials or droppings in solution for 5 minutes before wiping up with a paper towel or rag.
- Place the dead rodent or nesting materials in a plastic bag and seal tightly. Place the full bag in a second plastic bag and seal.
- Throw the bag into a covered trash can that is regularly emptied.
Remove gloves, and thoroughly wash hands with soap and water (or use a waterless alcohol-based hand rub when soap is not available and hands are not visibly soiled).
Cabins, sheds, barns, or other outbuildings. Before attempting to clean cabins, sheds, barns, or other outbuildings, open all doors and windows for 30 minutes. This will allow fresh air to enter the work area.
- Wear rubber, latex, or vinyl gloves and clean up all rodent urine, droppings, nests, and dead rodents using disinfectant or mixture of bleach and water.
- Mop floors or spray dirt floors with a disinfectant or mixture of bleach and water.
- Clean countertops, cabinets, and drawers with a disinfectant or a mixture of bleach and water.
Attics, basements, crawlspaces, and other storage areas, Recommended methods of textile decontamination Clothing, Bedding, Stuffed Animals. Launder potentially contaminated bedding, clothing, or stuffed animals with hot water and detergent. Use rubber, latex, vinyl, or nitrile gloves when handling contaminated laundry. Machine-dry laundry on a high setting or hang it to air dry in the sun.
Laundry detergent breaks down the virus's lipid envelope, rendering it harmless. Additionally, heat generated by the clothes dryer will also ensure that the virus is noninfectious. However, the use of a clothes dryer alone is not recommended as the sole treatment because not all dryers reach the necessary temperature. A temperature of 45 degrees Celsius, or about 115 degrees Fahrenheit, is required to inactivate hantaviruses.
Carpets/FurnitureShampoo rugs and upholstered furniture with a commercial disinfectant or with a commercial-grade steam cleaner or shampoo.
Books, Papers and other Non-washable items.
You may leave books, papers, and other items that cannot be cleaned with a liquid disinfectant or thrown away, outdoors in the sunlight for several hours, or in an indoor area free of rodents for approximately 1 week before cleanup. After that time, the virus should no longer be infectious. Wear rubber, latex, vinyl, or nitrile gloves and wipe the items with a cloth moistened with disinfectant.
Once excreted into the environment by the rodent, hantaviruses can survive in the environment and remain infectious for a period of 2-3 days. Ultraviolet rays in sunlight inactivates hantaviruses.
Before cleaning attics, basements, crawlspaces and other storage areas, it is necessary to completely remove the existing rodent infestation by trapping. When there is no evidence of infestation, wait about 5 days before beginning to clean these areas. Before cleaning the space, ventilate the area by opening the doors and windows for at least 30 minutes to allow fresh air to enter the area and to remove potentially contaminated air from the area. Use cross-ventilation and leave the area during the airing-out period.
When cleaning attics, basements, crawlspaces and other storage areas:
- Wear rubber, latex, or vinyl gloves when cleaning up urine, droppings, or nesting materials. Note that a dust mask may provide some protection against dust, molds, and insulation fibers, but does not protect against viruses.
- Spray any urine, droppings, and nesting materials with either a bleach and water solution (1 parts bleach to 9 parts water) or a household disinfectant prepared according to the label instructions for dilution and disinfection time. Soak well. This will inactivate any virus. Use a paper towel or rag to pick up the materials and dispose of them.
- Mop floors after spraying them using bleach/water solution or a disinfectant. Dirt floors can be sprayed with either bleach and water solution or a disinfectant.
- If exposed insulation has become contaminated with urine and droppings, it should be placed into plastic bags for removal.
- To remove any potentially contaminated materials from storage vessels/boxes:
- First, move the storage vessels/boxes outside and place them in an area that is well-ventilated and exposed to direct sunlight. The outside of the storage vessels/boxes can be disinfected using bleach and water solution or disinfectant solution;
- Next, remove the potentially contaminated materials while in the sunlit, ventilated area. Remain upwind so that any dust or debris is not blown toward your face. Some contaminated stored materials, such as clothing, books, etc. can be decontaminated by following the recommended methods of disinfection provided in the table below; items that are no longer needed can be discarded.
- Dispose of any cardboard boxes contaminated with urine or droppings. Plastic, glass, or metal containers can be disinfected by spraying with the bleach and water solution or disinfectant. Then, using a rag or paper towel, wipe up the urine or droppings and dispose of the waste.
- Clean countertops, cabinets, and drawers with disinfectant or bleach and water solution.
- Decontaminate gloves with disinfectant or bleach and water solution. Wash hands well with soap and warm water.
Heavy rodent infestation.
Special precautions should be used for cleaning homes or buildings with heavy rodent infestation. The special precautions may also apply to vacant dwellings that have attracted large numbers of rodents and to dwellings and other structures where hantavirus has been confirmed in the rodent population.
Workers who are either hired specifically to perform a clean-up or are asked to do so as part of their work activities should contact their local or state health department, local or state occupational health and safety authority (OSHA) or CDC for information about preventing rodent-borne diseases.
Persons involved in the clean-up of heavy rodent infestations should wear the protective equipment listed here:
- coveralls (disposable, if possible);
- rubber boots or disposable shoe covers;
- rubber, latex, or vinyl gloves;
- protective goggles;
- and an appropriate respiratory protection device, such as a half-mask air-purifying (or negative-pressure) respirator with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter or a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) with HEPA filters. Follow local and state requirement regarding pulmonary function and fit testing before beginning any work requiring the use of a respirator.
- Personal protective gear should be decontaminated upon removal at the end of the day. All potentially infective waste material (including respirator filters) from clean-up operations that cannot be burned or deep-buried on site should be double-bagged in appropriate plastic bags. The bagged material should then be labeled as infectious (if it is to be transported) and disposed of in accordance with local requirements for infectious waste.
Air ducts (heating and cooling ventilation systems).
When there is evidence that rodents have access to heating and cooling ventilation systems, it is best to contact a professional rodent exterminating service to remove them. Companies specializing in duct cleaning are familiar with the particular problems and risks associated with rodent infestation in ventilation systems.
I am sorry that this post is so long but I want you all to be prepared for a rodent infestation if one ever happens in your home. And please be advised that if the S ever does hit the fan garbage pick up will stop so garbage will be everywhere. When that happens you can be sure that the rodent population will increase at least ten fold in the world raising the risks of getting an infectious disease even higher. Be prepared and be pre-warned.
Prepping Granny