Dangers Of Mice Poop

The dangers of mice poop is probably not something you think about often. However if you are reading this article then you are interested. Perhaps you recently had mice in your home and you want to know how to clean it up and the precautions you should take. Here are some reminders from us and the CDC on how to protect yourself and your family from the dangers of mice poop.

Why Is Mice Poop Dangerous?

Some mice and rats are know to carry hantaviruses. One of the most dangerous type is known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome or HPS. Anyone can get HPS and you don’t have to be sick or immunocompromised either. While it can be fatal, the good news is that all mice and rats do not carry it. The dangers of mice poop don’t start with the seen poop. If you have mice in and around your home, the mice can step in the feces and then when they walk in your house or counters, spread the disease.

When we find out there is a mouse in our house, we might decide to set some traps to catch and get rid of them. Here are some recommendation to keep you and your family safe.

Preventing Mice In The First Place

If you set some snap traps, make sure you do this before you seal up any openings. Once you believe you have trapped the mice, you should then carefully check your house. Look for any possible openings. Areas you need to look include anywhere pipes enter your home. Could be under the sink, around the air conditioning system and of course roof line eves. Make sure you seal these up good. You may want to use some metal mesh along with spray foam to discourage the mice and rats from chewing through the foam.

Cleaning Mice Poop and Snap Traps

The CDC recommends how to clean up a dead mouse or rat in a snap trap and how to clean up a rodent nest:

• Wear rubber or plastic gloves.
• Spray the dead mouse, rat, or nest, as well as the surrounding area, with a disinfectant or a mixture of bleach and water. Let it soak. Spray gloves before taking them off
• Place nesting materials or trap with the dead rodent in a plastic bag. If you plan to reuse the trap, get the mouse or rat out of the trap by holding it over the bag and lifting the metal bar. Let the mouse or rat drop in the bag. Disinfect the trap.
• Seal the bag. Place the full bag in a second plastic bag. Seal that bag.
• Throw the bag into a covered trash can that is regularly emptied or contact your state health department for information on other ways to throw away dead mice and rats.
• Wash gloved hands with soap and water or spray a disinfectant or bleach solution on gloves before taking them off.
• Wash hands with soap and warm water after removing your gloves.

This article isn’t mean to scare you, but to share with you the real dangers of having mice poop in your homes. One of the best ways to prevent them from coming into your home is keeping you home and yard clean. This doesn’t mean your yard is dirty, but rather, eliminate places for mice to hide and make homes. Keep shrubs and trees that are against your house well trimmed. Make certain your trash can has a lid on it all times in between trash pick up. These simple things well make it easier for the mice and rodents to look elsewhere than your property.

Lawncare Extraordinaire has been protecting local families, your neighbors, since 1979. If you are a customer, but and you want to add rodent service reach out to us. If your current lawn and pest company is not performing to your expectations, we would love to show you why we are number 1 throughout Venice, Sarasota and all of Southwest Florida.