What To Do If You Find Mouse Droppings In The House

Finding mouse droppings around your home signals that it may be time to call an exterminator. While that thought alone is disturbing, and a mice infestation must be attended to promptly, you must also clean up with droppings immediately. The best way to safely clean mouse droppings in the home is by using bleach.

Even if you have called professionals to address the mouse problem and no longer believe that mice are present in your home, you must carefully remove all droppings. Leftover droppings and even urine contain pheromones. This can attract more rodents to your home. 

Mice produce a lot of droppings, between 50 and 75 a day. They look like tiny rods with pointy ends and are only about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch. Despite their size, they can pose health risks. Mouse droppings can transmit bacteria and viruses, including the hantavirus (via WebMD). Consequently, cleaning up mouse dirt immediately is important, but you must also protect yourself while cleaning it.

Though it might seem easy to vacuum up or sweep mice droppings, that can be dangerous. When briskly moved, virus droplets can be spread into the air, according to the CDC. That is why using bleach first is key. To begin, protect yourself by putting on rubber gloves and possibly a mask and safety goggles to protect yourself against the droppings and keep your skin, eyes, and lungs protected from the bleach fumes. If you are cleaning a heavy infestation, the more safety gear, the better.

A common mistake people make when using bleach is not diluting it sufficiently. Be sure to avoid this. The ideal ratio of bleach to water is one part bleach to nine parts water, which roughly translates into adding 1 1/2 cups of bleach into a gallon of water. You can also use a store-bought disinfectant spray.

Next, spray the droppings generously and allow the solution to sit for a few minutes. Do the same on any areas of mouse urine you might be able to find. After five minutes, pick up the droppings with paper towels and wipe the area. Promptly throw paper towels away in the garbage, ideally in an outside trash can with lids. Once all droppings are moved, it's time to disinfect the area further. Mop the area with a good disinfectant solution to clean the area, preferably with a disposable mop pad.