How to Clean Rat Droppings

Removing Rat Droppings

Ventilate the space where you will clean. Open the doors and windows of the area where you need to clean the droppings. Ventilate this space for at least 30 minutes before you begin cleaning. If you are dealing with a very large number of droppings, wear a face mask or ventilator while cleaning. Consider wearing an eye mask when cleaning after large infestations of rats.

Don’t sweep or vacuum up rat droppings. This will release any pathogens into the air and can also trap pathogens in your vacuum or on your broom. Instead, only clean up the droppings with a commercial disinfectant or a 10% chlorine bleach solution. Use paper towels to pick up droppings soaked in this solution.

Make a 10% chlorine bleach solution. Combine 1.5 cups (360 mL) of chlorine bleach with one gallon (5.678 L) of hot water. You might wear a mask or ventilator to protect your throat and lungs when making this solution. Put the solution in a spray bottle.

Spray the solution on the droppings. Put on rubber or latex gloves that you can dispose of or wash in very hot water. Spray the droppings with the bleach solution until they are saturated. Let the solution soak into the droppings for about five minutes.

Pick up the droppings with a paper towel. Next, put the paper towel in a plastic bag and secure the bag. Put the plastic bag with the droppings in a covered trash can that is emptied frequently. Ideally take the plastic bag to a trash receptacle outside your home.

Clean the insulation in your attic. Rats often nest in attics. Remove the droppings in the attic as described above. Use this technique on any hard surfaces and in the insulation. Remove any insulation that has a large number of rat droppings, especially if these droppings are below the top surface of the insulation. Put heavily soiled insulation in a plastic bag and dispose of it immediately. You’ll have to replace the insulation.

Cleaning Up After Removing the Droppings

Wipe all floors and surfaces. Mop the floors where you’ve removed the droppings and wipe down counters with the 10% chlorine bleach solution. Use a paper towel to wipe surfaces. If bleach will ruin your floor or counters, spray the floor or counters with 3% hydrogen peroxide.

Follow up with vinegar. After mopping and wiping the counters, spray pure white vinegar on the hydrogen peroxide and wipe the floors and counters clean. Next, soak your mop in commercial disinfectant or the 10% chlorine bleach solution and rinse it in hot water. Immediately dispose of all paper towels you used to wipe surfaces and dispose of your plastic or latex gloves. Alternatively, wash your gloves thoroughly with soap and hot water.

Wash your furniture and clothing. Steam clean or shampoo any furniture that had droppings on it. Put any clothing you wore to clean the rat droppings in a washing machine and clean them with laundry detergent and hot water. Put the shoes you wore to clean the droppings in the washing machine with your clothes. Hand wash clothing or shoes that can’t go in the washing machine. Use hot water and laundry detergent to clean them.

Wash your hands. Use hot water and a disinfecting hand soap to clean your hands. Scrub them thoroughly, including under your nails and around your wrists. Don’t rely on alcohol-based hand sanitizer to clean your hands.

Ridding Your Home of Rats

Trap the rats. Use industrial strength traps to remove the rats from your home. Avoid poisons, because the rats might die in walls or other hard to reach areas where you won’t find them. Continue trapping rats for a week or until you no longer have any rodents.

Remove dead rats. Wear rubber or latex gloves. Spray the dead rat with a disinfectant or a combination of one part bleach and ten parts hot water. Allow this to remain on the dead rat for five minutes.

Scoop up the dead rat with a paper towel. Seal the rat with the paper towel in a plastic bag. For safety, put this bag in a second bag. Dispose of the rat in a covered garbage receptacle that is emptied regularly.

Clean up after rat removal. Spray the area of your floor where the rat was with a solution of 1.5 cups (360 mL) of chlorine bleach and one gallon (5.678 L) of hot water. Wipe the floor down thoroughly with a paper towel and dispose of the paper towel immediately. Also dispose of the gloves you wear for cleaning up the rat and the floor or wash them well in soap and hot water. Carefully wash your hands with plenty of disinfecting soap and hot water.