Can You Get Sick From Cleaning Mouse Droppings?

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Suppose y'all're in the middle of your weekly house cleaning or opening upward your mountain cabin for the spring and need to vacuum. You come across some small-scale rice-shaped pellets (more than commonly known as mouse debris) along a baseboard or in a cabinet. Yikes! It looks like you lot've got a resident mouse or two.

Is it safe to vacuum rat and mouse droppings? It is non prophylactic to vacuum or sweep up mouse droppings without HEPA filtration. Rats and mice can behave diseases, bacteria, and viruses that are harmful, fifty-fifty fatal to humans. When disturbed, these pathogens release airborne particles that humans can breathe in.

Your first idea is probably to catch the nearest vacuum cleaner and get to work sucking upwards all the droppings. But concur on a minute; that may not be the best style to handle the trouble. In this article, we'll explore what you should exercise to clean up rodent droppings safely.

Is it Safety to Vacuum Mouse Droppings?

If you've seen rat or mouse droppings, then y'all know it'due south fourth dimension to take some action. Where at that place are mouse poop, at that place is likewise urine and saliva, both of which tin can as well transmit diseases.

Near of us want to grab a broom or vacuum cleaner and get to work, just that's not a good—or condom—thought. Using a broom or vacuum cleaner with a standard filter will disturb the feces, releasing contaminated particles into the air. In one case inhaled, these particles, if a virus is nowadays, can make you lot very sick.

Rodent Droppings Are a Health Hazard

No one wants rodents (mice and rats) in their home or function. But these little critters oftentimes make their way into our buildings through gaps in windows or doors, tub drains, or through small holes near gas lines.

Mice can live inside walls, insulation, in and under cabinets, and in crawl spaces. In one case 1 or two find a warm, cozy place inside, they invite all their friends. And now you've got a trouble.

Co-ordinate to the Centers for Disease Command, rodents can straight transmit over x diseases to humans, including the Hantavirus and Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis (LCM), which are spread primarily by mice. Indirect transmission from rodents is linked with at least fifteen diseases.

Since 1993 when tape-keeping began, there have been 728 cases of Hantavirus in the U.South. (equally of 2022). And so, while it'south relatively rare, it is a threat when rodents are present. And with a 38% mortality rate, the hantavirus is non something to have lightly.

Can I Utilise a Regular Vacuum Cleaner with a Special Filter?

Regular vacuum cleaners with a standard filter volition stir up dust and aerosolize the pathogens in the mouse poop, releasing the particles into the air. That'due south why it's not recommended to use a regular vacuum cleaner.

Still, yous tin observe special filters called HEPA filters that fit standard vacuum cleaners. Problem solved, right? Not so fast. Let'due south see what HEPA means and get from there.

What Are HEPA filters?

HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air. Information technology's not a special material but a standard of filtration. To receive the HEPA designation, the filter must capture at least 99.97% of particles that are very small—0.3 microns.

A True HEPA filter will have a serial number printed on information technology. Information technology may even have test results printed on the filter itself, showing its capability to trap microscopic particles.

A HEPA-type filter does non see the same strict standard as the True HEPA. Although similar in appearance, a HEPA-blazon filter usually traps just 85-90% of particles, even less for the smallest ones. This type volition not have a series number printed on the filter.

Practice HEPA Filters Assist When Vacuuming Mouse Droppings?

At first glance, a HEPA filter seems like the perfect solution. Merely put one in your regular vacuum cleaner, and yous're good to go. However, that'due south not actually the example, and here's why:

According to a Tornadovac commodity, a vacuum cleaner with sufficient airflow and decent rollers does an excellent job of capturing allergens and other particulates. Add a HEPA filter and results ameliorate. However, nigh still permit some air to escape back into the room.

When it comes to rodent cleanup, the problem lies in these particles' ability to escape the vacuum cleaner through tiny fissures and cracks in the housing and hoses and get into the air we breathe. That exposes u.s.a. to hantavirus and other diseases.

Then you lot come across, merely adding a HEPA filter to a standard vacuum cleaner is non sufficient protection against contaminated particles when cleaning upwards rodent debris.

How to Safely Vacuum Mouse Droppings

By now, y'all're probably wondering if it's fifty-fifty possible to safely use a vacuum cleaner at all to get rid of mouse droppings in your home or office. With standard household equipment, even with a HEPA filter, your best bet is non vacuuming and avoiding aerosolizing the particles.

Even so, at that place are vacuum cleaners out there that will allow y'all to suck up the droppings, provided you follow other prophylactic precautions like wearing gloves, disinfecting the soiled area, and washing hands and vesture when finished.

Truthful HEPA Vacuum Cleaner

A True HEPA vacuum cleaner (also known as a Sealed HEPA) pulls air in and only allows air to exit through the HEPA filter. The machine is carefully designed and built and so that no air can escape except through the filter.

If you prefer non to phone call in a professional company to make clean upward your mouse mess, consider using a True HEPA vacuum cleaner. Other than the non-vacuum method mentioned earlier, a Truthful HEPA vacuum is the safest way to eliminate mouse debris.

True HEPA vacuums come up in ii types: bagged and bagless. It's not the pocketbook or lack of bag that makes the machine HEPA, though. You tin find Truthful HEPA machines that cost virtually the same as a non-HEPA vacuum.

PRO TIP: Whenever y'all are dealing with mouse droppings, be sure to confirm that the vacuum cleaner yous purchase or use is a Truthful HEPA, rated to filter 99.97% of particles equally small as 0.three microns. We've reviewed five of the best upright vacuum cleaner south equipped with HEPA filters to help y'all on your quest against nasty mouse poop!

Other Means to Safely Make clean Up Mouse Droppings

Every bit you lot might have guessed from the previous sections, the all-time way to eliminate mouse droppings is to avoid using the vacuum altogether. Instead, once you lot've made certain all the mice are gone, you should follow these steps to clean up the places they've been:

• Air out the infected space for at least thirty minutes by opening all windows and doors to provide cross-ventilation. Stay out of the area during this ventilation time.
• Wear protective equipment: thick, not-absorbent prophylactic gloves and, if possible, a full-face respirator (link to Amazon). Remember, you tin never be too conscientious.
• Spray the droppings and urine with a disinfectant or bleach solution and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. A mixture of i part bleach to 10 parts water tin also exist used.
• One time the area is damp, use a paper towel or old rag to pick up the feces and wipe urine stains carefully to prevent hazardous particles from becoming airborne.
• Dispose of all debris and the cloths used in the cleanup in a heavy-duty plastic garbage purse.
• Seal the garbage bag tightly and place information technology in the garbage can.
• Using more disinfectant or bleach solution, thoroughly clean and disinfect the area, including any surface or item that might take been touched by mice or their droppings.
• Throw away the gloves used during cleanup.
• Launder your hands and clothing thoroughly with soap and hot water.

Final Thoughts

And in that location you get, a response to the question:Is It Prophylactic to Vacuum Rat and Mouse Droppings?

While most of us (understandably) want to get rid of mouse droppings as shortly equally nosotros find them, it's not rubber to whip out our regular vacuum cleaner and start "Hoovering" the area. For safety'southward sake, it'southward best to slow down and plan the cleanup before doing anything that may exist harmful to your health.

If y'all've got a True HEPA vacuum cleaner and protective gear, it's okay to begin dealing with your mouse poop problem carefully. Otherwise, follow the steps we've shared with you or call a rodent removal and cleanup professtional. They are well-trained to not only clean up the mess, simply to terminate whatever infestation likewise.

Ryan O'Connor

I write about house cleaning and vacuum cleaners. For me, zero is more important than a clean surround to ensure both a salubrious and happy life. Learn more.

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