Rat Feces – Humane Wildlife Removal

How To Deal With Rat Feces?

Cleaning animal’s poop is certainly not an ideal afternoon task, no matter what kind of animal you are dealing with, but it gets even worse when you are fighting a pest infestation. If you have a problem with rats, you will quickly realize that their droppings are usually concentrated in specific locations. This is quite troublesome, as the latrine with a lot of feces piled in one area requires a lot of work to clean it up and repair the spot – even if you have already dealt with the rodent problem itself. It is important to take all the precautions before starting the cleaning and in this article, we are giving you the best tips on how to handle this situation safely.

Identifying Rat Feces

Firstly, it is crucial to inspect the droppings and establish what animal left them behind. Only then will you be able to choose the right method of dealing with the contaminated area. Rodent droppings can be quite similar to each other, and mice feces can even be mistaken with roach excrement.

If you notice dark poop pellets appearing in big groupings in specific spaces, there is a big chance you are dealing with rats. Rat poop has an oval shape and size, and very often we can find spots filled with it near insulation. It usually is black in colour, and the blacker the poop, the fresher it is. Old feces dry out and become more of a grey colour.

Rat excrements vary in size depending on the species and also the rodent’s age. A good way to tell which rodent you are dealing with is to see how big the poop is compared to rice pellets – if the feces are tinier, there is a big chance you are dealing with mice rather than rats. We also recommend checking online for pictures of rat poop and then comparing the ones you found in your house, to make sure you identified the right pest.

As we’ve mentioned before, rats leave their droppings in specific areas, that’s why when dealing with these rodents you will come across feces in high quantity in one space. This is due to the fact that a single adult rat can leave around 30 – 55 droppings a day. The number of feces left behind by animals is quite crucial in estimating the number of pests.

Why Rat Feces Are Dangerous

The main issue with rats is the diseases they carry and spread to humans and other animals. The accumulation of rat poop causes not only severe damage to your house, but also can spread bacteria, viruses, and diseases, contaminate food, and trigger allergic reactions.

Dried droppings are also dangerous to people as they give off harmful spores into the air. One of the most serious diseases that rats carry is Leptospirosis that can cause kidney failure, encephalitis of brain tissue in severe cases, and meningitis. Contact with rat feces can also lead to contracting Salmonellosis or Hantavirus. It’s crucial to remember that the longer rat droppings stay in your home and are not being cleaned in a professional manner, the bigger the risk for a health hazard.

Precautions You Should Take Before The Clean-up

Cleaning rat feces is not the most complicated process in the world, however, it should be done patiently and very carefully. It is recommended to ventilate the contaminated room at least half an hour before starting the cleaning. It is crucial to wear protective gear, such as rubber gloves, face mask, and protective goggles. This type of gear will prevent you from getting in direct contact with the droppings and inhaling the contaminated dust.

Cleaning Methods And Tips

Remember to never stir up the dust by vacuuming or sweeping the feces. You should spray the contaminated spot with a disinfectant or bleach-based spray, and let it soak for around 5 minutes. Afterwards, you can use a paper towel to clean up the droppings and dispose of the waste in a sealed container or bag. Make sure that there is a very minimal chance of the droppings to be spread by putting the waste into an additional bag before throwing it into the garbage can.
Afterward, it is important to disinfect the whole area – from mopping the floors with disinfectant to steam cleaning upholstered furniture or carpets that were contaminated by rat feces. At the end of the cleaning, remember to thoroughly wash and scrub your hands!

Rat poop can leave your home with an unpleasant odor and ugly stains. The cleaning process can be quite stressful and if you are dealing with a big rat infestation it may be a good idea to contact professional pest controllers.