Safety in Cleaning Rat Infested Area

Special precautions should be used for cleaning homes or buildings with heavy rodent infestation. Before starting clean up of the space, ventilate the space by opening the doors and windows for at least 30 minutes to allow fresh air to enter the area. Use cross-ventilation and leave the area during the airing-out period.

When you begin cleaning, it is important that you do not stir up dust by sweeping or vacuuming up droppings, urine, or nesting materials.

• Wear rubber, latex, or vinyl gloves when cleaning urine and droppings.
• Spray the urine and droppings with a disinfectant or a mixture of bleach and water and let soak 5 minutes. The recommended concentration of bleach solution is 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. When using a commercial disinfectant, following the manufacturer's instructions on the label for dilution and disinfection time.
• Use a paper towel to pick up the urine and droppings, and dispose of the waste in the garbage.
• After the rodent droppings and urine have been removed, disinfect items that might have been contaminated by rodents or their urine and droppings.

• Mop floors and clean countertops with disinfectant or bleach solution.
• Steam clean or shampoo upholstered furniture and carpets with evidence of rodent exposure.
• Wash any bedding and clothing with laundry detergent in hot water if exposed to rodent urine or droppings.
• Lastly, remove gloves, and thoroughly wash hands with soap and water (or use a waterless alcohol-based hand rub when soap is not available and hands are not visibly soiled).

Before attempting to clean cabins, sheds, barns, or other outbuildings, open all doors and windows for 30 minutes. This will allow fresh air to enter the work area.

• Wear rubber, latex, or vinyl gloves and clean up all rodent urine, droppings, nests, and dead rodents using disinfectant or mixture of bleach and water.
• Mop floors or spray dirt floors with a disinfectant or mixture of bleach and water.
• Clean counter tops, cabinets, and drawers with a disinfectant or a mixture of bleach and water.

When cleaning attics, basements, crawlspaces and other storage areas:

• Wear rubber, latex, or vinyl gloves when cleaning up urine, droppings, or nesting materials. Note that a dust mask may provide some protection against dust, molds, and insulation fibers, but does not protect against viruses.
• Spray any urine, droppings, and nesting materials with either a bleach and water solution (1 parts bleach to 9 parts water) or a household disinfectant prepared according to the label instructions for dilution and disinfection time. Soak well. This will inactivate any virus. Use a paper towel or rag to pick up the materials and dispose of them.
• Mop floors after spraying them using bleach/water solution or a disinfectant. Dirt floors can be sprayed with either bleach and water solution or a disinfectant.
• If exposed insulation has become contaminated with urine and droppings, it should be placed into plastic bags for removal.

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