Finding mouse droppings in your home can be alarming and unsanitary. Your first instinct may be to vacuum them up right away. However, you need to take precautions when dealing with mouse droppings to avoid spreading germs and bacteria. In this article, we’ll go over whether it’s safe to vacuum mouse droppings, the potential risks, and the best practices for clean-up.
Can You Vacuum Mouse Droppings?
Technically, you can use a vacuum to suction up mouse droppings. However, this is generally not recommended by experts due to potential health risks. Here are some key factors to consider:
- Disease transmission – Mouse droppings can contain harmful diseases such as salmonella, E. coli, and hantavirus. Using a standard household vacuum could potentially spread these diseases by blowing contaminants into the air.
- Allergies – For people with dust allergies, vacuuming up droppings can stir up allergens and trigger allergy or asthma symptoms.
- Clogged vacuum – Mouse droppings can get lodged in vacuum parts, clogging the hose and filter.
- Contamination – Even after vacuuming, particles can remain in the vacuum bag/canister and contaminate other areas of your home later.
Due to these risks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends against vacuuming up mouse droppings under any circumstance.
Dangers of Mouse Droppings
Mouse droppings contain harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, and allergens. Here are some specific health risks they can pose if disturbance causes contamination:
Hantavirus
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a rare but dangerous disease transmitted by infected mouse droppings. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and severe respiratory distress. HPS has up to a 40% mortality rate. All mouse droppings should be treated as potentially carrying hantavirus.
Salmonella
The salmonella bacteria live in the intestines of mice and shed through their feces. Salmonella causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps within 12-72 hours after infection.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that rodents can spread through urine or contaminated materials. It can cause flu-like symptoms and can be fatal if left untreated.
Plague
Though rare, plague outbreaks carried by rodents still occur in some rural areas. Pneumonic plague is the most serious form and can be spread person-to-person through the air after being contracted from rodent exposure.
Lymphocytic ChorioMeningitis (LCMV)
LCMV is a rodent-borne viral infectious disease that can be mild or have severe symptoms including fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea, and vomiting. Infected newborns may have severe brain damage.
Allergens
Mouse droppings contain allergens that can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms in sensitive individuals. Disturbing droppings can stir these into the air.
Proper Cleanup of Mouse Droppings
To safely and effectively clean up mouse droppings, follow these CDC-recommended steps:
Step 1: Ventilate the Area
Open windows and use a fan or vent to circulate fresh air in the room before beginning cleanup. This helps remove contaminated particles in the air before disturbance.
Step 2: Gear Up
Wear protective clothing including gloves, a mask, goggles, and a gown that covers your body and clothes. Avoid touching your face and wash hands thoroughly after removing protective gear.
Step 3: Lightly Dampen Droppings
Use a disinfectant or mild bleach solution to slightly dampen the droppings. This prevents particles from becoming airborne. Avoid excessive moisture.
Step 4: Scoop Up Droppings
Use a disposable scoop, scraper, or stiff cardboard to scoop up the moist droppings. Place them in a sealed plastic bag for disposal.
Step 5: Clean the Area
Disinfect any surfaces or objects soiled by droppings. Use disinfectant sprays, chlorine bleach solution, or other EPA-registered products effective against pathogens like salmonella.
Step 6: Remove Gear and Wash Up
Remove protective gear carefully without contaminating clothes or skin. Place gear in a sealed bag for disposal. Wash hands immediately with soap and warm water.
Step 7: Seal and Discard Waste
Place all waste, including droppings, cleanup materials, and protective gear into securely sealed plastic bags. Bury or burn the bags or dispose of according to local hazardous waste recommendations.
Alternative Cleanup Methods
Instead of vacuuming, here are some other options for safely cleaning mouse droppings:
Disinfectant Spray
Spray droppings until dampened, let sit 5 minutes, then wipe up with paper towels or rags. Throw away in sealed bags.
Steam Cleaner
Use a steam cleaner to disinfect soiled areas. The heat kills pathogens and helps loosen droppings for removal.
Professional Cleanup Service
Hire a professional hazardous materials cleanup company. They have training and high-grade equipment to decontaminate the area. This provides peace of mind but can be expensive.
Prevention of Mouse Infestation
The best way to avoid exposure to mouse droppings is to prevent mice from entering and nesting in your home in the first place. Here are some tips:
- Seal entry points – Use caulk and weather stripping to seal any cracks or holes inside and outside the home that are greater than 1/4 inch.
- Store food properly – Keep food, including pet food, in sealed containers and eliminate any food sources sitting out.
- Declutter – Get rid of any clutter such as piles of paper and cardboard that can provide nesting spots.
- Clean up crumbs – Sweep, mop, and vacuum thoroughly to remove any crumbs and debris from floors.
- Use deterrents – Place metal mesh around the base of your home and plant mouse-deterring plants such as mints and marigolds.
- Manage vegetation – Keep grass cut short and trim back brush or dense vegetation near the home.
- Seal trash – Make sure lids on outdoor cans fit tightly and don’t leave trash bags outside of cans.
Setting traps or using poison bait can also help control small infestations once mice gain entry. However, the most effective long-term solution is keeping them out in the first place.
When to Call a Professional
It’s recommended to contact a pest control professional or exterminator in these instances:
- You discover a large amount of mouse droppings indicating a severe infestation.
- You have allergies or a compromised immune system and need remediation of droppings.
- After thorough cleaning, mice continue to get into your home.
- A mouse infestation persists despite your best efforts at natural prevention.
Professionals have commercial-grade disinfectants, protective gear, and expertise dealing with large or persistent mouse problems. They can target entry points and nesting areas and provide ongoing monitoring.
While the occasional mouse that wanders into a home can often be deterred with natural methods, contact an exterminator at the first sign of an infestation. This includes spotting multiple fresh droppings in a short time span.
Conclusion
Vacuuming up mouse droppings is not recommended due to potential health hazards including hantavirus, salmonella, and harmful allergens. For your safety, it’s critical to avoid disturbing droppings and prevent particles from becoming airborne during cleanup. Follow CDC precautions by ventilating the area, wearing protective gear, lightly dampening droppings before removal, and thoroughly disinfecting the area afterward. Whenever possible, prevent mice from entering in the first place by sealing entry points, removing food sources, and decluttering potential nesting spots. With caution and diligence, the risks from mouse droppings can be controlled.