In this article, we will be talking about how dead rat odour removal methods as well as feature some dead mouse odor neutralizer that’ll help get rid of dead rat smell at home.
There are plenty of effective methods to get rid of rat and mouse at home and outside. With effective rodent killing products, comes the possibility of ending up with dead rat odour in your house or in your yard.
If its outdoor, you simply have to find and dispose the dead rat body and the odor should go away on its own in no time. The challenge comes when the dead mouse smell comes from having dead mouse in the wall.
>> Related Article: Best Rat & Mouse Trap
Other than the unlikely scenario where the rat gets trapped in the wall and die of starvation, the most likely cause of having dead rodents in your house (which led to the lingering smell) is that they fed on the rodent poison or bait you’ve set.
Here’s the overview of the steps:
- Begin your dead rat smell removal process by investigating for its corpse.
- Once located, disposed and clean the spot (read till end of article on how to dispose safely).
- Began airing the house
- Start deodorising
1) Locate The Odor Source
Locate dead mouse carcass by going for where the smell is the strongest. Help of pet dogs will definitely be helpful. Usually, by the time you can smell the odor, there should already be presence of flies hovering.
>> Also read: 18 Best Rodent Bait Lures
2) Remove Carcass & Clean Area
Dead rodent in reachable space like the attic or basement is more straightforward to remove and clean. For Inaccessible areas like inside the wall, in the floor or in the ceiling, you might need more effort to figure out how to get access to the carcass. Most of the time, help from professionals might be required to get the job done.
[May: If you do get access to these areas, also take a look at the possible entry points that rodents can even enter from in the first place, this allows you to use rodent prevent tools like the Weep Hole Cover to prevent future entry.]
Once removed, clean area by washing with chemicals, bleach or other disinfectants (can also try using natural ingredients like Vinegar). Also use the opportunity to think about how did the rat get in in the first place.
3) Airing the House
Switch off air-conditioning and open all windows and even the doors if possible. It is also helpful to switch on electric fan to help increase the ventilation. This step is quite straightforward, to allow fresh air to enter, flushing the odor out of the house.
>> Also read: Best Electronic Ultrasonic Rat Repellent
4) Dead Mouse Odor Neutralizer
Lastly, use these odor neutralizers to help speed up the removal of the dead mouse smell at home:
>> Natural Mouse Odor Neutralizer
Coffee Grounds & Coffee Beans
One of the most cost effective way would be to use Coffee beans and grounds to naturally absorb odor from the air. Simply pour some coffee beans into a small candle cup holder and place near the odor area.
[May: you should notice coffee beans being place in toilets, they are also used at the perfume section in departmental stores to help reset the sense of smell for the same reason.]
>> Commercial Mouse Odor Neutralizer
Odor Removal Bag
The odor removal bags are a cost effective method to get rid of dead rat smell. They are usually non-toxic and are easily available in DIY store or online stores.
They are usually made of minerals (such as the sodium aluminosilicate) that absorbs odor naturally. Some odor removal bags uses natural charcoal which absorbs the odor particles in the air with the millions of tiny pores and cavities, working like like a sponge.
>> Related: Best Way to Get Rid of Rats & Mice
Another advantage of charcoal odor removal bags is that they also absorb excess moisture in the air to prevent mold from developing.
Pet Odor Eliminator
Pet odor eliminators are formulated to get rid of pet smell like the cat and dog urine. Hence you can be certain that they are able to absorb and remove the odor left by the dead rodent.
Air Purifying Machine
Getting an air purifier (also called air Ionizer) is a longer term investment as compared to a disposable odor removal bag. It is able to cover a large area and other than removal of odor, it also helps provide filtration and purification of the air in the room.
A quality air purifying machine also gets rid of germs and bacteria in the air, filtering microbes in the process. Which is super helpful especially when the rodent has been decomposing for a while.
Air Freshener Spray
The air freshener spray provides instant relief against odor. They are relatively cheap and each Can of spray can last pretty long. On top of odor control, some air freshener spray also contains formulas that kills illness causing germs, bacteria, mold and mildew.
>> Also read: 5 Best Rodent Killer Products
To treat, simply aim in the open area and spray in a side to side sweeping motion.
Scented Candles
While the use of air fresheners or sprays provides instant odor reliefs, the scented candles works slowly but can last for a long time as the candle stays lit. They are cost effective and some candles even contains odor-eliminating properties.
Air Humidifiers & Diffusers
The air diffuser and humidifier are cost effective method to help get rid of the odor. The use of essential oils in air diffuser and humidifier can help release the refreshing scent of the essential oil into the room, masking the odor and keeping the room refreshing at the same time.
Some effective essential oils options to choose includes the classic lavender, Grass lemon and the cooling peppermint.
How Long Does Dead Rat Smell Last?
For outdoor spaces, once the dead rodent has been disposed and the area is cleaned, the smell should disappear within 24 to 48 hours.
For indoor areas or in the car, it will depend largely on how bad is the situation (the odor), how well is the ventilation of the affected space and the type of odor neutraliser you choose. The placement of the odor neutralisers also plays a big part. That said, we think it can take from days to weeks to completely eliminate the odor. Any longer than that will mean the cleaning was not done properly.
>> Related read: Best Weep Hole Covers
We suggest to spend more time cleaning the area where the rodent has died before moving on to the next step of the treatment. This will ensure that any stains that can be causing the odor is thoroughly removed before removing the odor particles in the air.
[May: Again, do remember that prevention is always better than cure. Once you found the first dead rat at home, be sure to spend some time identifying possible entry point and make effort to block it up properly.]
Final Thoughts
Rat and mouse brings with them dirt, bacteria and diseases. This becomes worse in the case of a rotten dead rodent carcass. Hence, in the process of eliminating dead rodent smell, be sure to watch for your personal hygiene.
>> Related article: Mouse vs Rat: What’s the difference?
Use a disposable glove when handling and disposing the dead rat. Put them into a plastic bag and tie it up before disposing away. It is also good to wear at least a disposable mask to prevent inhaling any contaminated particles in the air.
After disposing the rat and cleaning up the area, dispose glove and wash hands thoroughly. Keep treated area well ventilated for a least a few days.
Do you have experience dealing with dead rodent smell at home or in the yard before? What did you do and did it work? Leave a comment and share with us.