Do you use poisonous rat baits to kill all the annoying rats that pestering in your house? Well, then get ready to smell dead rat’s stench at the corner of your house. You think once you remove the dead rat’s carcass away, the smell will be gone forever? But, you get it wrong. The stench will linger for long as you will never breathe fresh air inside your house. If this case happened to you, finding simple and most effective methods on How to Get Rid of Dead Rat Smell is what you need. You can check out the solutions below.
Quick Navigation
How Do You Know It Is a Dead Rat Smell?
Before getting rid of dead rat smell, you should know “what does a dead mouse smell like”? The smell is rotting and sickening smell that multiple times worse than rotten meat. The smell of carcass is too strong and nauseating that may repulsive to nearly all creatures, except filth flies and vultures. The horrible stench of dead rodent family including mice, mouse, and rats are coming from the combination of methane, sulfur dioxide, hydrocarbons, benzene derivatives, and other chemicals. The mixture of those noxious gases emits from the decomposed body of the rodents. After dying, the body of the dead rat will start smelling somewhere between 3-5 days depends on the humidity and temperature of the place where it has died. The smell may speed up if the temperature is hotter.
The worst from the dead rodents smell is it may linger and even produce a stronger stench with the passage of time, though you have been removed the carcass. Once the smell starts, it will remain up to 3 weeks until completely goes away. This is the reason why find the most effective methods to get rid the smells is important.
Proven Tips on How to Get Rid of Dead Rat Smell in House or Wall
The following is the steps you can try to get rid of dead rat smell in the house including:
Locating the Rat Carcass and Remove It
If you smell a horrible stench like described above, you should immediately locate where it comes from. There are some signs that help you to be able to identify the smell is coming from a dead rat body that invade your house before dying. You see tiny paw prints and streaks especially along the trimmings of wall edges and kitchen countertops. You might also find some dry and dull brown droppings in size of sunflower kernel in small clusters or another area where you suspect the rats living in.
If you still don’t find these signs, you should follow your nose to the area with the strongest stench. The carcass might be hidden in the corner of the room, under the furniture, or behind the walls. Take a note, always put on rubber gloves, nose mask, and expendable clothing when you remove the dead rat body. Place the carcass inside two Ziploc bags before putting in the dumpster.
Disinfect the Area
After the carcass is removed, you can disinfect the area with a solution of 10% bleach and 90% water. Spray the solution over the infected area and surrounds. Use paper towels to wipe the area. Ensure all marks, prints, and defecations are removed. Repeat the process for 4-6 times. Throw the paper towels, gloves, and work clothes in a tightly-sealed garbage bag. Wash your hands with soap for about 5 minutes and take a shower is recommended.
Put Coffee Grounds or Onion Slices to Absorb the Smell
Coffee grounds and onion slices are natural ingredients that inexpensive and you can easily find inside your kitchen cabinets. Both have a natural smell and can naturally absorb the smell of decay from the air. For coffee grounds, you can simply leave them at the most affected areas. For the onion, slices into medium sized cuts and place them in a bowl or disposable plates. Let them sit overnight and change daily to keep absorbing the odor effectively.
Allow the Fresh Air Flows in the Room
Ensure all the windows and doors are open to allow the fresh air from the outside to flow inside the room. It’s simple and cost you nothing, yet effective way to remove the smell. For faster result, turn on the fans or humidifier in the area where you find the dead rat’s body. The air flow from the fans will help to pull the smelly air from inside the house faster. Do it all the time when you still smell the stench inside the room.
What If the Rats Dead Behind the Wall?
The solution on how to get rid of dead rat smell in the wall or other hidden places in your house is by drilling the wall. You’ve no other option. After making a hole in the walls, you can get rid of the carcass by using protective gloves. Use a mix of bleach and water to clean the area. Ensure to ventilate the area before you seal up the hole.
However, if you are for some reasons can’t remove the dead body from behind the walls, pipes, or in the chimney, you can use odor removing bags. By simply hanging the bag above a crawl space or the most concentrated area, it can absorb and decrease the smell only within a few hours. The smell will probably go away altogether in a few days. Lock the room to help to fast the process.
Tips to Avoid Dead Rat Smell in the House
If you don’t want to dead rat smell comes to your house again, you should do these following things:
- Do Regular Cleaning
Rodents love to live in the cluttered, humid, and dark area especially if they can find a regular source of food. So, doing the regular cleaning in your house is essential to prevent any rats live in your house in the first place. Also, keep your kitchen and other parts of your house are hygiene and well maintained. Always seal the trash bags tightly so rats can’t go inside to find a food.
- Close All the Cracks and Crevices
Rats go through the cracks and crevices to find a home to make colonies. Seal and close all of them tightly.
Final Words
Since the lingering dead rats smell is annoying and may disturb your daily activities, ensure to get the work immediately as you’ve found the carcass. You can follow the simple and effective tips above. If you think you can’t handle the work by yourself, contact the professionals to help you solve the problem.
