Rats!!!
Forums:
I'm cleaning up after an infestation in my house. Eugene has a rat epidemic, supposedly due to so many people having chicken and ducks, so chicken and duck food, and open composting. I don't have either, but my neighbors do as well as having a neighbor whose yard became a repository 25 years ago for all things metal and wood, none of which has moved during that time.
So I've cleaned out the area where they were, a couple of friends (including Zoner Moses) are helping me look for and close up possible intrusion points, and I haven't trapped or heard any in the last 2 weeks (killed 5 or 6 before that). I've thrown out a lot of stuff and now am left with the smell of rat piss. It stinks.
I used vinegar to wash down a lot of the closet they had been in, so it now smells like vinegary piss. I'm going to wash some of the area with baking soda water. Some of it is raw wood so am thinking of painting it with shellac to contain the smell. My question for you is, if you've had this experience, what have you used to get rid of the smell of rat urine? I'm very sensitive to chemical fragrances, so have to choose cleaning supplies carefully, but hope someone out there in Vivaland has some ideas. HELP!!!
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
Cats!
Cats!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
If you can borrow or rent a
If you can borrow or rent a belt-sander, that will get the Wood down a few millimeters to Rat-pee-free zone. Proper Shellac is actually an expensive finish to use on old cellar Wood. Try a cheap polyurethane coating, which is low - VOC, and brushes clean up w/ warm water & dish soap.
A 'nail-set' and hammer will get any proud nails below the Wood surface so as not to rip up your abrasive sanding belt.
If you need the brand name of a good Rat-Killer, the stuff I got from 'Tractor Supply' worked great for the Barn Rats. I can read the label and write brand-name & chemical names. It's green death pellets in little packets, and I sprinkled those in plastic trays with a thin film of peanut butter on the tray to help attract rodent enthusiasm.
Ten day system, but they were gone in 5-6 days.
It's over-the-counter stuff, so you don't need an exterminator license. About 20-25 bucks for the 1/2 - gallon plastic bucket of baits, and there is quite a lot left over. Maybe it cost 5-6 bucks for the effective dose, vs. 75 -125 for the 'Pro Exterminator' visit.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
Not only sensitive to
Not only sensitive to chemical fragrances, but also most strong natural ones. Sensitive means they make me sick.
Ken, some of my neighbors have cats, usually worthless about rats. I would need feral cats and I don't think I want cats. But for now, I'm looking for cleaning ideas.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Doc Ellis Martin
Here is what I used for mice
Here is what I used for mice infestation in my cabin attic it worked fantastic / Natures miracle Advance Stain and Odor removal it is primarily an enzyme it does have a fragrance .I don't think it was too strong and faded after a while
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
Another (perhaps passed-on ?)
Another (perhaps passed-on ?) old Zoner used to swear by the QuickCrete - Flour mixture for rodents, and I did try that one; worked pretty well.
Certainly less toxic compared to green-death pellets. 50-50 mix of cement and flour, dry in a plastic tray, away from pets. Plastic tray of water nearby.
But, more about Shellac, a secretion of the Lac - Beetle...
http://www.woodworkstuff.net/shellac2.html
http://www.shellacshack.com/about-shellac.html
I consider it more of a Fine Woodworking finish, compared to an inexpensive polyurethane can.
You have to get the flakes or buttons, and dissolve in alcohol.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Tim
time
time
it will lessen over the next few weeks and will be gone in 2 months
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Tim
I needed to replace the
I needed to replace the soffit in my home 15 years ago.
I pulled it all down on a Saturday then cleaned and prepped everything for the following weekend to install new.
I went to the lumber store and bought all materials.
On Monday morning the bulldozers came over and cleared the 2 empty lots behind my house.
I had to kill 72 rats in 2 months out of my attic.
It smelled.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: charmskooldropout
Burn your house down or move.
Burn your house down or move. That smell is the worst and never seems to go away.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
Murphy's Oil Soap
Murphy's Oil Soap www.murphyoilsoap.com/ For Over a century, Murphy® Oil Soap has been a trusted hardwood floor and wood cleaner. Safety clean wood with Murphy® Oil Soap.
Wife swears by it.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Frank3
take stu's feral cat..
take stu's feral cat...problem solved
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: _________
all the best ridding Judit -
all the best ridding Judit - i have Never smelled rat piss?
adopt a couple cats?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
One of the above links
One of the above links (shellacshack) is some Biz in Port Orford, OR, and says it is a good rodent-pee solution.
Their prices seem reasonable enough at 16 - 20 bucks per pound, but keep in mind you still need some denatured alcohol to dissolve the stuff.
I get whole Gallons of Polyurethane waterborne finishes for a good price, if I shop around.
Easy brush cleanup, low VOC content.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lucky Day
>>>>>Cats!
>>>>>Cats!
That has been suggested previously.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Druba
Hate the smell of mouse / rat
Hate the smell of mouse / rat piss / feces... yuck! Sorry to hear about your infestation Judit!!!
It's bad at our cabin (was empty for many years before we took it over). Only thing that saved us was our the spotted skunk that adopted us;
Best . Mouser . Ever !!!
(last time I was at the cabin, just checking in, he filled the metal water bowl for the dogs with mice, perfectly laid on their backs, I'm assuming it was a present for us, since he never did that until after we'd left for winter (sorry didn't take a pic)
(I've posted pics before, but can't resist the opportunity, he's so freaking cute!)
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: troubador
Really sorry to hear of this
Really sorry to hear of this nightmare, Judit. I wish I had some answers for you. Just sucks.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Highnote
... Noodor.com
... Noodor.com
http://noodor.com/p/cadaver-corpse-smell-odor-odour-dead-body-decay.html
Maybe they have something for rat pee.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
For those of you suggesting
For those of you suggesting cats, how did you teach them to clean? I'm not looking for rat chasers at this time, just ideas to help dispel the odor.
Thank you, Doc, I'll look at that stuff, but if it has an odor I'm likely going to have a problem with it. Not "too strong" seems to be relative in my experience.
hounder, I've lived in my house for 42 years, couldn't burn it down. It's home.
Stu, the amount of shellac I'll need should be affordable. I'm talking about a very small area of raw wood.
Surfdead, thank Mrs. Surfdead for the recommendation.
The rest of the surfaces are metal, plaster (over lath) and finished wood (fir flooring). I think that Tim's suggestion of time is going to come into play here.
EB, thank you.
Stingtwang, Nooder? I'll look at it.
If you have more ideas for getting rid if the smell, I want to know them. Thanks, all.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: I rang a silent bell
Judit, sorry to hear about
Judit, sorry to hear about that smell. Have you tried cleaning with Dr. Bronner soap? Rat piss isn’t listed on the bottle but that stuff can do almost anything. Maybe the lavender one. At least it won’t smell like vinegar anymore.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lucky Day
Judit, this should get rid of
Judit, this should get rid of the odor.
https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Miracle-Remover-Gallon-512504/dp/B00025K0L2
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Druba
A simple solution is to put
A simple solution is to put rubbing alcohol on the pee site, followed by baking soda (deal with the uric acid, neutralize it that way)
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Highnote
Nature's miracle works if you
Nature's miracle works if you haven't tried any other cleaners . Cleaners change the chemical composition of the urine . It also has a strong fragrance.
http://noodor.com/p/urine-deodorizer-odor-out-pet-smell-remove-remover.html
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: _________
dispel the odor<<<
dispel the odor<<<
Comet 30%
Bleach 50 50 with Water
Pine Sol 30%
and Raw Habaneros
in small bark
Around the Whole House
Bye Rats.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Doc Ellis Martin
Judit the same product comes
Judit the same product comes in a little weaker version with out a scent I believe.The strong one is an orange bottle nd the weaker is a white bottle
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Doc Ellis Martin
The enzimeis the key to the
The enzyme is the key to the product
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lucky Day
People got all upset when I
People got all upset when I recommended an Ammonia and Bleach mixture in a similar thread.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
People got all upset when I
Perhaps it was because "mixing bleach with ammonia generates toxic chloramine vapor. Mixing bleach and ammonia is extremely dangerous, since toxic vapors will be produced."
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
My (pro painter) friend is
My (pro painter) friend is bringing some shellac over tomorrow for a couple of the areas and I plan to talk to the Noodor people Tuesday. That product is odor free, a big thing for me. The site didn't have all the info I need so I'll call them and see where that leads.
Again, thanks. I'll let you know what happens.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Woz
> For those of you suggesting
> For those of you suggesting cats, how did you teach them to clean? I'm not looking for rat chasers at this time, just ideas to help dispel the odor<
To be fair, you have a two par problem here. After you clean up and dispel the odor, you need to keep it from coming back.....most cats don't do floors or windows, but they do chase off the rats!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
Here some of what my cat
Here some of what my cat dragged in:
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sound and Vision
https://www.facebook.com
did you see this rat vid?
https://www.facebook.com/uniladmag/videos/4347728308583528/?hc_ref=ART7g...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: I rang a silent bell
That little guy is squeaky
That little guy is squeaky clean!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
Following up: Vacuuming and
Following up: Vacuuming and then cleaning with vinegar helped dispel the odor significantly. I didn't know it, but the CDC recommends not vacuuming rodent droppings because they may be carrying a virus that may be spread by being blown out the other end of the vacuum - I read the CDC rodent page after finishing vacuuming. Oh well.
I used shellac on the worst areas and the smell was almost gone as soon as the shellac dried (about 1/2 hour). I did a second coat and the smell is gone! I talked to the Noodor people and it sounds like a great product - if I need it I will order it. I had already thrown out a lot of things from the closet they've been in.
I heard another rat on the full moon night and it's now dead by trap.
It looks like there's a new cat in the yard, I hope it's a hunter.
Significant work on excluding them from the house today. Person went into the crawlspace and blocked the holes around the bath drain and 2 other places with steel wool, 1/8" hardware cloth and expanding foam. It took quite awhile in very cramped quarters. We (he) also put 1/8" hardware cloth over some larger pieces in a couple of other places that probably matter. Moses is working on a framed piece of 1/8" hardware cloth for a vent that had inadequate coverage. Feels like we're making progress at keeping them out of the crawlspace, walls and house. I'm still setting traps in case.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
There's a rat in mi kitchen
There's a rat in mi kitchen what am I gonna do?
There's a rat in mi kitchen what am I gonna do?
I'm gonna fix that rat, that's what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna fix that rat…
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: The Sound of Steam and Caffeine
Rats in the Wall ~ Ryan Adams
Rats in the Wall ~ Ryan Adams
https://youtu.be/3Pd1BZ-L1dg