Mice can carry several viruses and bacteria, so it’s no surprise that their droppings pose a health risk as well. If you’ve noticed mouse droppings around your home, it’s important to handle the cleanup with care, since reaching for your trusted vacuum may actually do more harm than good.
Learn what to do if you’ve accidentally vacuumed mouse droppings and what you should do instead to safely clean up mouse droppings.
Can You Vacuum Mouse Poop?
No. The CDC recommends not vacuuming mouse or rodent droppings since the vacuum can cause tiny particles of virus to get into the air. Diseases are mostly spread from rodents to people when the air is contaminated, which can be serious if left untreated.1
To safely clean and remove mouse droppings or nests, wear rubber gloves and a face mask and remove the mess using a disinfectant and paper towels.1
What to Do After You Accidentally Vacuum Mouse Droppings
If you’ve already vacuumed up mouse droppings, don’t panic. Open up the doors and windows of the contaminated area for about 30 minutes to increase the airflow and allow clean air in.
Disinfect Your Vacuum
Put on protective gloves and a mask. Then, take the vacuum outside and disassemble it. Wash the filter and vacuum canister (if applicable) by soaking the parts in a bucket of dish soap and warm water and wiping them clean with paper towels.
Remove any hair or debris from the vacuum roller brush and wash the parts in the soapy water. Before reassembling, leave all parts out to dry, ideally in the sun.
Tip
Dispose of all paper towels, vacuum bags (if applicable), and plastic gloves by placing items in a trash bag. Tie the bag together, and then discard it into an outdoor dumpster or bin that is emptied regularly.
How to Safely Clean Mouse Droppings off Hardwood Floors
Open the doors and windows near the droppings to ventilate the area for 30 minutes before you begin cleaning. Make sure to wear protective equipment.
Then, spray a disinfectant on the urine and mouse droppings until soaked. Wipe up any urine or droppings with paper towels. Then, spray disinfectant on the surface again and mop or wipe the area down.
Once finished, be sure to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and warm water.
Tip
You can make a homemade disinfectant by mixing 1.5 cups of bleach and 1 gallon of water.
How to Safely Clean Mouse Droppings off Carpet
Open the doors and windows near the droppings to ventilate the area for 30 minutes before you begin cleaning. Make sure to wear protective equipment.
Disinfect the waste by spraying disinfectant on the droppings or urine. Remove with a paper towel and then disinfect the carpet by steam cleaning or using a shampoo with disinfectant.
How to Safely Clean Mouse Droppings Near Clothing
If you notice mouse droppings on or near your clothing in dresser drawers, the first step is to open the drawers (if applicable) and the doors and windows near the area to provide extra airflow.
Then, disinfect the droppings and surrounding area while wearing protective equipment. Remove the droppings with paper towels. Disinfect the surrounding area again and wipe it down.
Wash the clothing that was contaminated or near the area in a washing machine on the hottest cycle and dry clothing either in direct sunlight or in a dryer machine.
When to Call a Pro
If you have a small amount of mouse droppings, it’s usually an easy enough problem to clean the mess and then catch and remove the mouse on your own. Mouse traps are an easy way to handle this pest problem, but there are numerous other options out there.
However, if you notice a large amount of droppings or signs of multiple rodents around your home, you may need to call a pest control company to handle the issue. A pro can help you safely clean the mess, catch the mice, and put preventative measures in place to keep the rodents out.
