It may start with a faint rotting odor that hits your nostrils a few times daily. Then, over the next few days, the smell gets strong and stronger.
It is now too obvious something is rotting in your home, and you need to do something about it!
This is the same situation I found myself in, so if you want to know how to get rid of dead mouse smell, then I’ve got you covered in this post!
Recommended Gear
Before you can understand how to get rid of the dead mice smell, I have a list of gear that I recommend for you to prepare:
- Strong gloves
- Respirator
- Strong footwear (with covers if possible)
- Flashlight
- Cleaning equipment
- Trash bags
- Odor Absorbers
- Air Fresheners
You must look after your health when dealing with rodents due to the potential diseases they might be carrying.
How To Get Rid Of Dead Mouse Smell
1. Find The Mouse
First, to get rid of the dead mouse smell, you need to find the dead mouse.
Let’s face it; if your nose works, it will not be too difficult to find where the smell comes from. The only problem will be if the mouse has died inside your cavity walls or in another area that is difficult for you to get to.
Follow your nose, and find the dead mouse. You will not stop the odor without first removing the dead mouse!
It may take a while to hunt down where the dead mouse smell is coming from. You might consider searching the most common places for mice to hide. Each of those places is an excellent starting point!
2. Removing The Mouse
The best way to eliminate the dead mouse smell is to remove the rotting carcass.
Removing the mouse is the next step, and it isn’t pleasant either.
When picking up dead mice, I always wear strong gloves. I have gloves on, and I pick the body up through the trash bag.
A word of warning, if the mouse has been dead for a few days, you might already have a group of maggots feasting on the dead body. I just wanted to prep you for that one!
Place the dead mouse inside the trash bag and double up if necessary.
Congratulations! You have removed the dead mouse. Now it is time to ventilate the area and clean up.
3. Ventilate The Area
Not that you have got rid of the decaying mouse, let’s get some windows and doors open, so the odor has somewhere to escape. At this point, I never care about how cold it is outside; I just want the odor to be gone.
If you are in an area far away from a door or window, just open the closest one. Every little helps when you are dealing with a rotting mouse, trust me!
You might consider using an air-circulating fan to help disperse the dead mouse smell.
4. Deep Clean The Area
When cleaning up after a dead mouse, you first need to clean the area where you found the mouse and then clean up any area with obvious signs of a mouse infestation.
Check your home for any mice nests, urine, and feces. Perform a thorough clean-up of these areas.
You have two options when it comes to cleaning the area.
Vinegar and Water
Use vinegar and water in a 50/50 mix as an excellent dead mouse smell remover. If you have an area needing more, increase the vinegar content.
Generally speaking, I use this mix for areas that you should not clean with bleach.
Oh, by the way, vinegar only smells for a few minutes! Some people question whether or not the vinegar smell will also linger. It doesn’t.
Bleach
Bleach is my go-to product for dead mouse odor removal! Bleach is also excellent for repelling mice and keeping them away from your home.
If you want to ensure that the area is clean and free of bacteria, then bleach is your product!
Be careful because bleach can ruin clothing and other materials by stripping the color from them.
5. Freshen The Area
Now is the time I will place down odor absorbers and air fresheners. Using these products is the best way to eliminate the dead mouse smell.
It is essential to get the smell out of the area as soon as possible by using odor absorbers such as ground coffee or charcoal.
Consider using joss sticks or incense sticks. These have a powerful smell and will help you to overpower the dead mouse smell.
6. Protect The Area
Protecting the area means making sure no other mice can get back in!
It is one thing to get rid of a dead mouse smell, but another thing to keep mice away, so you don’t have to go through this whole thing again!
Dead Mouse Odor Removal – How Long Does it Take?
Now that you know how to get rid of the dead mouse smell, I expect that you want to know how long it will take to disappear completely, right?
That is an excellent question, and the answer depends on several factors, such as:
- Temperature
- How soon you find the dead mouse
- Are there any more?
- How ventilated is the area?
It is impossible to know precisely how long it takes for the dead mouse odor to be gone. Assuming you are ventilating the area well, using odor eliminators, and found the only rotting mouse carcass. You should expect some very positive results within hours of removing the dead mouse.
You should expect the odor to stick around for a bit longer in the heat because the decomposition will have been sped up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for a mouse to decompose?
At least 3 weeks, and it depends on the temperature. A dead mouse can take months to decompose fully. During this time, you can expect the odor to continue.
How long has the mouse been dead?
It isn’t easy to tell. A mouse will start to smell within days of dying and will take several months to decompose fully. During this time, the smell of the dead mouse will get stronger and stronger.
There are maggots, will I get flies too?
Unfortunately, you are likely to notice a few flies after finding maggots. When I saw my first dead rodent, there were several maggots. After clearing every maggot I could find, I still had a few flies a week later! You need to search through the affected area and ensure it is spotless. Otherwise, you will run the risk of maggots and then flies.
Conclusion
If you want to know how to get rid of the dead mouse smell, this post has you covered!
Getting rid of the dead mouse smell can be a challenge. In this post, I have given you the exact tools you need to tackle the problem! The smell of a dead mouse lingers for weeks, if not months unless you do something about it.
It required a keen eye, a strong stomach, and stronger cleaning equipment!
The most important thing is that you locate and remove the mouse. That is when the smell disappears, and you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Find where the rodent died, and you have found the source of the problem.
Good luck!
