Rats

Hermy

I hope this is the most appropriate forum for this query.
I recently went to check my mobile home after the cold spell and discovered that rats had been living in the place for a while. At the time I wasn't geared up to clean up the mess but I'm pretty sure the rats are gone or dead as they ate a load of weedkiller.
My question is what do I need to do to clean the place?
Would hot water and antibacterial Fairy liquid do the job?
Or would something stronger such as Detol or Domestos be more apt?
In other words what are the risks?

Thanks:)

slimjimmc

Seems easy enough http://www.leptospirosis.org/topic.php?t=4&f=5 but a bit of disinfectant would do no harm.

Hermy

Thanks Jim.
I haven't had to do this before so I'm not sure of the risks.
I'd sooner do too much than too little.

mossie110

i would remove all soft furnishings, if you can hoover the whole place making sure to get into all the corners, and spray the whole place with diluted bleach. and scrub away. best of luck. and wear a mask and protective eye wear. and soon you will have it spick and span.

Hermy

Thanks Mossie.
Yep, I think a very thorough Spring cleaning is the best plan.

yoshytoshy

The worst thing you can do is use a hoover or brush the crap into dust and it gets into the air.
Breathing in the crap dust can be very harmful.

gsxr1

happened to my parents. They used a sulfur candle. and burned it in the caravan. toxic for a day after. But after fumigation its clean.

Hermy

yoshytoshy wrote: »

The worst thing you can do is use a hoover or brush the crap into dust and it gets into the air.
Breathing in the crap dust can be very harmful.

How harmful?:eek:
I did a bit of sweeping!

yoshytoshy

There is certain deseases that are spread through droppings ,can't remember what website I read it on ,but sweeping and hoovering were a no-no. It was recommended to wet the stuff and wipe it up.

I read about when I had a problem a couple of years back.
Also ,the same site recommended using talcum powder to see if there was still pests around. The footprints are easy to see in the powder.
Worked for me ,I was able to locate were my problem was happening(mice).

Joey the lips

yoshytoshy wrote: »

There is certain deseases that are spread through droppings ,can't remember what website I read it on ,but sweeping and hoovering were a no-no. It was recommended to wet the stuff and wipe it up.

I read about when I had a problem a couple of years back.
Also ,the same site recommended using talcum powder to see if there was still pests around. The footprints are easy to see in the powder.
Worked for me ,I was able to locate were my problem was happening(mice).

Your thinking of the golfer that died when the rat peed on him. Its wheels disease. Bleach and pine will kill it. Wear gloves to be save and always keep open cuts covered.

TBH i use pine for everything as i find bleach harmful so I cannot see what could be airborne as it would be an epidemic.

mad m

Rat droppings if there is enough of them when they start to decompose give off a fume which can be harmful...

Seen it on some program on tv, but thats extreme I think. I have a bloody rat below my floorboards down stairs. The bugger comes in around 5pm,does a bit of gnawing off some floor joists then disappears. I have 3 traps set and he still wont go near them,have peanut butter on one, rasher rind on another and chocolate on the 3rd one...

I'm reculant to put down poison, as someone told me the smell is unreal if they die underneath and you can't get to them..Lucky my most of my walls downstairs are solid and he cant get upstairs....

suitseir

mad m wrote: »

Rat droppings if there is enough of them when they start to decompose give off a fume which can be harmful...

Seen it on some program on tv, but thats extreme I think. I have a bloody rat below my floorboards down stairs. The bugger comes in around 5pm,does a bit of gnawing off some floor joists then disappears. I have 3 traps set and he still wont go near them,have peanut butter on one, rasher rind on another and chocolate on the 3rd one...

I'm reculant to put down poison, as someone told mese the smell is unreal if they die underneath and you can't get to them..Lucky my most of my walls downstairs are solid and he cant get upstairs....

A friend told me that he had rats in his garage, tried everything on the trap, and eventually, he put flour on the bait, and it worked a treat. Also he said that they ate into a plastic bottle of caterpillar spray which he uses for his garden, and the stuff was so lethal it killed other stray ones around the place! Worth a try, but be careful when handling caterpillar spray, it is very toxic....use protective gloves and put in away SAFELY. Makes you wonder about using it on growing cabbages, etc.! Good luck.

slimjimmc

mad m wrote: »

Rat droppings if there is enough of them when they start to decompose give off a fume which can be harmful...

Seen it on some program on tv, but thats extreme I think. I have a bloody rat below my floorboards down stairs. The bugger comes in around 5pm,does a bit of gnawing off some floor joists then disappears. I have 3 traps set and he still wont go near them,have peanut butter on one, rasher rind on another and chocolate on the 3rd one...

I'm reculant to put down poison, as someone told me the smell is unreal if they die underneath and you can't get to them..Lucky my most of my walls downstairs are solid and he cant get upstairs....

Don't want to un-nerve you but if he really wants to get upstairs solid walls wont stop him. However it's unlikely he'll want to if he can get food or water easier somewhere else.

mad m

slimjimmc wrote: »

Don't want to un-nerve you but if he really wants to get upstairs solid walls wont stop him. However it's unlikely he'll want to if he can get food or water easier somewhere else.

Yeah I know, my dad has some spine chilling stories about how rats can chew through most stuff...Anyway he is busy tonight, will have to take up another board and hopefully get it near the path where he runs....