Return to the Home Disasters Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Is dead rat smell harmful to health?
| | |
Posted by anjalid (My Page) on Tue, Feb 20, 07 at 19:40
I've read many of the posts here talking about dead rat smell. We have a similar problem in one of our closets.... for almost a month now, we've emptied the closet and checked the attic, no body found... so we think it's in the walls....not sure if we want to tear down our walls.
I've tried everything and the smell won't go. I am going to try one of those odor bombs.
But can it also be harmful to health? Should I disinfect the closet, any suggestions on products to use? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Is dead rat smell harmful to health?
| | |
| The smell in the wall - IF it is from a dead rodent - will go away in a few weeks. Disinfecting the closet??? From what? I thought the 'body' (if that is what the smell is from) was in the walls... Are you sure it isn't mold or mildew? THAT needs to be disinfected... |
RE: Is dead rat smell harmful to health?
| | |
| I would think that the smell of rotten meat (which is what it would be if it's a rodent) is a LOT less harmful to your health than any chemicals you might spray into the air to combat the smell. After all, dead animals are natural, deodorants are not :) You might have some issues with maggots and flies if the body is accessible to flies. While maggots will make quick work of a decaying body, it's just nasty :) Do move any clothes and items that tend to absorb and hold on to odors of any sort. |
RE: Is dead rat smell harmful to health?
| | |
| I think it would be more harmful to your psychological health - lol. |
RE: Is dead rat smell harmful to health?
| | |
| put a couple open boxes of baking soda in there, don't scatter it just open the boxes and set them down. they will absorb most of the odor. |
RE: Is dead rat smell harmful to health?
| | |
| personally, i would rip wall down. the dead rat would freak me out more so then the smell. |
RE: Is dead rat smell harmful to health?
| | |
| I wouldn't think a decomposing rodent's smell would linger that long. In one of our previous homes we had a rotten smell in a closet. Turns out it was sewer gas coming from the nearby bathroom. Might this be your problem? |
RE: Is dead rat smell harmful to health?
| | |
I have no idea where the myth came about that baking soda absorbs odors...it doesn't.
The body will dry up and not smell in a few weeks. In my experience a mouse takes 2 to 3 weeks to dry up....never had a rat!
If it's been longer than 3 weeks I would suspect something else...either sewer gas or a larger animal.
But the odor is not harmful to your health.
The one thing that may help is putting a dish of charcoal and or kitty litter in the closet.
Linda C |
RE: Is dead rat smell harmful to health?
| | |
| we have what we suspect to be a dead mouse in one of our heat ducts. we are pretty sure it is a mouse because lately we have had a bit of a problem with them, so we out some posion in the basement. we know that seem to like the ductwork, as we have found droppings next to a few vents. we dont have any way to get into the duct without tearing it apart, so removing it isnt really an option. is there anything we could use to neutralize the smell? |
RE: Is dead rat smell harmful to health?
| | |
| "is there anything we could use to neutralize the smell?" No - as stated above, it will go away in a few weeks. |
Post a Follow-Up
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Home Disasters Forum
|
|
|
