Rodents, Urine:
One thing you may not know is that rodents do not have bladders so they urinate everywhere they go. The first step to proper deodorization is removing the source. Another thing about rodent urine is that when it first comes out of a body, it’s on the Acid side of the pH scale; when it dries it performs a cute trick of flipping to the alkaline side of pH scale. We always clean with the opposite of what the pH reading is. Since most dirt and soils are acid-based, most cleaners are alkaline based.
But for dried urine, you will need an acid-based cleaner. Vinegar is excellent. An enzyme cleaner is very good for reaching deep penetrated urine in wood, grout or concrete surfaces. The enzyme settles to the base of the container very rapidly, so shake the container often.
Also, just spraying a thin layer over a urine area is usually very unproductive. We usually pour the enzyme on and keep it wet for 36 to 48 hours by using plastic to cover it and keeping temperatures down. Look everywhere a mouse can run. I once purchased an unsanitary dwelling and, once we emptied it, we found mice used the support beam in the basement and the duct work of the furnace as run areas. We opened up every wall four feet up from the floor and there were mouse nests in over half the wall void between the studs. All the nests had to be removed and all the stud structure washed down and neutralized with enzyme.
Your final step will be heat. Turn up the furnace (only after having it checked out for safety) as high as it will go and leave for up to three days. Air out the property and see where you are. If you need further help feel free to call: http://www.biocleaningservices.com
Trapping Brown Recluse Spiders:
”Watch out for Brown Recluses hiding in brown paper bags, piles of newspapers & magazines!”
One box of Victor Tin Cat Glue Boards (72 traps/box) costs $19.85. It can be bought on-line through Amazon. They are shipped from Fly-Bye Bird Control Products.
The traps themselves are flat, sticky pieces of cardboard. They can be slid under furniture and appliances where spiders like to hide. They also catch the spider’s favorite food source with the traps—cave crickets! (In fact, the pest control people say if you have cave crickets, you can bet that you have Brown Recluse spiders.) When the traps fill up and/or lose their stickiness, discard the old ones and put out new ones. Stop using bed ruffles/skirts because they provide an easy pathway for the spiders to climb up into the bed. Check the insides of shoes and slippers before putting them on.
Some people argue that glue traps are not that helpful because in all likelihood, only the males are being captured. The females tend to stay in seclusion (hence, the name “recluse”). Pesticide may not eliminate very many spiders and might just cause them to move into living spaces. Repeated applications might do the job.
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Protecting yourself against rodents and bugs…
“The worst part about these types of homes is the rodents and the bugs. Unfortunately, pest control companies will 99% of the time refuse to treat such a residence. Even if they agree, it will not be effective. There are just too many hiding spots for the bugs, rats, and mice to hide that are never reached by fumigation. I suggest in these circumstances, you buy some Tyvek or similar disposable coveralls that have the attached boots. There is no way for an insect to get at your skin this way. If that is not possible, at least tuck your pants into your socks so they can’t crawl up your legs. You can even apply masking or duct tape after you tuck in your pant leg to keep it from coming out. You can always find these coveralls on EBay in any size from small to 5xl. It is worth the money.”
—Cory Chalmers,Steri-Clean (a division of Crime Scene Steri-Clean, LLC)
Do you have a tip to add below about animals, insects, rodents or other related?