Can Mouse Droppings be Harmful?

YESpestpros • January 15, 2022

So you've been noticing strange things happening in your house, and you assume you have a rodent problem. You've noticed the corners of your cereal boxes appear to be chewed on. You found a hole in your couch cushions. You may have even seen a mouse or two in the house! But now you've found a pile of mouse droppings. This is a tell-tale sign that your rodent intruders aren't just visiting but that they've set up shop in your home. But can mouse poop really make you sick?

What Do Mouse Droppings Look Like?

The first step is to ensure that the droppings you've found come from a mouse. Mouse droppings are usually brown or black in color and 3-7 millimeters long with a granular shape resembling rice grain. You'll usually find mouse feces in small piles close to a nest.

Are Mouse Droppings Dangerous to Your Health?

Yes, they can be. Mouse droppings carry and can transmit several harmful diseases. Two of the most common illnesses are Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome and Salmonella.

  • Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) – This disease is particularly dangerous because it not only spreads through direct contact with rodent feces but also through the air. Symptoms usually occur within 1-8 weeks of contact with rodent droppings and can include: fever, muscle ache, fatigue, trouble breathing, and severe cough.
  • Salmonella – Salmonella is an infection that lives in the digestive tracts of various animals like birds, rodents, and reptiles. Salmonella symptoms are especially severe in children and can include: fever, dehydration, chills, and diarrhea.

How Long Are Mouse Droppings Dangerous?

Now that we know the dangers that can come from mouse feces, it is also important to note how long these dropping can pose a problem to you and your family. Typically, the hantavirus found in mouse droppings can live for about one week outside of the host. This time is cut to just a few hours when met with direct sunlight. No matter how long these droppings are dangerous, though, it is super important to clean them up the right way.

How to Properly Clean Mouse Feces?

When you first notice mouse droppings, your first instinct might be to clean them up right away. However, to do it safely, there are some critical steps you should follow.

  1. Air out the room – Open up any windows in the room and turn on a fan. Allow the air to circulate for 30 minutes before starting the cleanup process. 
  1. Put on rubber gloves – Never touch mouse droppings with your bare hands. Wearing rubber gloves will protect your hands from contracting harmful diseases or bacteria.
  1. Spray the droppings with an antibacterial solution . For hard surfaces, you can use a 1/10 bleach to water mixture. For carpet or other fabric surfaces, use a non-staining solution like Tide Antibacterial Fabric Spray. Let the solution sit for ten minutes.
  2. Use a plastic zip-top bag to collect and dispose of the droppings. This step prevents bacteria from further spreading to other areas of your home.
  1. Contact your local pest control service . Cleaning up the droppings is only half the battle. Until you remove the mouse family from your home, more droppings will continue to appear. As soon as possible, contact your local pest control service to remove the mice from your home.

Do you Have a Mouse in your House? Contact the Pros!

 If you're dealing with a family of uninvited house guests, contact YES Pest right away! Our goal is to keep you and your family safe and free of illness by removing mice and any other pests that have entered your home and preventing them from returning in the future. Contact us today for a free quote!  

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