How do you safely clean up mouse droppings?

To safely clean up mouse droppings, do not sweep or vacuum them dry—that can put virus-contaminated dust into the air.

Safe cleanup steps

1. Ventilate first

   • Open doors/windows and leave the area for about 30 minutes if possible.
   • Avoid stirring up dust while ventilating.

2. Put on protection

   • Wear disposable gloves or rubber gloves.
   • For heavy contamination, add an N95/respirator, eye protection, and disposable coveralls, or consider hiring a professional.

3. Soak the droppings

   • Spray droppings, urine spots, and nesting material until thoroughly wet with a disinfectant.
   • You can use an EPA-registered disinfectant according to the label, or a bleach solution such as 1.5 cups household bleach per 1 gallon of water.
   • Let it sit for at least 5 minutes, or the disinfectant label’s required contact time.
   • Never mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners.

4. Pick up carefully

   • Use paper towels to pick up the wet droppings/nesting material.
   • Put them in a plastic bag, seal it, then place that bag into a second bag if available.

5. Disinfect the area again

   • Mop or wipe floors, shelves, counters, and other hard surfaces with disinfectant.
   • For carpets/upholstery, disinfect what you can, then shampoo or steam clean if needed.

6. Clean yourself and tools

   • Remove gloves carefully and throw disposable gloves away, or disinfect reusable gloves before removing.
   • Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.
   • Launder contaminated clothing in hot water if possible.

When to get help

Hire a pest-control or cleanup professional if there are large amounts of droppings, dead rodents, contaminated insulation, HVAC ducts, or an enclosed space like an attic/crawlspace with heavy rodent activity.