Learn how to safely dispose of dead mice, prevent the spread of disease, and how to clean areas where mice have been trapped.
Mice are a health hazard so care must be taken when handling them. Once you locate dead mice caught in traps you've set, or those who have been poisoned, take the following steps to insure safe disposal.
Dead mice must be removed from your home to prevent the attraction of insects who feed on the carcass, handling by children or consumption by pets. Avoid direct contact with the dead mouse. Mice carry ticks and fleas that can also spread disease. Quick action and removal is necessary not only to prevent the transmission of disease, but to avoid the truly horrendous odor of decaying corpses. Wear gloves to remove any dead critters caught in traps, found near poisoned baits or in walls, and living mice caught in spring-loaded live traps.
Since most pesticide methods available consist of baits or poisons, care must be exercised when dead mice are discovered. The anticoagulants in rodenticides can kill pets, livestock, or wildlife that may feed on the disposed carcasses, so these must be secured in tightly-sealed bins to prevent the accidental poisoning of these creatures. Anticoagulants are also toxic to humans, so care should be taken to prevent transfer of any poisons via contact when handling dead mice.
Dead mice can be safely handled by using an inverted plastic bag a glove on your hand. When you pick up the mouse you can reverse the bag and seal the dead mouse inside or drop it into another bag or container. Dispose of the bag when finished.
Carcasses can also be placed inside coffee cans and sealed with a plastic lid, wrapped in newspaper or placed in empty cardboard milk cartons for disposal in garbage cans or bins with tight-fitting lids. Newspaper-wrapped carcasses can also be buried where they will not be easily dug up by pets or scavengers. Dig the hole at least 12 inches deep.
If you are certain that your infestation has been controlled, dispose of wooden traps, glue traps, boards or glue traps housed in cardboard boxes and place these in trash bins. Clean the areas around where you set your traps with a household cleaner containing bleach, or diluted liquid bleach. Be careful and test for discoloration before you use the bleach. Clean any known trails along walls and in corners. Do the same to areas where you find carcasses. Dispose of bait stations in garbage bins. Remove baits and store multiple-capture live traps in your garage or sealed in plastic bags. Make sure to disabled the spring mechanism on these if stored in the garage or you may soon discover one that got away by the smell of the decaying body. Spray a mist of chlorine bleach onto any droppings that you find and sweep up carefully. Do not vacuum. Droppings may contain pathogens that will go airborne if vacuumed.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling the carcasses. Launder your gloves or dispose of them.
While dead mice can be a health hazard, using these steps will insure proper and safe disposal.
