How to Safely Clean Rodent Droppings, Protect Your Home from Pests, and Prevent Diseases Like Hantavirus

You can rely on this hospital-grade Clorox spray to obliterate any nasty viruses. It's also bactericidal, fungicidal, and sporicidal, and registered by the EPA to kill norovirus when used as directed.

The bleach-based formula is safe for use on a range of nonporous surfaces, including plastics and metals, and it claims to kill 50 or more microorganisms in three minutes or less. If there are children and pets in your home, remember to follow the product’s instructions closely. Try to keep pets and children out of the room until the cleaned surfaces are fully dry and the bleach smell has dissipated.

Once the droppings have soaked in bleach for a few minutes, wipe them up and dispose of them in a secure plastic bag. Paper towels are fine for this job, but some brands become fragile and tear when wet. Opt for thick, robust disposable wipes instead—and it doesn’t hurt to choose a bleach-saturated option, like these from Juniper Clean.

If you think your rodent issues may take time to resolve and involve multiple clean-ups, you might consider investing in this reusable respirator kit. The half-face shield and safety glasses provide a secure barrier, and the dual-filtration system effectively blocks 97 percent of airborne particles, according to the brand. The kit includes 10 cotton filters, 2 filter cartridges, and 2 filter covers, so you can reuse it as needed.

Cleaning up droppings will become a Sisyphean task if you don’t also get rid of the culprits themselves. These reusable rat traps lure rodents with bait (peanut butter works well), then use a powerful spring mechanism to catch and instantly kill them as they enter the chamber. The trap is easy to empty directly into a trash bag, and its covered design is safe for use around pets and children.

Where there is easily accessible food, there may be rodents. These scavengers are tempted by any food items that are not properly sealed, as well as any packaging that they can gnaw through. This 24-piece collection of airtight storage containers will keep your pantry secure. Perfect for shelf-stable items such as pasta, cereal, candy, nuts, dried fruits, and dried beans, the BPA-free set also comes with 24 labels for easy organization.

It’s not just human food rats will go after; dog biscuits make an attractive rodent meal too. Keep your furry friend’s food tightly sealed in this storage container. Its food-safe, BPA-free design and airtight locking system maintain food freshness—a win for pets, too.

If they get the opportunity, rats will gnaw through trash bags in search of food scraps. Securing your trash — indoors and outdoors — gives them one less reason to visit your property. This pair of 32-gallon garbage cans is roomy enough for all your household trash, and their snap-lock lids ensure rodents don’t stand a chance at getting inside. Additionally, the wheels and handle make it easy to bring your trash to the curb on collection day.