Dead Mice Smell / Dead Rat Smell

I’ve discussed the topic of getting rid of dead mouse smell in a previous post, but I thought I’d hit on it again today because a lot of people seem to have a problem with the dead mice smell lately. A lot of people are asking the question “How long does the dead mouse smell last?” That is not an easy question to answer because as with just about everything in life, it all depends. What sort of things does it depend on? For one, what sort of environment did the mouse die in? Is it dry or humid? Is it warm or cold? The dead mice odor comes from the fact that the mouse is decaying after its death. Once the mouse is completely decomposed, it will no longer emanate an odor as all that will be left are dried up bones. If it’s a hot humid environment, you can expect that the mouse odor will be very strong and pervasive. If it’s a cooler dry environment, it will take some time for the mouse to decompose… it may not decompose at all.

Your best bet for getting rid of the dead rodent smell is to, simply enough, get rid of the dead mouse. You need to physically locate the animal and remove it, or wait it out. A lot of times, your only option is to wait it out because the mouse died in the walls of your house. If that’s the case, you can start by pounding down the walls to get it out, but that is not your most economical option. You could just move out of the house for a few weeks (or months?) while you wait for the smell to subside, but that’s not the most practical option. Your best bet is to purchase an odor eliminator that neutralizes the smell in the air. Make sure it’s an odor eliminator and not just some perfume that covers it up. The last thing you want is some cheap perfume mixed with the stench of a decaying carcass. One of the most positively reviewed odor eliminators is available on Amazon: Fresh Wave Continuous Release Odor Neutralizing Gel. This is a gel where you basically leave the lid open and it evaporates into the air neutralizing the foul odor. This is actually some pretty powerful stuff that can be used on other things besides dead rodent smells, so it’s a good all around product to have in your arsenal. It’s good for the wet musty smells in the basement, or things like that too. You can check out the Amazon Reviews.

Some people may be wondering if they should handle a dead rat smell any differently… the answer is no. The same principles apply for any dead rodent, whether it’s a dead rat or mouse. The only difference for a dead rat is that the smell may last longer as the body is generally much larger. Unfortunately if you are unable to locate the dead rat (or mouse), you’re not going to know the difference anyways… All you’re going to know is that dead rats, dead mice, and dead rodents in general all smell really bad!

So a quick recap of what you should do to get rid of mice smell. First, locate the source and remove it if possible. This will stop the smell from continuing to emanate from the source once it’s gone. Second purchase an odor eliminator to remove all traces of the stench. It’s not enough to just get rid of the dead mouse because the stench may have been absorbed into the different materials in your home. The odor eliminator will ensure that the stench fully dissipates from the air. If you follow these simple steps, you can knock out that odor in no time.

8 Responses

  1. Anonymous August 26, 2011 / 8:00 pm

    I just purchased the fresh wave to get rid a “death smell” in my attic and it works wonders!! I placed small dishes of the gel on top of the cupborads and wow what a difference. Thank you sooooo much!!!

  2. Cathleen November 17, 2011 / 10:41 pm

    OH PRAISE GOD you posted this! I have this issue – we cannot find the poor little critter and it is really making me sick. I will be getting my bottle tomorrow! This really has been quite upsetting to me because of the stench!

  3. Anonymous November 29, 2011 / 10:31 am

    Thank you so much for this information! We live in a woodsy area and have field mice,the cats usually take care of. One must have died somewhere in my kitchen wall and the smell is unbearable. Ordered my odor eliminator yesterday. Can’t wait for my home to smell good again!! Thank you so much!!!!

  4. Anonymous December 1, 2011 / 10:22 pm

    Thank you for this great post. Sadly a mouse found its way into one of our bedroom walls and found its final demise there. The stench is horrible. There’s no way to locate it unless we poke hole in all the walls. Not. I look forward to using the Fresh Wave Continuous Release Odor Neutralizing Gel. Thanks again! Jeff

  5. Anonymous December 2, 2011 / 9:01 pm

    This is a follow up to my post from 11/29/11. I received the 64oz jar of the Fresh Wave Continuous Release Odor Neutralizing Gel yesterday, and put some of it in 3 bowls in the kitchen area. Literally within the first half hour I could start to “smell” the difference. It improved each hour and by this morning, the dead mouse odor is virtually gone. I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate your tip, I can now enjoy the favorite room in my home again!!!!!

    • Jim December 3, 2011 / 2:42 am

      Thanks for coming back and leaving feedback after you tried it out. Glad it worked so well for you. If you liked it, be sure to recommend it to your friends or give it a +1. This is a very common problem, and you never know who else might need the advice!

      Best of luck!

  6. Anonymous January 14, 2013 / 7:29 pm

    Help……

  7. Anonymous September 1, 2014 / 2:38 pm

    We have mice in the attic which is covered with insulation. At least one has gotten into the wall and chewed its way by an electrical outlet and gained access inside the house. One got trapped. Don’t know how many remain. Put traps in the attic along with some D-Con. I am afraid that if they eat the D-Con and die in the attic, we will have really bad smells. Any comments. I did read about the Gel and intend on using it.
    Thanks for your advice in advance.

Leave a Reply to Anonymous Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *