Dead Rat Removal and Odor Help in Louisville
You'll know it when it happens. A sweet, rotten smell in one room that gets worse for a few days. Sometimes flies show up near a wall or a vent. It's usually a rat or mouse that died somewhere you can't see: inside a wall, under the floor, in the crawl space or up in the attic.
In a warm Louisville summer the smell builds fast. In winter it may be milder and last longer. Either way, the quickest fix is finding it and taking it out.
How they find it
Finding a dead rat is part nose, part detective work. The tech checks where the smell is strongest, looks for flies or stains, and checks the crawl space or attic over or under that room. In old plaster walls they may go in through a baseboard, an outlet box or a small cut that's easy to patch. Some spots, like deep inside a wall between floors, can't be reached without opening more than anyone wants. In that case they talk to you about waiting it out and treating the odor.
- Strongest smell at one wall, closet or vent
- Flies gathering at a window or a light fixture in one room
- A stain on the ceiling or wall
- Smell starting a few days after rat bait or traps went out
Why it happened
A dead rat in the wall usually means there are, or were, live rats in the wall. It can follow bait use, which is one reason indoor bait is a bad idea and good techs keep bait outside in locked stations. It can also happen when someone seals an entry hole while a rat is still inside. If you've had rats, have the house looked at for active ones and for the hole they came in through. See rat control and rat proofing.
Cleanup after removal
Once the animal is out, the spot gets cleaned and treated with a disinfectant and an odor product. Soiled insulation may need to come out. Don't handle a dead rat with bare hands. If you find one yourself, wear gloves, spray it and the area with disinfectant, pick it up with a plastic bag turned inside out over your hand, seal it, and put it in the outside garbage cart. Then wash your hands. The droppings and cleanup guide has more.
Common questions
How long will the smell last if they can't reach it?
It depends on the size of the animal and the temperature. A mouse fades sooner than a rat. Warm weather speeds it up. The tech can give you a rough idea.
Will they have to cut my wall open?
Sometimes a small opening is needed. They should talk to you before cutting and look for a way in from the attic, crawl space or an outlet first.
Serving Old Louisville, The Highlands, Germantown, Crescent Hill and Clifton, St. Matthews, Jeffersontown, Middletown, Prospect, Shively, Okolona, Pleasure Ridge Park and Valley Station.