How To Get Rid Of Rat Urine Smell -Proven Tips

The presence of pests is nearly always indicated by their fecal matter or urine smell. Rats urinate to mark their areas. The fecal dropping and urine are rich in Urea that turns into Ammonia as it dries when exposed to air. But, how to get rid of rat urine smell

In this article, we will look at each method deeply so that you fully understand it before implementing it. The procedures, as mentioned earlier, have proven to be quite effective in getting rid of rat urine smell. 

Methods to Getting Rid of Rat Urine Smell

1- Opening Windows To Air Out The Dirty Area

Rats are not as curious as mice in nature. Therefore, they prefer maintaining their distance from human beings and their residencies. However, they go on to live inside the attic spaces and basements. Such areas are usually not adequately ventilated. 

The smell of rat urine and feces can linger on for a long time. That is why you need to air out the area. You can do this by opening a window, using an extractor fan, and connecting it to an open window. You can also use an air purifier and leave it behind for a few hours so that the urine odor can be obliterated. 

2- Wearing Protective Equipment Or Old Clothes 

One must protect himself while dealing with the animal fecal matter as they are a reservoir of pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Clearing after rat urine can be messy, especially if done in an enclosed area. 

Here is a list of personal protective equipment that you will need while using chemicals; eye protection like goggles, gloves, face mask, and head covering.

All of this should be used to save yourself from the odor generated while you are cleaning up. Care must be taken so that no fumes enter your eyes or nostrils. 

3- Using A Mixture Of Water And Bleach 

A ratio of water to bleach 10:1 (ten parts water and one-part bleach) is one of the inexpensive DIY cleaners. It is more potent than common sanitizers. That is why you will need a fume extractor or a fan to avoid the emanating chlorine fumes. 

You can make this solution by adding a quarter cup of bleach to 2.5 cups of simple water. Then you should put the solution inside a spray bottle and shake the bottle gently to mix it well. Lastly, you should spray it on the affected area.

Paper towels can be used to pat dry the area still wet.

4- Applying Enzymatic Cleaners To The Area

Although the enzymatic cleaners are a bit expensive, they are worth it! Usually, people believe that a bleach and water solution is sufficient for getting rid of rat urine smell. 

So what makes enzymatic cleaners unique, then? The water and bleach solution must be applied several times if the rat urine stains are significant. Enzymatic cleaners, on the other hand, need to be used once. Then you leave it for 2 to 3 hours, enough to remove odors entirely. 

You won’t feel the need to spray it again and again! One recommended enzymatic cleaner is Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain and Odor Eliminator Spray. 

5- Using Baking Soda 

Although, baking soda is not involved in directly getting rid of rat urine smell but rather for after-use. So, after cleaning stains, you must put baking soda containers around the area to absorb residual odors.

This is also done to minimize the scents of cleaners. Baking soda acts as an odor filter. It needs to be replaced with fresh soda every 1 to 2 days to eliminate the smell. A deodorizer can also be used but will only temporarily cover the smell.

6- Calling Pest Control 

The commercial products can minimize the rat population, but that is not fully effective unless you know where the rat lair is. Rat poisons can be used for this purpose. However, it cannot be used inside homes where there are other pests.

That is why pest control technicians must remove rat nests and prevent house invasions. They perform tasks like sealing gaps and holes that lead inside the house, getting rid of outdoor pet food, and cleaning up your yard so that chances of a rodent infestation are reduced.

How To Get Rid Of Rat Urine Smell In Car

Rat may sometime urinate inside your vehicles, for instance, the car. There are ways by which you can get rid of that smell. Here’s how:

• Open all car doors and windows
• Car Washing 
• Spraying a disinfectant

By reading through these methods, you can clean up your car nicely and not worry about rat infestations. 

Open All Car Doors And Windows

Aeration is important. If you keep your car locked up, the odor is only going to get worse. Therefore, you must open the front and back doors to let all the air in. 

You can also use a fan for aeration. This will reduce the smell considerably and make it easier for you to clean it up afterward. 

Car Washing

Car washing is by far the best way to go about getting rid of rat urine smell. In this method, pressurized water is sprayed inside the cars. This way, the car carpets are also cleaned, and no stain remains on the seats. 

Car washing is the perfect package. They use specialized cleaners to clean the interior as well. This way, even if the urine has soaked deep inside sofa chairs, no smell remains, and your car emerges purified. 

Spraying A Disinfectant

Spoonfuls of vinegar and bleach are used extensively to clean up the surfaces. However, they are not disinfectants. After you have cleaned up, spraying a disinfectant is just as crucial for the rat feces containing pathogens that cause leptospirosis. 

Human protection should be above all. That is why while spraying a disinfectant you must wear protective equipment for protecting your eyes and nostrils.

How To Get Rid Of Rat Urine Smell In Carpet

Rats often pee on carpets and leave a bothersome smell behind. The stains left behind are even worse. Many people get rid of the carpet once a rat has urine on it, but you’ll be surprised to know there are ways of making your carpet look as good as new. 

Here are a few ways by which you can get rid of the rat urine smell from the carpet:

• Steam cleaning 
• Soaking carpet in lots of detergents 

It would be best to remember that any cleaning must be thorough so that no stains are left behind. For readers who want the smell gone immediately, they must read on!

Steam Cleaning

If carpet contamination occurs, you must use a steam cleaner to ensure deep cleaning. The urine soaks in the carpet and becomes dry. It is hard to get it out if you only focus on the carpet’s external surface. 

That is why you must take your carpet for steam cleaning. This is where hot pressurized water is used to do the cleaning. Later, you can leave your rug in the sunlight for air drying. 

The best part about steam cleaning is that it will heat-kill all the germs and bacteria in the rodent’s fecal matter. 

Soaking Carpet In Lots Of Detergents 

Enough detergent should be added so that it seeps deep into the carpet. You must leave the mat for an hour or two and wait for the stains to dissolve. If that does not happen, you can take a brush and scrub it till the carpet comes out clean. 

There are special rodent enzymatic cleaners, and you can purchase them to clean your carpets. However, it would help if you did it with caution. Many people say that the stronger the detergent, the more it acts by decolorizing your carpet.

How To Get Rid Of Rat Urine Smell In Wood

Usually, the attic flooring is made out of wood, and that is where mostly the rat goes to excrete their waste matter. So, even after scrubbing, the stain is gone; more often than not, the odor remains intact.

There are ways to get rid of the rat urine smell from the wood by focusing on the methods like:

• Using Odor Absorbers
• Disposing Of Wood pieces
• Using An Ozone Generator

In this section of the article, we will look at each method in detail so that you have proper guidelines to do in case of rat urinating on your wood.

Using Odor Absorbers

One such standard odor absorber is baking soda. You can use it to get rid of the smell even after the stain has been scrubbed off. Once you have cleaned the area by using detergents, you can add baking soda powder to that site.

Baking soda is a promising adsorbent and works by absorbing the nasty odor. You must leave it overnight for the best results. The next day, you can re-wash the area, and your wood will return to its original state.

Disposing Of Wood pieces

Sometimes, the pieces of wood can come off quickly, and if they are not of any use to you, you can get rid of them by throwing them out in the trash can. The new ones can replace the old pieces of wood.

This method is preferable as it saves you from the unpleasant experience of having to clean after the rat leaves off. Moreover, it will get rid of the smell immediately. You can use some room fresheners once you have thrown away the infected wood.

Using An Ozone Generator

Although ozone generators are more expensive than air purifiers, they are best for eliminating odors from vehicles, attics, and ductwork. However, you cannot use an ozone generator in the same room.

The machine works by producing ozone gas. This kills the urine smell. Ozone gas is dangerous for humans to inhale. You should close the room in every way and leave the ozone generator working for 2 to 3 hours.

Many of you may not want to purchase it, but you can easily rent it from the equipment supply dealers in the market.

How To Get Rid Of Rat Urine Smell In Oven

Rats can occupy every nook and cranny in your house, and they like it best when they remain undiscovered for the longest time possible. The oven is one of those places to hide. The rats prefer the enclosed space along with the dark. 

When rats start living in a place, they contaminate it too. Here are a few methods to get rid of the rat urine smell in the oven:

• Use of White Vinegar
• Use of Peppermint Oil 

For readers who want to opt for house remedies, these two techniques have proven to be most effective in not only driving rats away but also getting rid of their unpleasant aura. 

Use Of White Vinegar

You should take two pots and mix water and vinegar in a 1.:1 ratio. Next, boil the mixture. Although it may sting slightly, you have to bear it. Then, start locating where the rat urinates and pour this mixture on top of it. 

You must leave it for about 40 minutes before you start scrubbing. Do not forget to wear personal protective equipment like goggles, a face mask, and gloves. White vinegar is acidic and kills off germs in that area too. 

By cleaning your oven with it, you will eliminate the rat urine stains and the oily grease that often develops around the stove. 

Use Of Peppermint Oil

The smell seldom leaves even after you have cleaned the area thoroughly. That is why you must use peppermint oil, which has a refreshing odor and helps clear the unpleasantness left after the rats have evaded. 

You must sprinkle this oil regularly, so your oven does not stink. It will also drive all the rats away. Now, you will never have rat urine in your oven even again!

How To Get Rid Of Rat Urine Smell In Crawl Space

Rats often make their nests in crawl spaces. The areas are not accessible by humans, and the rats can sneak in and out of them relatively quickly. However, if you have many rats there, it also means that the urine smell will be much worse there. 

Here are a few ways enlisted by which you can effectively get rid of rat urine smell in crawl space:

• Using Paper Towels And Odor Eliminators 
• Use Of Lavender Oil

Crawl spaces are hard to target, but you need the most appropriate elements to eliminate the rat urine smell. Once you have done that, your area will be all smell-free.

Using Paper Towels And Odor Eliminators 

You can grab a few paper towels and pat dry the area where a rat has urinated. The sooner you do this, the better otherwise, the smell will get stinky by the minute. Moreover, you can contain the problem right when it has started. 

Next, you can clean up the area by pouring over some odor eliminators like bleach, vinegar, and water or those that have been synthesized chemically in the market. You can purchase them; they are more effective and will make your crawl space smell free in no time at all. 

Use Of Lavender Oil

It can be used after the cleaning step has been carried out initially. Firstly, you need to aerate the area, and you can do this by putting up a small fan in a crawl space or using a vacuum cleaner. Next, you can sprinkle some lavender oil.

Natural oils will help you eliminate the rat’s urine smell and discourage the rats from re-entering the crawl spaces of your house. 

How To Get Rid Of Rat Urine Smell In Cabinets

Rats can also reside inside the cabinets and have their nest there. Although this is a nuisance, you can also get rid of the rat urine smell in the cupboards. 

Here are a few ways by which you can clean up your cabinets and make them odor-free.

• Discarding items that cannot be cleaned
• Aerating Cabinets and using rosemary oil 

People who have been looking for a way to get their cabinets cleaned have come to the right place. In this section, we will see how your cabinets can be cured of rat urine stains.

Discarding Items That Cannot Be Cleaned

If a rat pees on a stack of papers or cardboard boxes, instead of making effort to clean them, you can get rid of them. We often put such things inside our cabinets. We know that both things mentioned above cannot be cleaned with any sanitizer or detergent. 

So, you must wear gloves while discarding them. It would be best to get rid of contaminated things as pets as cats and dogs lick on the surface, and they may get leptospirosis from dried urine. This infection can spread to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system and may lead to the person’s death.

Aerating Cabinets And Using Rosemary Oil

The best thing about cabinets is that they can be taken out into the sunlight. Or, in the least, the drawers can be taken out and put in the sunlight. Sunlight is the best disinfectant. Once you have washed away the rat urine, you must get rid of the stains.

For this purpose, you can apply bleach and clean the cabinets with small towels. You should aerate your cabinets for at least a day or two. Lastly, you should add rosemary oil to it. This gives it a pleasant odor and will keep the rats away from your cabinets for a long time. 

How To Get Rid Of Rat Urine Smell In Garden

Rat urine can be spotted in open areas like gardens. The main advantage of open space is that the odor is relatively minor. So, your primary task is to clean up after a rat has left. 

Here are a few ways by which you can clean up the area and make your garden look fresh again. 

• Soaking The Area
• Putting Soil On The Urinated Area

Readers who were looking for how to get rid of rat urine’s smell from their garden have landed; this section is for your aid and benefit. 

Soaking The Area

Once you have located the rat’s urine, you must soak that area with water for at least a day. This soaking helps in dissolving the dried urine. You can also add a little bit of bleach to that area but keep in mind that bleach is harmful to the grass. 

So, you must act in an environment-friendly way and get rid of the rat urine without harming your plants. After the area has been soaked, naturally, the water cleans away the dried urine. You can also use pressurized water through a pipe. 

Putting Soil On The Urinated Area

This is a very effective way. All you need to do is get a spade, dig some area of your garden and get some soil. Next, you put the soil on top of the contaminated soil. This way, you are ‘burying the urine’ and its smell. 

The freshly added soil will have a pleasant earthly smell, and your garden will no longer have the unpleasant smell of rat urine lingering there. 

You can get rid of the rat urine smell in numerous ways. It would be best if you cleaned the area first, and you can do this by using reagents like bleach and vinegar or both. Soaking and scrubbing is the way to go about it.

You can also aerate the area properly by opening all doors and windows. Moreover, you can use air fresheners at the end to eliminate the smell. 

How Do I Get Rid Of Rat Urine Smell In My House

You need to be on the lookout for rat droppings and ensure that you get rid of them if you find them. Secondly, opening up all doors and windows to allow sufficient sunlight is an excellent way to disinfect the area. 

Furthermore, you must use bleaching agents and rat repellents to drive the rats away wholly. The more they stay, the more they will create problems for you. 

Conclusion

Getting rid of the rat urine smell is not easy, but if you have sufficient knowledge and proper guideline about it, it can be done in no time at all.

However, this still does not eliminate the root cause of the problem- rats living in residential areas. That is why you must call in pest-control timely to get rid of rats in one go. This way, your house, oven, cabinets, and cars can remain free from rat urine odor.

References

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Prosite Pest Control