what is the best remedy for a dead mouse odor?

[ginnyinWI]

Yes it has happened--a mouse died inside a wall upstairs. And now I can smell it downstairs. Of course, company is coming tomorrow for Thanksgiving! I've got scented candles and we can build a wood fire in the fireplace, but I wondered if there is a specific potpourri I could do on the stove that would help? Maybe just boil some vinegar or something?

It's not overpowering, but I have a better sense of smell than my husband and I can smell it. It will be over in about a week probably (this has happened before) but I need to deal with it tomorrow. There is no access to the spot where the mouse got in, probably via the attic.

[Paper Roses]

1. I think you are in trouble. Had that happen here. the only remedy was:

Time

[ginnyinWI]

2. ugh that's not what I want to hear.

But I'm hoping that with the turkey roasting, the wood fireplace burning, candles lit, and some potpourri on the stove it won't be too bad. It's centered upstairs behind a closet wall, so I'm going to hope it isn't too bad. Since I called it to his attention my husband can smell it too. :(

[Warpy]

5. If the stench is subtle and not overpowering, as you said

then the combined smells of cooking, candles, people, and (ugh) their cigarettes will drown it out completely.

If not, everybody will wonder who's in line for that case of diarrhea.

You'll smell it the day after, of course, but nobody will smell it tomorrow.

It could be worse, rats used to die in the walls of basement and first floor flats in Boston. The stench was overpowering and it seemed to last forever. I had a basement work studio and found out the hard way. The studio moved.

[ginnyinWI]

8. as of tonight it's not so bad...

it depends on where in the house you happen to be--wondering if the odor is traveling through the walls. But it's not too strong and I think we can drown it out with everything else.

I can only imagine what a rat could do!

If anyone says anything we'll explain what it is--they are all family and have had the same experience.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. If you know where it is, you could open the wall

Cut the drywall with a drywall saw and then use it as the patch.

Reach in there (with rubber gloves) and take the mouse out. Spray the wall cavity with bleach.

[ginnyinWI]

9. I actually did that in our old house.

I smelled it, and thought "Oh no, I'm not going through this again!" It was inside a kitchen closet so wasn't a big problem. And being in the kitchen that odor was all the worse.

This one is also in the back wall of the bathroom cabinet, I think--hate to tear it up since this house is newer, but we'll see how it goes. The real thing we have to do is get an exterminator out here to see where they are getting in and preventing it.

[pipoman]

4. We had one pass under our kitchen cupboards

this fall. I bought a product called odors away at the hardware store. It comes in a little bottle and you put it on newspaper or paper towels. It helped a lot.

[jgraz]

6. A dead cat?

:shrug:

[eridani]

17. Well, according to Firesign Theater--

--there's a whole DEAD CAT in every bar of DEAD CAT soap!

[Tesha]

7. you could cook something really strong smelling...

cabbage soup as a starter?

tongue, fish, sauteed onions..

out stink it so to speak.:P

[ginnyinWI]

10. potpourri.

I found a recipe with orange peel, cloves, bay leaf, etc, and will get that simmering on the stove before people arrive. That plus the turkey and everything else should do it. So far it isn't too overpowering.

Tongue?? Yuck.

[pengillian101]

11. Yikes.

That is a dilemma. Hopefully all the good kitchen smells will drown it out.

If not, make a quick run to the store for lutefisk and lefse. Cooking Lutefisk will overpower ANY smell (and might send your guests outdoors). I want some soon - I love the stuff once a year - rolled up in lefse, with melted butter and salt. MMM.

:-)

[ginnyinWI]

14. can't smell anything today--

(keeps fingers crossed)

I have the turkey in the roaster, and there is the smell of onions and sage and coffee, with more wonderful aromas to come later on when I bake the rest of the meal. I think we'll be okay! I also have a quart of potpourri waiting to be heated as an additional cover. :)

I sprayed some Oust around upstairs for good measure.

[elleng]

12. DEAD CAT, WADDYA THINK????

:sarcasm:


:rofl:

[katkat]

13. I think

I have some Limburger in the frig you can have :-)

On the topic of mouses, I have an old car I can't bring myself to part with but which lives in the garage because it's a money pit. Mice got into it and it was a real effort getting them out and the car de-smelled, seats came out, carpet washed, headliner replaced, etc.

I read that they hate peppermint oil, so I bought some and soaked cotton pads with it and put them in old empty pill bottles with the cap off and put three bottles in the car - front and back seat and trunk. So far it seems to be working (cross fingers.) Peppermint oil is not the greatest smelling thing in the world, it's not exactly like peppermint, but it actually makes the garage itself smell rather nice now. I add more oil every couple of weeks.

[japple]

15. I had that problem several years ago. Incense works wonders,

esp. Nag Champa, which I happen to love. But other kinds worked well too. Pine & sage were nice too. Hope it gones away soon.

[Vinca]

16. Oust works really well on the most putred odors.