What does rat feces look like and where is it found?

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Rat decontamination in an attic is a multistep process that requires a hands-on approach. If you want to do it correctly, it’s not going to be at all easy – possible, but not easy. And you do want to do it correctly, because partial decontamination or superficial cleanup may lead to infection with airborne viruses found in contaminated dust, or to contracting other diseases that these rodents can transmit to humans who have direct contact with rat feces and urine.



Removing all that can be removed in terms of feces and other debris rats leave behind. You won’t be able to clear all the waste, as droppings and debris will be everywhere, and that means waste will also be in places where you can’t see it or can’t reach it. Also, obviously, you can’t remove urine. Thoroughly vacuuming the entire attic should do the trick.

Removing soiled insulation. Where possible, tear up the insulation that’s been soaked in urine, and replace it with new batt fiberglass insulation.

Efficient rat cleanup calls for decontamination with a strong product. You will need to spray your attic with a powerful, non-toxic, biodegradable odor eliminator that will also eat at the organic source of the odors, and neutralize any potentially harmful organic matter that didn’t get sucked by the vacuum. Most rat control specialists use a product called Bac-A-Zap, and it’s not one of those products that are hard to find if you don’t have relations in the industry. The product can be bought directly in a spray bottle, but I use an electric fogging machine for maximum efficiency.

Protecting yourself by not having direct contact with rat feces or inhaling contaminated dust. This is one extremely important aspect to consider when performing rat decontamination. Protective gloves, HEPA filter mask, and full biohazard suit should all be worn while cleaning after rats in the attic. This is not a thing you would want to overlook – your personal wellbeing is at stake.

Making extra sure the rats don’t have any way of getting back into the attic. While home inspection for rodent access points identification followed by access obstruction should’ve been the first step in dealing with rat invasion, it’s always better to be safe than sorry, so make sure you take another thorough look to ensure you haven’t missed any holes or fissures.

Going the extra mile with prevention. Make sure you didn’t do all that hard work for nothing, and put aside a couple of hours of your time to deal with prevention measures. Preventing other rats from being attracted to your property is very much necessary when you’re fresh out of an infestation situation. Make sure you don’t have any garbage, trash, or other possible food sources laying around and accessible to rats or other vermin. Make sure rats won’t have any openings through which they could enter the building.

As you can see, I wasn’t exaggerating in the introduction by saying that decontamination is not going to be at all easy, but at least now you hold the knowledge, and that’s always a plus. I’m sure almost anyone can handle these steps correctly, but it’s also true that not anyone is willing to. Luckily for those who aren’t willing to, there are people like myself who have chosen to make a career out of wildlife control, and you can always hire one of us to professionally handle the situation for you. For a list of such individuals and companies, go ahead and consult my directory of experts. For more information, you may want to click on one of these guides that I wrote:
How much does rat removal cost? - get the lowdown on prices.
How to get rid of rats - my main rat removal info guide.
Example rat trapping photographs - get do-it-yourself ideas.
Rat job blog - learn from great examples of rat jobs I've done.