Do you have the “dead animal in the wall blues” and need to know about dead animal in wall removal or dead animal removal? Then you’ve come to the right place. So what makes you think there is a dead animal in the wall – the smell? Yep, that’s it! The odor is unmistakable; once you have experienced it you will never forget it. The dead animal smell, dead rat smell, or dead mouse smell is a result of decomposing flesh that is coming from behind your wall.
Warfarin laced rodent poisons result in animals dying almost anywhere, including behind walls.
How did he get there?
Although mice tend to take up residence in interior walls of buildings and might die there naturally, if there is a dead mouse in the wall is most likely a result of being poisoned. Commercial rodent poisons are made with warfarin, a powerful anticoagulant that basically causes the animals to bleed to death internally. In doing so, poisoned animals will die almost anywhere in your home including behind walls.
How do I get him out?
This is the tricky part – getting the decedent out from behind the wall. The only way to remove him is to cut a hole in the wall and physically remove the critter. Unless you are able to pinpoint the exact location, you could wind up with a wall that looks like Swiss cheese – no pun intended. It takes a good olfactory sense and determination to sniff every inch of a wall to find where to cut, although often the source of the odor will be at the base of the wall.
If you are sure of the location of the dead animal in the wall, you may consider extracting it yourself.
What about that smell?
If you are lucky enough to identify the location, cut a hole, and remove the carcass (using gloves), you are probably now wondering how to get rid of dead mouse smell. A good cleaning with a household disinfectant or the use of an odor neutralizer will help. Before you repair the hole in your wall, apply a healthy layer of baking soda or lime to further inhibit any remaining odor.
What if I can’t find him?
Depending on the temperature and humidity, it can take up to 14 days for the odor of a decaying mouse to dissipate. If you live in Arizona, the smell will go away a lot quicker that if you live on a bayou in Louisiana. If you have no other choice but to wait it out, odor neutralizing room fresheners or spray and some good ventilation will make the area more livable. But if you can afford a 2 week vacation to someplace fun, that is preferred.
Mice not welcomed
Avoid similar scenarios by never using poison to rid your home of mice, and take the necessary steps to keep mice out of your home. Read more about what you can do about mice, and how to avoid them from squatting in your house in our article “How to Get Rid of Mice.”