The reason for the sequence.
The sequence is trapping, sealing and then cleanup. Doing it in the wrong order wastes money, because animals that remain will foul fresh insulation. We confirm quiet before we start removing anything.
A crawl space or attic can hold a lot of material. Insulation gets shredded into nests, soaked with urine and dotted with droppings along every joist. The result smells, loses its insulating value and can feed a lingering odor.
What comes out and what is kept.
- Insulation that is matted, stained or mixed with droppings.
- Nest piles of paper, fabric and fibers, bagged on the spot.
- Droppings along joists, tops of walls and ductwork.
- Hard-to-clean porous items, which we flag for you to decide on.
Clean, dry batting that sits undisturbed often stays. We explain what we see before pulling anything, since replacement material is an added cost you may not need.
How we keep dust down.
Dry sweeping and vacuuming send fine particles into the air, which is exactly what the CDC steps warn against. The space gets fresh air first, and the droppings are soaked in disinfectant before anything is lifted. Material is bagged where it lies and carried out in sealed bags.
When the debris is out, surfaces are treated and the cavity is ventilated. We wear protective gear and recommend you stay out of the area while work runs.
| Stage. | What happens. | The importance. |
|---|---|---|
| Vent. | Open the space and let it air out. | Reduces stale air before work starts. |
| Wet. | Spray disinfectant on droppings and nests. | Keeps dust from rising. |
| Remove. | Bag soiled insulation and debris. | Takes the source of odor out of the building. |
| Treat. | Disinfect surfaces and air the space. | Prepares the cavity for new material. |
Re-insulating.
If insulation was removed, we can price replacement as its own line. You may choose to wait until you are confident the animals are gone. The decision is yours, and we say honestly whether the space can safely stay open for a while.
Attics near older Centerport estates and mid-century homes can hold insulation of many ages, and a quick look in the hatch tells us whether it needs to be replaced. Hedged as always, we will not claim to know what is in your attic without seeing it.
A photo of the pellets or chewed spot, described over the phone, helps the visit start sooner.
Dial (888) 686-4821Before you book cleanup.
Confirm that trapping has ended and that exclusion work is finished. If chewed ducting, wiring covers or drywall are present, ask about rodent damage repair.
Questions about your health after exposure belong with your doctor. The CDC pages linked below describe safe cleanup in more detail.
Household health checklist while you wait
No phone call is needed to start. Health departments hand out this same guidance to anybody who spots droppings indoors.
- A fast dry sweep looks harmless but lofts particles that hover for ages.
- Trapped air holds whatever has been floating in it, so let a long-sealed space clear out first.
- Keep gloved fingers away from your face, and wash once the gloves are off.
- The routine runs spray, rest, wipe, and the rest lasts about five minutes.
- Tie the bag, put it in the bin, then give your hands another wash.
- Over the next few weeks, keep an eye on how you feel and tell a doctor about flu-like aches or labored breathing.
More reading from the public health and environmental agencies
Every remark on cleaning or poison above rests on one of these listed pages.
- EPA rules on store-bought rodent bait: Rules for bait sold to consumers, handy if you are comparing two products in a store.
- CDC guide to wet cleanup after rodent contact: Ways to deal with urine marks, droppings and torn nesting without lifting dust.