They may die in your walls, attics, basements, and other hidden areas. Unfortunately, the longer you neglect the dead mice, the worse the odor will get. Dead mice also attract other rodents and pests that can increase your infestation problems.
They Have a Good Sense of Smell
These rodents know how humans and other predators smell, so they'll avoid the mouse trap if they sense the scent of humans on it. House mice also recognize the smell of other dead mice so they avoid reused traps that aren't properly sanitized.
They are also known to warn other mice about danger so that they can be safe. “If mice get caught in a trap and somehow survive it, they memorize it and avoid repeating the actions that got them into trouble.”
The odor of a dead mouse is a mix of sulfur dioxides, methane and other noxious gases that are produced as tissue begins to decompose. Unfortunately, this smell can be produced by any member of the rodent family (mice, rats, etc.)
Mouse and rat carcasses release a potent odor that can penetrate through air ducts, walls and floors. The stench is so strong that it can cause headaches, nausea, and vomiting. As it turns out, there are two main culprits: decomposition and bacteria.
Under no circumstances should you flush a dead mouse down the toilet. There are many potential problems when flushing anything that is not meant to be flushed. Even if the rodent appears small, it may not go down smoothly, resulting in a clog…or worse.
A dead mouse will start letting off a powerful smell in one or two days in the summer. In the winter, the scent can take up to a week to become evident. But it lingers for longer because the body decomposes much slower in cold weather.
The odor from a dead mouse may last only a day. In fact, there may be no noticeable odor from a single dead mouse, but several dead mice in the same area could be a problem. A dead rat may smell really bad for a week, but there can be some lingering odor for as long as a month.
Create a 10/90 bleach/water mixture. Vinegar or commercial disinfectants are also good choices. After you've removed the mouse and cleaned the area, circulating the air will help the smell dissipate. You can do this by opening doors and windows, using a fan, or installing an air ventilation system.
Coffee grounds are pleasant, powerfully aromatic and absorb odor. Other options that work on that dead mouse smell are charcoal deodorizer bags, Odor Remover Bags, pet odor enzymatic sprays and, if you're willing to spend some money, air ionizer machines.
If they're communicating to stay away from a trap because of the scent of human or dead mouse, things can get tricky. Mice have incredible memories. They can even remember who their family is and form bonds with them.
Mice also use their sense of smell to detect threats in another way. If they smell dead mice left in traps, they will avoid those areas, sensing that death may wait for them in those locations. That is why it is a good idea to remove mice caught in traps, so they are not allowed to decay.
Unfortunately, the light inside your house is not a very effective deterrent to mice. Once inside a house or a building, they can easily look for dark areas to hide until such time as all lights are turned off. Places they can hide include inside the walls, crawl spaces, attics, and ceilings.
It can be quite hard for an average homeowner to determine whether they are dealing with a full-scale infestation or just one or two wandering mice. With that being said, one male and one female mouse are all it takes for an infestation to happen.
Spotting one elusive mouse typically means there are at least five or six hiding out in your walls, basement, or attic. This is particularly true if you see a mouse at night or in a low-traffic area of your home. For more proof of a full infestation, look for these indicators: Scratching noises in the evening.
There is a way to tell approximately how many mice your home has welcomed. Check out the mouse droppings you see on your floor, counters, or furniture. If you find only 5 or 6 mouse droppings, that is a good sign, as that few droppings will tell you that there is only one of those rodents scouring about indoors.
A dead mouse should not be left to rot inside your wall, because its corpse could soon attract fleas. With an electronic borescope, you can locate the corpse's whereabouts by drilling a coin-sized hole, a few inches off the ground, into the drywall of the cavity that seems to be emitting the smell.
Call In an Exterminator to See How Bad the Problem Is
If you found a single dead mouse, chances are, you likely have more somewhere in or around your home. What you need to do is call in a professional exterminator who can take the time to go through your whole home looking for signs of an infestation.
Baking Soda: Baking soda is another kitchen ingredient that's great for deodorizing the dead rodent's smell. Create this deodorizer by mixing baking soda inside a spray bottle and regularly spray the area. Bleach: You can also use a bleach solution to deodorize the foul odor from the animal's decomposing animal.
If there's no evidence to point you in the direction of an impromptu mouse graveyard, follow your nose to the most concentrated area of the stench. If there's still no sign of the corpse, it could possibly be in an air duct, a wall cavity, the attic, the crawlspace or in the sealed underside of a kitchen counter.
A dead mouse smells rancid—or like rotten cabbage.
Usually, it smells of rotten cabbage or decay. The rancid odor of a dead mouse is distinct—if it smells unlike any scent ever smelt in that area of the home, investigate further.
It can take anywhere from two weeks to three months for your mice infestation to completely clear up, depending on the level of infestation. Large infestations take more time to handle than small ones.
Rodents will feed on non-human foods like birdseed and dry pet food in a pinch. They have incredibly sensitive noses and can easily smell your food through walls and packaging.
If you suspect you have a dead mouse stuck somewhere in your home, these are the signs and smells to look out for: A rancid smell that starts randomly (and hasn't happened in this area of your home before) A scent that smells like rotten cabbage. A general smell of decay.
Question: Does one mouse mean an infestation? Answer: One mouse is not considered an infestation, per se. However, one mouse will almost always lead to an infestation if control methods are not put in place.