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Cleaning up after rat invasion


ehb102
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Our ancient shed got rats and now it is being burned to the ground.(Torn down and replaced but I wanted to burn it down!). I want to rescue the garden tools and a couple of other bits. Any tips on cleaning them? There's lots of advice on how to deal with the mess rats make but not much about how to clean things they may have touched. Would a Dettol dip work? The rats have been gone for at least three months. 

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Your Ladyship, sorry you've had visitors.

Diluted bleach or even white vinegar are what you need and some spray bottles.

Stand each item in a washing up bowl against a wall and use a plastic sheet to keep the liquid running in to the bowl.

Spray from the bottles and give each item a good 5 minutes to get the liquid in everywhere.

Good luck

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Thanks, chaps. Visitors have pushed off, rat catcher got some juveniles and we have night video of a huge momma eating out of next door's open compost bin where they put FOOD WASTE. Rats dragged the bits into our shed to feast upon them. My instinct is to say "flamming urban greenies" but I like my neighbours so will restrain myself. 

 

The disinfectant advice is what I needed, thank you. Just wanted to know that that would be enough. I don't think people are aware enough of the dangers of rodent **** these days.  

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20 minutes ago, ditchman said:

are a man of intelligence that rekonises fine wit...........thank god ...all is not lost

Standards have really dropped lately.......................................:cool1:

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Shed is all in the skip now. I am fanning myself at the cost of paving slabs. Everything was dunked in a paddling pool of bleach water and then rinsed, apart from a few less hardy things that were carefully sponged down with Dettol solution. Now I need to find a way to rescue my garden tools. I don't use them very often but I like to have a working set. 

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My neighbour had a rat problem after building work disturbed the sewer, so they put down lots of traps and poison.

We've never had an issue before, always had cats or a terrier, however one of the dying rats made it through to our attic and down into the airing cupboard, unable to open the door it crawled behind the hot water tank and died!

Removal was not easy!

It's taken me weeks to get rid of the stench and it can only have been in there 24 hours at the most.

Bleach and more bleach!

ehb102, you have my sympathy.

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10 hours ago, ehb102 said:

The disinfectant advice is what I needed, thank you. Just wanted to know that that would be enough. I don't think people are aware enough of the dangers of rodent **** these days.  

Not much chance that the rats will have crawled over tools that were hung up, even then you'd probably need an open cut and fresh pee to cause an issue,  I'm sure you'll have sorted it with the bleach.

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Tools hung up? Sadly, we had never got around to organising them. We inherited this old shed that needed replacing and we have made it last twenty years. The new shed has been ordered. 

Lots of painted metal has corroded where you wouldn't expect it to have, so I assume that is rodent ****. There were mice before rats and they are dreadful for that. 

Having chucked lots it doesn't look like we really need a shed 🤣 I will make this next one functional! 

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19 hours ago, ehb102 said:

Tools hung up? Sadly, we had never got around to organising them. We inherited this old shed that needed replacing and we have made it last twenty years. The new shed has been ordered. 

Lots of painted metal has corroded where you wouldn't expect it to have, so I assume that is rodent ****. There were mice before rats and they are dreadful for that. 

Having chucked lots it doesn't look like we really need a shed 🤣 I will make this next one functional! 

Hello, Steel sweats in cold weather out doors so that is why most garden tools go rusty if left in sheds through the winter, that is why i mention placing in a bag after spraying with 3 in 1 oil spray, not WD !!!!

Edited by oldypigeonpopper
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14 minutes ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, Steel sweats in cold weather out doors so that is why most garden tools go rusty if left in sheds through the winter, that is why i mention placing in a bag after spraying with 3 in 1 oil spray, not WD !!!!

I insulated my shed. With some loft insulation  then Osb board. On top made a lage. Difference  not as. Many tools rust I have a woodburning stove in as well help dry it out.

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7 minutes ago, johnphilip said:

I insulated my shed. With some loft insulation  then Osb board. On top made a lage. Difference  not as. Many tools rust I have a woodburning stove in as well help dry it out.

Hello, That is a good way to stop sheds getting to cold through the winter months 👍

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