Rodent droppings. Do not sweep or vacuum. Air the space out first
Hantavirus spreads when fresh rodent urine, droppings or nesting material is stirred into the air, which is exactly what a broom or vacuum does.
What is probably happening
- A few droppings in a cupboard or garage is a homeowner job done the CDC way: ventilate, glove up, wet with disinfectant, wipe, bag.
- An attic, crawl space or wall cavity with nests, heavy droppings and insulation soaked in urine is a professional decontamination job, and the insulation usually comes out.
- The rodents have to be dealt with too, or the cleanup is temporary.
Do this in the next five minutes
- Open all doors and windows for 30 minutes and stay out while it airs.
- Put on rubber or plastic gloves.
- Mix 1.5 cups of household bleach in 1 gallon of water (1 part bleach to 9 parts water).
- Spray droppings, urine and nests until soaking wet and leave for 5 minutes.
- Pick up with paper towels and put them, and any dead rodent, in a plastic bag. Put that bag inside a second bag, tie it, and put it in a covered outdoor trash can.
- Mop or sponge the area with the bleach solution, then wash your gloves in it, remove them, and wash your hands with soap and water.
Do not
- Do not sweep or vacuum. That is the CDC's first rule, because it puts virus into the air you breathe.
- Do not handle a dead rodent bare-handed.
- Do not try to clean an attic or crawl space with heavy contamination yourself. The CDC says to contact a professional and your local or state health department for a heavy infestation.
Who to call
A rodent cleanup or attic decontamination company
A pest control firm removes the animals; heavy droppings, nests and contaminated insulation need a crew with respirators and a disposal route, which is decontamination work rather than pest control.
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What it should cost
$600 to $1,000 for rodent cleanup; $1.50 to $3 per square foot for attic decontamination
HomeGuide rodent cleanup service; Angi attic decontamination rate
Source: HomeGuide, rodent removal cost, September 2025, and Angi, attic cleaning cost, July 2026. View source
National published range, not a quote for your job. The full cost table for this trade is on the biohazard page.
Ask this contractor, on the phone, before anyone comes out
Tap each one as you ask it.
- Do your workers use respirators and follow the CDC no-sweep, no-vacuum method?
- Is insulation removal and replacement in this quote, and at what cost per square foot?
- How is the waste bagged and where does it go?
- Is sealing the entry points (exclusion) included, or is that a separate pest control quote?
- Will I get a written scope before you start?
End the call if
- A crew that plans to sweep or shop-vac the droppings.
- No written scope, or cash only.
- A quote that does not say whether contaminated insulation is removed.