The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors mouse nest

After taking the headliner carpet out of my AD, I found a HUUUGE mouse nest. I got most of it, but there's still a bunch of stuff in the roof brace just above the windshield. How do I get it out without ruining my vacuum? I don't have air to blow, so I thought about using a hand torch to burn it out? Am I crazy, or just desperate?

jay

Take a step back for a moment, and do a little research about the hantavirus! This is nothing to fool around with. A respirator, gloves, maybe a tyvek suit and a shower as soon as you are done getting all the detritus into sealed plastic bags is probably the minimum. A HEPA vac is the only type I would be using here, any regular shop vac will just spread the stuff as fine dust and pathogens out the exhaust. It is just this fine dust that is probably the most dangerous.
Another approach would be either bleach or ammonia solution. Don't use both together! You will want to completely eliminate the hazard. BE CAREFUL!

Don't set it on fire...drag it to the car wash and use their vacuum or use a portable air tank or something else, man I couldn't even imagine the smell of burnt mouse turds whew!!

Dave

I agree with everybody else - DON'T BURN IT! Splash was dead on regarding the hanta virus. I woudld recommend you use bleach, as it is a disinfectant. In my younger years, I was a veterinary technician and we used bleach on EVERYTHING. It is a great, low cost sanitizing agent.

Dave's advice to take it to the car wash to use their canisters was a good one. There was also a post earlier this week about mouse mess in this same forum, and another bolter had a disinfectant/deoderizer he'd used on his truck. I'd recommend you take a look at that too.

Getting rid of the mouse nest and waste is no big deal, but you have to do it safely. You also want to get rid of the smell to prevent more mice from being attracted to your truck and ruining your work.

Good luck,

Thanks for the tips. The waste is mostly gone, but now I need to take the upholstery and foam out of my seat, too, and pitch that. Without towing capability, can I bleach the crap out of it (hehe) and spray it off in my own driveway? I will do some research on the virus. Thanks,

jay

According to the CDC website, Hantavirus can remain viable for 2 to 3 days. I'm pretty sure it's been YEARS since any rodents have been in my truck. Someone please help me feel better about not wearing a mask the first time!?!?

jay

OK - I'll make you feel better. I've cleaned out a LOT of mouse nests without wearing a mask - but I'm not too proud of it . . .
K

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! My wife's matron of honor is a microbiologist; she's always trying to scare us. This is the only thing that has scared me...
I love the color of your five window; it's very similar to my 47 AD. What's it called?

jay

Sorry to scare you, but it is a real concern. You can't in good conscience tell someone to do something in an unsafe manner just because you (lets face it, this means me) have done it the WRONG way lots of times!

Thanks for your kind words about the truck. The color is "Baffin Blue." It is one of DuPont's regular fleet colors.

I've cleaned out quite a few rat nests w/o respirator/mask and what not. I've also burned alot of the [censored]. :| I'm not seeing myself keeling over and dying yet.

(I'm talking about blowing this stuff around with a compressor, sweeping it up, throwing it onto large bon fires etc.)

Just buy a mask if you're paranoid.

I have cleaned mouse STUFF out of more old cars and trucks than i can remember and have no ill effects but there is a first time for everything.i usually do wear at least a paper dust mask and gloves.the vacuum at the car wash sounds like a good idea .