Domestic and wild animals are great at finding ways to sneak into homes, basements, attics, and even warm, welcoming cars. However, this habit of theirs becomes a problem when they are sick or can no longer get out. When an animal enters your property without you noticing, it could create a nasty, nauseating smell if it dies, especially if you don't find it right away. There are some ways to get rid of the dead animal stench, but the most important thing to do is to remove the source and sanitize the area to avoid parasites and contagions.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Eliminating the Odor
Step 1. Find the animal
Let yourself be guided by your nose to the source of the stench. Try to circumscribe an area of the house (such as the attic or basement) and then follow the stinking trail to the point where it is most intense. If the creature didn't die in a visible place, you need to do some research. Check out the places like:
- Behind the plasterboard walls (you will need to drill holes);
- Under the parquet boards;
- Under or behind the insulation material;
- Under the piles of debris;
- Near hot air vents or heat sources;
- Near pipes or water sources.
Step 2. Get rid of the dead body
The procedure depends on the laws enacted by your municipality, but the various possibilities are burial, incineration or garbage. Do not touch the animal's body directly, wear gloves or use a shovel to move it.
- If you have decided to bury it, put it in a biodegradable bag and then in a small box. Check the maps of the area or contact the relevant office in the area to make sure you do not break any water pipes or underground pipes. Dig a hole a meter or so deep, lay the box on the bottom and put the dirt back in its place.
- The City may allow you to burn the animal; if so, just throw it into a bonfire.
- To dispose of the body in the trash, wrap it in newspaper, then in two sealable plastic bags and place it in the garbage can.
- Perhaps you can call the wildlife control office for operators to come and collect the body, or you can take it directly to their office for disposal.
Step 3. Clean and sanitize the area
Put on gloves and use a rag or paper towel to pick up hair, fluids, and anything else the body has left behind. Spray the area with an enzymatic cleaner that is capable of degrading organic material, eliminating odors and pathogens. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes before scrubbing the surface with a clean cloth. when finished, throw the rag in the trash along with any residue. Here are some enzymatic cleaners you can find on e-commerce sites like Amazon:
- Clewa 2 Bio;
- JonPro Soon;
- Doctor Neu enzymatic;
- Envii Pet Fresh;
- Realco Cpl 30.
Step 4. Clean the fabrics
If your pet has contaminated textiles, such as curtains, towels, sheets, or other similar items, you should wash and sanitize them. The best way to proceed is to take them to a dry cleaner; if this is not possible, you must use the washing machine with very hot water and 250 ml of:
- Hydrogen peroxide;
- Bleach;
- Pine oil based disinfectant.
Step 5. Throw away anything you can't wash
Sometimes, the animal dies in hard-to-clean areas, such as on top of the insulation; if so, remove all the material that you cannot sanitize thoroughly and replace it.
Part 2 of 3: Freshen the Air
Step 1. Know what to do if you don't find the animal's carcass
If the creature died in an inaccessible place, such as inside a wall, you cannot eliminate the body to get rid of the smell. The time it takes for the stench to dissipate and the carcass to decompose depends on the size of the animal, the temperature and the humidity, but can vary from several weeks to a few months.
- Try to understand how close the source of the stench is.
- If possible and necessary, drill a few holes to open the area where the body is located (for example under the parquet or behind a wall); this way, you can treat the area with a disinfectant or a stink remover.
- Use a very strong deodorant or disinfectant; you can spray them inside the holes or you can hang deodorant bags in the area.
- Replace the bags as needed or continue spraying the product until the decomposition process is over.
- When the smell is gone, plug the openings.
Step 2. Air the room
Regardless of whether you've successfully disposed of the dead body or are waiting for it to decompose, ventilation is essential to freshen the air and get rid of the stench.
- Open as many windows as possible to circulate the air.
- Turn on some fans to blow the air out of the house; this caution is essential if you have not been able to remove the body.
Step 3. Deodorize the air
There are many products you can use to neutralize or eliminate the bad odor left in your home. You can soak up stinks with:
- Cloths dipped in bleach. Replace them when they dry. Keep the area well ventilated and keep children and pets away.
- An open box of baking soda;
- A container with a perforated cap inside which you have placed freshly ground coffee;
- Activated carbon;
- An air purifier with an absorbent filter.
Step 4. Freshen the area air
In addition to neutralizing the stench of carrion with deodorants, you can improve the quality of the air with products that freshen it, for example:
- Commercial products in sprays or in the form of nebulizers such as Febreze;
- Scented candles;
- Essential oils applied on a diffuser, on cotton balls or mixed with water or alcohol, poured into a spray bottle and spread around the house, sprayed with a spray bottle;
- Frankincense and essential oils;
- Hanging deodorants;
- Fabric bundles filled with very aromatic fresh herbs such as rosemary or lavender.
Part 3 of 3: Keep Animals Away
Step 1. Cover all holes and access points
Animals enter the house through holes, crevices, vents and other openings; the best way to prevent this from happening is to close all access routes. Seal any hole larger than 1cm, any air inlet, cavity, chimney, crevice and crack.
Use concrete, wire mesh, and mortar for this job, otherwise the animals can gnaw on the other materials and be able to penetrate
Step 2. Eliminate all food sources
Wildlife and domestic animals are more likely to invade your property if there is something outside that attracts them such as food or water. To deprive her of all these "temptations" you should:
- Get rid of stagnant water that is near the house;
- Eliminate all traces of pet food and bird food;
- Store trash and compost in rodent-proof containers;
- Collect fallen fruit and ripe vegetables from the garden;
- Collect animal droppings.
Step 3. Tidy up the outside area
Piles of wood, rubbish, uncultivated bushes and dangling branches of trees are good hiding places for animals, which can also be used to reach accessible points of the house. Eliminate any residue present in the yard and garden, keep plants, trees and lawn well cared for.
- For example, a thicket of overgrown bushes is a perfect hiding place for rodents who can also make a nest.
- The branches hanging over the house could allow wild creatures to enter the roof.
- Likewise, garbage, debris and organic material piled up near the house all represent "ramps" of access.
