Cleaning up mice and bird poopings

[Jane Pratte]

The 1962 Globe Trotter we recently got is full of mice and bird litter.  I'd love some experienced advise on cleaning this up.  My husband, Henry, and I have just started and have thrown out most of the junk that was left in the trailer, shoveled out the majority of the rats nests, and pulled out the old carpet.

 

Now we need to scoop up the poop off the counter tops, stove, bathroom surfaces, etc.  It stinks to high heaven and I don't want us to get sick from the remains. 

 

How do you check for damage to wiring and plumbing? 

 

Any advise is appreciated.

 

Jane & Henry Pratte

 

[Jim]

Be careful Droppings can really get you sick.


There are a few items you can really use. Rent a Rug Doctor and get the upholstery tool. That hot steam, being sucked up into a tank, REALLY helps keep bad stuff out of the air you will breathe. I also have an appliance called "The Steam Buggy" ... just a portable steam cleaner. There are several on the market and they are WORTH THE PURCHASE ACROSS THE BOARD. Any time I have some sludge, gunk, or other crap to clean, the steam buggy SOLVES IT.

HOT water. BLEACH, and a mold killing cleaner. Those are your friends. Stock up on your personal favorite cleaner (409, simple green , etc) and some polish and wax. After you strip it clean, that is only HALF of the job. You next need to polish and protect. Sealants, oil soaps, minwax, and my favorite metal polish of all time.... FLITZ.

http://www.flitz-polish.com


Next, I LOVE , and I mean LOVE the product called "What Odor". We had a cat who choose a corner of carpet while we were on a weekend away and I thought I was going to have to replace carpet. The product is AMAZING.


http://www.whatodor.com


I have also used a pressure washer on items I could remove and take outside. Cabinets, furniture frames etc.

Dont clean it inside. STRIP IT BARE. Take everything that can be reasonably removed OUT. Cabinet doors, bathroom fixtures, cammode, etc. STRIP IT BARE, then clean. Prevents the contaminated 'cleaning remnants' from flowing into other places.


Have faith, what is soiled will clean. Your labor will reward you greatly. Best wishes for an easy success!

[Jane Pratte]

Jim, you have given me some good advise. We've vacumned up using a wet vac a good deal of poop and nest material today. I appreciate your thoughts about Strip it bare and will look into a Steam Buggy and also Whatodor.

Henry is trying to remove the oven now and looking for "screws" that may be keeping it from slipping out of its "hole". He thinks there must be one on the inside of the oven, do you know?

I've removed all the drawers, cushions, and beginning to unscrew the woodwork.

Again, thanks and any advise is appreciated.
jane and henry

[Jane Pratte]

Jim, still following your advise to Strip this thing bare. The good thing about the job is that you see progress pretty quickly as the pile of things outside is bigger than the remaining items inside. There was significant mouse damage inside the wheel covers and the metal covering the wheels are quite rusty with even some holes showing through. Any ideas where to find replacements for those metal wheel covers?

Appreciate suggestions and advise.
Jane

[Elizabeth Milner]

Best to use a respirator or, at least, a good dust mask. Depending on your location, hantavirus is in a lot of mouse droppings and can be very lethal to some people.

[Jane Pratte]

Thanks for the heads up Elizabeth. I have been using a dust mask but do wonder if it is enough considering the amount of pooh and the stench. I'm considering using a pressure hose and washing out the insides. I don't think at this point there could be a downside, especially since we are considering taking this unit down to the "skin". Any thougths around that idea?

[Susan Alexander]

I have been doing the same. In addition to the bleach, blasting and de-ordorizing, we have used Kilz to prime all salvageable surfaces that will be painted. The advice to wear a respirator is right on. I, too, am having problems with the immoveable oven from our vintage Boles Areo trailer. It is almost impossible to get the gunk out without removing everything! Good luck! Happy trails to you!

[Jane Pratte]

Susan, how is your restoration going? We did finally get the oven out, yeah!. It is ruined so replacements of this and the refrig will be required. We are still finding poop and places where the insulation was used for nests. It's disgusting but I'm keeping hold of the hope that one day we'll have a unit that will bring lots of fun. The cabinets are outside now and it's on to the closets before we make way to the bathroom. Another couple of weekends and hopefully we'll be ready to begin removing the interior walls (which I dread).

Jane

[Susan Alexander]

Hi, Jane! We are moving along, albeit slowly. Congrats on getting the oven out. We have been removing cabinets and fixtures. I have just finished the fun task of sanding, staining, finishing kitchen cabinet drawers and doors and painting bedroom drawers. We are turning this into a "park model" with microwave/convection oven and dishwasher. The bathroom will have tradional fixtures including a glass vessel sink with waterfall faucet. We are having fun in spite of the stubborn oven. We are replacing the flooring with bamboo. My greenhouse is now stacked full of cabinets, drawers and the such. Can't wait to put it back together. I'm with you, I dread the interior walls. I am concerned that the insulation may be asbestos. That will be the next big hurdle. (Having to abate asbestos would really suck!) Then, it will be re-wired with a new fuse box. Have fun !

[Jane Pratte]

whew! all the trailer is gutted. Now to remove the interior walls and floor. vik led me to a website to learn more about removing rivets and to the Airstream forum to learn about the interior walls. I didn't think about asbestos but now that I read your notes, I can probably expect to have that in the walls as well. At this point, we are expecting to replace the insulation since it is likely to have rodent damage but again we'll need to wear those aggravating masks! Bummer!

Henry and I are having a good time working together on the restoration so that is a plus.
jane

[Susan Alexander]

Jane, you know, my dad always told me that education is painful...guess we're finding that we are really getting an education! Keep enjoying your labor of love. Have fun!

[Tom Guarino]

----- What is the main ingredient of WD-40 ?

Before you read to the end, does anybody know what the main ingredient of WD-40 is? Don't lie and don't cheat. WD-40. Who knew; I had a neighbor who bought a new pickup. I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that someone had spray painted red all around the sides of this beige truck (for some unknown reason). I went over, woke him up, and told him the bad news. He was very upset and was trying to figure out what to do.... probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing was open. Another neighbor came out and told him to get his WD-40 and clean it off. It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his paint job that was on the truck. I'm impressed! WD-40 who knew? 'Water Displacement #40'. The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a 'water displacement' compound.. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Convair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts. Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you... When you read the 'shower door' part, try it. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It's a miracle! Then try it on your stove top ... Viola! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed.

WD-40 uses:
1. Protects silver from tarnishing.
2. Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4. Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making them slippery.
5.. Keeps flies off cows.
6. Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7. Removes lipstick stains.
8.. Loosens stubborn zippers.
9. Untangles jewelry chains.
10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13. Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16. Keeps scissors working smoothly..
17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
18. It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19. Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
20. Gives a children's playground gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21. Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers...
22.. Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open..
24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans
28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31. Removes splattered grease on stove.
32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35. Removes all traces of duct tape.
36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37. Florida ’s favorite use is: 'cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.'
38. The favorite use in the state of New York , WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40. Use it for fire ant bites.. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41. WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42. Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, satur ate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The lipstick is gone!
43. If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.

P.S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL.