How To Clean Mouse Urine from Wood? (A Step-By-Step Guide)

Are you looking for tips to get rid of mouse urine from wood surfaces?

Mice might look cute, fragile, and harmless, but they are demons in the making. They chew on almost everything from furniture to plastic bags and spoil food by gnawing on storage bags. But perhaps the biggest problem is the traces of urine they leave behind, especially on wood surfaces.

Mouse urine has a pungent odor that’s sure to catch your attention. On wood surfaces, rodent urine can cause staining, discoloration, and even damage if left untreated. So, learning how to clean up mouse urine smell from wood is extremely important.

This simple guide offers several tips on how to eliminate mouse urine stains and smell from wood effectively and safely.

Let’s jump in!

How To Safely Clean Mouse Urine from Wood?

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

Before the mouse urine cleanup, you need to get a few things, including:

• Protective Gear (latex gloves and face mask)
• Disinfectant spray
• Cleaning solution (vinegar or enzymatic cleaner)
• Mop
• Air freshener
• Flashlight

Step 2: Locate the Urine

Now that you have the required materials, it’s time to locate the area the mouse urine smell originates from.  

Usually, mice pee contains high calcium levels, which leave behind white stains. So, look for such stains and signs of discoloration.

If the rodents have been urinating on the wood surface for some time, the texture and color of the wood will also change. It might appear soft, wrapped, or damaged.

Mouse urine tends to get stronger when you get closer to its nest. If you can’t pinpoint the affected area through physical changes, chances are the rats urinate in hidden or dark corners of the room.

You can use a flashlight to illuminate the urine stain. Mice’s urine contains chemicals that can glow when illuminated.

Sometimes, you might identify several affected areas. Mark them up to ensure you address all the stains when cleaning.

Step 3: Ventilate The Affected Area

The next step is to open the windows and doors to aerate or ventilate the room while reducing the rodent urine odor. The fresh air from outside will also reduce the effect of the cleaning products you will use.

If the space lacks windows or doors, turn your home’s HVAC system or ceiling fan to ensure good airflow in a room. You can also use portable fans to increase airflow.

Step 4: Put On Protective Gear

Never clean mice droppings or urine without protective clothing. Rodents are scavengers, meaning they love roaming in dirty environments searching for food, water, and sometimes shelter.

Because of this, their fecal matter can carry illnesses, viruses, or bacteria, which can get transmitted to you if not handled properly.

Therefore, it’s paramount you protect your health by wearing protective equipment, including gloves (to avoid direct contact with hands) and face masks (to avoid breathing harmful germs). You can also rock an apron to prevent urine stains from getting on your clothes.

What’s more, the protective gear will shield you from the harmful effects of cleaning products, especially bleach.

Step 5: Remove As Much Urine as Possible

Using a paper towel or a damp cloth, blot the area affected by the urine. It’s wise to use different paper towels or damp cloths to prevent the urine from spreading to other areas.

But what if the urine has soaked the wood surface? If so, use a small amount of water to soak the wood and remove the urine. Remember, too much water will damage the wood.  

Step 6: Clean the Area

The next step is to clean the affected wood areas. Below are a few products to help you clean up and eliminate the rat urine smell:  

• Bleach

Bleach is the go-to cleaning product or laundry detergent for most people because it can disinfect and sterilize a variety of surfaces. It is possible to get rid of mouse urine odor with bleach.

To use this product, mix it with water in a bucket. Scrub the bleach mixture into the area with the urine, then rinse with water.

Although effective, bleach is strong. That means you should handle it carefully to avoid health problems. Also, avoid applying this cleaning product directly to the wood unless you want to deal with a discoloration mess.

• Vinegar

Vinegar is another effective cleaning solution for mice urine. Simply mix 1 part white vinegar with 2 parts water. Soak a clean cloth or sponge in the mixture and apply it to the wood.

Let the solution sit for a few minutes, then wipe it. You can also scrub the area thoroughly with the home mixture to remove any remaining urine.

• Disinfectant

A disinfectant spray also offers a great way to deal with the mouse’s urine smell. Just spray the stained area to eliminate germs and bacteria in the urine. You can also use it to disinfect areas with mouse activity but no sign of urine stains.

The best part is a disinfectant spray works even in closed spaces. They also come in a variety of scents, like peppermint oil and others.

• Commercial Enzymatic Cleaner

If the urine stains and odor persist, opt for a stronger cleaning product like an enzymatic cleaner. With this product, you can remove the worst of rat urine stains and odor.

An enzymatic cleaner targets the proteins and bacteria in the urine and engulfs or breaks them down. Simply apply a thin layer of the cleaner on the urine-stained wood. Scrub the area with a brush to remove the stains.

But if the urine has caused substantial damage to the wood, apply the cleaner over a towel.  Place the towel over the infested area and press on it to absorb the urine.

Step 7: Allow The Wood Surface to Dry

Once the wood dries, do a smell test. If the urine odor still lingers, apply a smell absorber like baking soda on the affected area. The baking soda will reduce or get rid of the odor completely. If you want the best result, leave the baking powder overnight.

Alternatively, you can use ground coffee or an air freshener to absorb and cover any smell within the room.  

Step 8: Cleanup and Disposal

Finally, vacuum the baking soda or ground coffee from the stained areas. Mop the room with a mixture of water and soap or laundry detergent and let it dry.

Wash your clothing and dispose of the face mask and gloves in a trash bin (wrap them in a trash bag). This will help prevent any residue of the rat urine from clinging to objects and other surfaces.

Why Clean Mouse Urine?

If you have a mouse infestation, it’s crucial to get rid of the rats and clean the areas they infested, whether it’s the attic, garage, or basement.

Mouse droppings and urine contain diseases, bacteria, and viruses. While not all pathogens carried by rodents are harmful, some can be life-threatening.

For instance, the hantavirus – an RNA virus–can cause pulmonary edema, hypotension, and hypoxia to those exposed to rat droppings or urine within 1 to 3 weeks. Rat urine can also spread lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV), a viral infection.

Other illnesses caused by mouse pee and poop include:

• Leptospirosis- A bacterial disease characterized by vomiting, jaundice, fevers, and liver damage
• Rat-bite fever
• Black plague variants
• Salmonellosis

Besides, rodent urine and dropping are a source of allergens. Some individuals can sneeze and experience other allergic reactions when they touch or inhale a rat’s fecal matter.

The germs in the waste can also linger around even after dealing with a rodent infestation. That’s why the CDC recommends you take caution when cleaning up.

Besides, rat urine often leaves stains on carpets, rugs, and wood surfaces. The urine smell also gets stronger over time because it comprises urea, which gets converted to ammonia. This explains the pungent smell, and why it’s crucial to clean the urine as soon as possible.

How to Keep Mouse Urine Stains Out of Your Home?

Once the wood surface dries, it’s crucial to take steps to prevent future mice urine stains and odor. The best way to achieve this is to prevent mice infestation in your home.  

Here are a few ways to keep rodents out of your property:

• Seal any holes or cracks around your home foundation
• Remove trash every day and seal your trash bins
• Store food in the pantry or air-tight containers
• Get rid of vegetation outside your home that can offer shelter to rats

In addition, you can use mouse repellents to prevent this pest from entering your home. Be sure to follow the product instructions when using the repellents. You can also use mice traps to exterminate any lingering rodents in your home.

Bottom Line

Without a doubt, mouse urine can prove a major issue for homeowners, particularly on wood. The urine stinks and often stains or discolors the wood surfaces if left untreated.

While it might seem hard to eliminate mice urine, it’s possible. Follow the steps above, and you will effectively clean the mouse urine from your wood surfaces and prevent future stains.

If you have found this guide helpful, leave a comment below.