To use Christmas decs even though rats have been in the attic

[Scrimbos]

We had a dreadful time last year getting rid of rats from our attic and walls. We caught about 3 as did the neighbours and we both spent thousands getting rid of them

The christmas trees and decorations are all in the attic and some are uncovered. I’m feeling quite squeamish about using them but would i be unreasonable to just wipe them all down, spray with dettol and use them.

I would have emptied the loft and taken it all to the tip.

I’d bin them, I think - risk of Weil’s disease.
Start again, starts all and build up each year. Get secure plastic boxes to store them in the attic this time…

How bad are they? Have any been eaten? Are you willing to put gloves on and wash them? Maybe outside with a hose and antibacterial soap.

Yes @CosySeason I have a feeling that’s what I should do but it seems so wasteful. There is maybe 700 pounds worth of trees and decorations up there

I couldn’t bring myself to use them to be honest. Makes me feel icky to think about. Maybe try to save some of the ones that are truly sentimental but I’d bin anything that you can’t scrub properly.

I asked Google and it gave a 12 item list of how to properly sanitise items exposed to rats, including saturation of disinfectant and contact time.

Id google "items exposed to rats cleaning procedure" if there are items you want to keep that may be sentimental.

I would wait for a sunny day, put them outside, spray them with Dettol spray.

Well I haven’t been up. My husband has and he doesn’t think they have been at them but they were up there ….

I am prepared to take it all out the back , lay it out on a sheet and wash and spray with Dettol but I do have the fear still ….

Get a cheap UV light and shine it on everything. If it lights up, throw it out.

courtesy of ChatGpt -

You would not be unreasonable to keep and use them — as long as there’s no visible contamination (droppings, nesting material, strong urine smell), wiping and disinfecting is completely appropriate.
The key point is this: Rat-borne pathogens of concern don’t survive long on dry surfaces. Once the rats are gone and the space has been dry for months, the risk falls dramatically.
What to check before cleaning
Bring the boxes down and open them outside or in a well-ventilated room (just to avoid any dust puff):

• Look for droppings (black, rice-grain shaped)
• Shredded insulation/chewed cardboard (nesting sign)
• Strong ammonia-ish smell (urine / heavy contamination)

If none of that is present, you’re in the clear and this is just about your understandably “ugh” feeling, not an infection risk. If everything looks fine: Do this:

1. Wipe hard decorations (baubles, tinsels, ornaments etc.) with:
2. Warm water & washing-up liquid first, then
3. A disinfectant such as Dettol, diluted bleach, or Zoflora
4. Fabric items (stockings, soft ornaments):
5. Wash on a 40°C cycle if possible
6. Or spray with Dettol fabric spray and air dry
7. Artificial Christmas trees:
8. Shake outside
9. Wipe the plastic tips with disinfectant wipes, or spray lightly with:
10. Dettol surface spray or
11. 1:10 bleach solution and then wipe down

Let things dry fully — disinfectants work best when left to sit for a few minutes before wiping. When is it better to throw things away? Only if:

• There are lots of droppings actually on the decoration
• Things are soaked in urine (you’ll know — the smell is unmistakable)
• Fabric items were directly nested in (rare, but if so — bin them)

Everything else is salvageable. Why it’s safe now Rat-related diseases (e.g., leptospirosis) need moisture and fresh urine/droppings to be a risk. After weeks of dryness, let alone months, the bacteria viruses etc. don’t survive. Dust is unpleasant, but not infectious at that point. So this is mostly about comfort, not danger.

Maybe I’ll bin the trees and any decs not in closed lid boxes. Lesson learned. The rat man said just take them out the back and wash them, no biggie. I fear his lassiez faire attitude may be to do with his profession !

Anything exposed I would ditch.

Any decorations that were in plastic tubs, and the rats haven’t got into the tubs, I would use (although I may replace the tubs).

Oh that’s reassuring. There was no nesting apparently , they were just marching through - making the same amount of noise as our small dog. Horrific

I’d give it a go, but please do wash them. Don’t just spray with Dettol. There was a case years ago of a child dying from salmonella at a hobby farm after handling rabbits and chickens, cleaning hands with alcohol gel but not washing them before eating lunch. It’s important to rinse away any possible bacterial.

We have lovely glass decorations that have been handed down for generations, so I’d definitely wash those. The tree might be a pain to wash and dry though. Have a go and if it doesn’t recover bin that and keep the decorations.

Oh god, I can imagine! We've had the odd mouse in the loft and the noise was incredible 😂

I'd use them on the basis that they are not dangerous. I'm not particularly squeamish though...

I’m thinking of getting rid of the trees to be honest. Hate the idea of the filth. But it’s about 500 worth of tree - 2 big ones and a small one from my DDs room. Ridiculous anyway now they are older

I'd use them.

It's fairly unlikely that rats have been poking around in the decorations anyway, as they're not really the kind of thing that would attract them or form part of their route around your loft. If they've got rat pee on them, you'll probably see/smell it anyway, but you can just wipe things down with antibac as a precaution.

I guarantee you that you definitely touch things in your daily life all the time that have been in contact with rats and mice - we all do - without that causing any problems for you at all, so don't panic :)

I've had rats in my loft and I do sympathise because it's obviously far from ideal! But if things are undamaged, I think it would be disproportionate and a waste for you to chuck them out, especially if you'd have to spend money replacing them.

I felt like moving out. I cannot explain how awful it was

YpI’m ok have a better idea once you’ve got them down. Maybe buy a real one instead. You can get a 6ft spruce for about £60 (taller once it’s in a bucket or stand).

The rational part of my brain agrees with this. I’m absolutely not a clean freak and know that daily walks in the woods mean i probably come into contact with this type of thing daily, but there is something about them being in your attic

Urgh! My typing is dreadful. It should start simply with ‘you’ll have a better idea’

If this were to happen to me I would put a lot of the decorations into the washing machine.
What material are your tree decorations?
A lot of my favourite ones are felt (made by my son when he was little)
The glass baubles I’d put some gloves on and disinfect in the garden.
Anything wooden I’d chuck because they’re probably soaked in rat wee.
Id get rid of the tree, you can’t really wash a Christmas tree.

I would have claimed on my insurance but def binned the lot

Insurance won’t pay you just because you have the ick!