Rats

[CatsangDogs]

Hi, I'm hoping for some advice. My washer/drier, mops brooms and stuff have been in my outhouse thats just off my kitchen for years and years. My christmas tree and all my decorations are out there too. Top and bottom of the situation is I saw a rat(nearly died)spoke to new neighbour who said he has them under the decking. A lot of my christmas stuff is in plastic boxes without lids. The christmas tree comes in 3 parts which are in bags except the bigger one sticks right out as the bag was too small. I was horrified and read that everything should be thrown away. I'm a struggling single mum and I can't afford to go out and buy new things. I had planned a lovely weekend to put everything up and now I don't know what to do, can anyone please help with any ideas, is the stuff salvageable? Please don't think my house or outhouse is dirty as it's not but I am mertified posting this. Thanks in advance for any help.

Has any of it been visibly chewed? If you're worried, I would disinfect the tree and anything you can in hot water in the bath (if you have one). If you think about it rats are in supermarket store rooms etc, so you've probably encountered stuff they've crawled over without realising. Unless it's contaminated food stuff or kids toys that they'll be putting in the mouths I wouldn't panic too much.

Thank you @hididdlyho I can't really tell with the tree, I have a big village scene and a fairground thing if you know what I mean. I have dettol disinfectant aerosol spray. Do you think that would do for things like that? Thanks.

I would wash anything hard plastic and look around all the while for signs of droppings etc. rat wee smells really strong as well. Wash anything you can in hot soapy water and wash your hands well afterwards. I would discard anything which is porous or which smells of rat wee and is unable to be washed.
so sorry this has happened. I’m so scared of rats and think we currently have them under the floors in our loft, intermittently 😭

Hi @ZeppelinTits it made me feel sick. You automatically feel dirty. I have sentimental things out there so I'm devastated. Theres also so much stuff, I have lovely garlands with little berries and lights on and I'm bot sure what to do with those? what would you do?

It’s so difficult isn’t it. I relate to the horrible dirty feeling. It would depend on where the items were stored I guess, if they have been scampered over 🤢 I.e on the top of the open boxes I’d likely chuck them. If they are buried underneath other stuff, aren’t wet and don’t smell they may be okay.

I would do nothing beyond giving them a bit of a wipe

Thank you @ZeppelinTits

It's just a nightmare, I could cry @Hoppinggreen

wipe everything with antibac wipes, and ongoing, make sure that everything is in sealed plastic boxes with lids. Seal up all holes in the shed as well, so that the rats can't get in. Don't keep any foodstuff out there.

My cat brought a baby rat into the house at the weekend, to much hysteria from me and DD. After an hour or so, with the cat sniffing it out, I managed to catch it in a jug and put it outside again at the very bottom of the garden. I had no way of destroying it. The house behind mine has chickens. Bird seed also attracts them, so you will never keep them away as so many people have bird feeders in their gardens.

I'll go and buy some wipes as I only have the dettol aerosol spray. My cat has a habit of bringing mice home and the dog trying to steal them off her but thankfully they haven't been indoors.

After an hour or so, with the cat sniffing it out, I managed to catch it in a jug and put it outside again at the very bottom of the garden.

This deserves a big 👏. I'm not super squeamish but I'd had found this tough 😂

I agree, you'd be able to smell the rat pee and stuff would feel sticky. A wipe over with disinfectant should hopefully put your mind at rest.

This happened to me a few years ago. My artificial Christmas tree was covered in rat poo pellets and STANK of urine. Had to bin the whole lot despite trying to clean it.

Would you be able to speak to school and ask if you can borrow one of their trees and decorations on the last day of term? They may appreciate the help taking all the stuff down in school.

Thank you @skyeisthelimit and @hididdlyho

OMG if I have to bin everything I'd be distraught @bitterexwife

You know the kind of garlands that you put up your staitcase with berries on and battery lights and loads of greenery could be salvaged or would you just bin them? @skyeisthelimit

I had similar last year OP so sympathise. They'd nibbled through the cardboard box and made a nest in my old Christmas cards. I read up about weil's disease and other things their urine/faeces can spread, so I threw the lot because I couldn't clean any of it. I also found a dead rat lying inside a decoration. We had a skip at the time, so it all went on there. More than once I saw someone pick up the decoration to take, before a loud scream when they saw the rat! 😬

Firstly, I'd use gloves before touching any of it. Can you hose the tree down in the garden and use some detergent to wash it off. Also things like solid baubles etc. could be washed in the sink.

Are you on the olio app OP? They have a 'wanted' section and you could ask on there for any Christmas bits you do need to throw away. I've donated things when I've read posts requesting things and have bits I no longer use.

Sunlight is the best and cheapest disinfectant! So if you’ve got a dry bright sunny day like it is here I’d put stuff outside for a good airing. Bin anything thats been visibly chewed or smells ratty!

Surely dettol spray is effective?

Its not, its just a possibility of a bit of rat wee
Not nice I appreciate but nothing too awful and not worth ruining your day/Christmas over

It was quite funny, as it was a baby rat, it was small and actually quite cute to look at but any time we could see it we screamed and ran. In the end I said to DD, we can't let it move in here so I have to catch it, and when it sat on the sideboard looking at me, I just popped a jug on it and slid a lid underneath and carried it out at arms length

@Hoppinggreen Its not, its just a possibility of a bit of rat wee

Whilst Weil's disease is rare, I wouldn't be risking anything that couldn't be thoroughly washed down, especially as the OP has children! https://www.healthline.com/health/weils-disease

Which is in rat wee, apologies I should have said
Its just a possibility of a bit of rat wee which MAY carry diseases.
Either OP needs to clean it but if she isn't comfortable with the items even after that she will have to throw them
Not a "nightmare" though

I live in the country and see rats all the time, It wouldn't occur to me to dump everything. What a waste! Give things a clean if you want, but as long as no-ones going to be licking your garlands (so to speak), there's zero reason not to hang them up. Just put on a pair of rubber gloves when handling them if you're really worried.

Bin anything that’s been visible chewed or dirty and give the rest a good misting with dettol spray and you’ll be grand.