The Best way to get rid of a Dead Rat smell

The Best way to get rid of a Dead Rat smell

As anyone who’s dealt with a dead rat in their home will know, the smell is one you will never forget!

The foul odour is best described as the rotting smell of death and is generated by a combination of various chemicals including sulfur dioxide and methane. The smell of the dead rat may linger for 4 – 8 weeks, the larger the animal the longer the foul smell!

Professional Pest managers regularly treat homes for rodents in winter, as this is the time of year rodents move indoors in search of shelter. Sometimes not all pest control programs go according to plan and while rats can be captured or killed by using rodenticide baits and lethal traps, if the rodent happens to die in an area that is inaccessible or hard to reach, they will start to decompose and leave a really awful stench. Professionals are acutely aware of this and as such calls from homeowners to eradicate foul smells is one of highest callouts this time of years for Pest Managers.

So, what  can you do about the foul odour?

How to get rid of a dead rat smell with products the professionals use 

Step 1: Where To Look

As unpleasant as it sounds, you will have to follow your nose and sniff around until you find the part of your home where the odour is the strongest. Check air vents, wall voids and your ceiling as these are common areas where they could be found. Also keep a look out for staining as bodily fluids can seep out of a carcass. Observe any insect activity, for instance, flies hanging around a wall or vent. This will be an indicator of where the dead carcass is.

Step 2: Remove the problem

Removing a dead animal and ventilating the area is the quickest route to relief. Once the rat is disposed of, that doesn’t mean the smell will just disappear. This is when it is necessary to be equipped with an odour neutralizer.

 Step 3: Eradicate the foul smell

There are two types of products typically used by professionals to eradicate foul odours caused by dead rats.

Our top picks for the best product to remove foul odours

Odour remover bags ($22.25ea per bag)

StopOdours odour remover bags adsorb the gas molecules (ions and atoms) that make up the foul odours. Each bag contains a proprietary blend of highly porous microscopic granules which have incredibly large surface areas (each gram has a surface area of about 500 square meters). The foul odours are adsorbed to the surface pores and condense, meaning, the smells and odours are stuck at the surface and trapped inside the pores. Instead of covering up foul smells, the StopOdours bags adsorb the gas molecules that make up the bad odours. This results in a total elimination of the odour. Hang 1 or 2 bags in each room that has an odour. Air circulation is best to ensure the foul air is sucked into the porous bags. One bag covers approximately 10 square metres. Each bag will last approximately 3-4 months; we suggest leaving them up until the odour is gone.

 Odour neutralizer gel pod ($15.98ea) 

These products don’t just emit a pleasant floral scent of all-natural plant-based ingredients, they can literally neutralize the odour away so it is no longer permeating through the air. The product contains non-toxic natural ingredients and has a continuous release formulation that works round-the-clock to provide constant odour elimination day or night. Simply remove the seal and place the odour gel in rooms that contain foul smells. Each 220gram pod will last 30 days and will neutralise any unpleasant odour.

 Key takeaways for getting rid of foul odours

• While rats are a problem when they are alive and invade your home, they can also be a problem when they have died in your home and can't be reached for disposal via decomposition. This produces an awful odour that can linger for weeks without intervention.
• Professionals regularly encounter dead rats as part of their rodent treatments and have found the StopOdours odour remover bag to be highly effective and the preferred choice for dealing with dead rat smells. However, where clients cannot wait for the StopOdour bags to work, they typically install StopOdours Odour Neutraliser Gels to mask and neutralise the smell for immediate relief. The odour gel pods emit a slight citrus floral scent and typically last up to 30 days. Typically, 2 odour pods are usually sufficient to handle most situations.
• Prevent dealing with dead rat smells by carrying out exclusion and sanitation measures to make it less likely for rats to invade your home.