Kings County, New York City Rat Control Situation:
Hi, I found your site very informative and helpful. I live in a ground floor duplex in New York City and we have had a rat problem in between our two floors since last August. The management company has sent an exterminator out several times-- to remove carcasses from the ceiling, place rodenticide in the ceiling, and fill any holes outside the apartment building. The problem is still going on almost a year later and we can't seem to figure out how they are getting in.
There is definitely less scratching and scurrying now compared to a few months ago, but the smell is consistently unbearable as something dies in the ceiling every few weeks to the point that I am ready to just move out. I have asked the management company to take a more proactive approach to the problem rather than reactive when I call and complain, perhaps gut the ceiling to expose the problem area, but they don't seem willing to do it. I can imagine there are a lot of droppings and urine in addition to at least 3-4 dead carcasses. Would the smell disappate if no more rats could get in (i.e. if we found and closed the access points), or is that something that will just continue to fester?
I am trying to make a case to the management that it is necessary for them to clean all the droppings and carcasses to restore the apartment to a sanitary environment. I noticed on your site you mentioned that rats can smell the droppings and urine of other rats, indicating the area is a safe habitat. I also think opening the ceiling might expose the access points. Apparently my unit is the only one of 47 in the building with a reported rat problem. Do you have any suggestions? Best regards, Alexandra
My response: Sounds like a very tough case. The entry holes into the building, or at least, the apartment, must be found and sealed! Check behind the oven, for example. The odor will disappear as soon as all rats are gone and any biomass dries up.
Thanks for the response! I got them to remove the entire ceiling and they said they removed some carcasses and closed a bunch of holes inside. I was on a business trip the past week and will see the result tonight. Fingers crossed the problem is resolved!
New York City Rat Control Tip of The Week
The Proper Way To Clean Rat Feces Out Of Your Attic
If you already know the dangers of having rat feces in your attic and coming in contact with it, you are most likely going to get scared and confused about how to clean it. When it comes to cleaning rat feces, you can't afford to do it the wrong way. Refusal to follow the due process might cost you more of what you are trying to prevent.
Since rat feces is a major carrier of bacteria and other disease-causing organisms, the first thing you need to do when planning to clean out the feces from your attic is to protect yourself appropriately. To do this, you need to start by ventilating your attic for as long as possible before entering. By doing this, you are simply expelling the contaminated air and allowing fresh air to go in. This protects you from breathing air that is contaminated with rat feces while in the attic. Also, you need to have equipment such as a facial mask, gloves, plastic bags, and a strong disinfectant in place before going ahead to clean your attic.
Just like every other part of your home, cleaning your attic is not that difficult. Provided you have all the supplies listed above, you will find it quite easy to do. To start, wear your facial mask and gloves properly and carefully pack the feces into the plastic bag. After that, dispose of the plastic bag safely.
When you are done with that, you need to soak the floor of your attic with a disinfectant and then scrub the floor until all the remaining feces are removed. Leave the disinfectant on the floor for 10 minutes to allow it to kill all the pathogens and bacteria deposited by the rat. After doing all this, your attic will be completely pathogen and bacteria-free.
If you find any of these is difficult to do, you can hire a professional to help you out with the cleaning.
