Nobody likes the thought of wild animals in their home. The idea that there are critters lurking somewhere in the house gives people chills. They leave frustrating messes behind and are difficult to track down. But sometimes they can pose even more irritating problems when they die in your house.
The most common areas of your home to find a decomposing animal body
- ductwork
- behind drywall
- attics
- garages
- crawl space.
The most common animals in Miami
- opossums
- raccoons
- skunks
- mice
- rats
- squirrels
Obvious Signs of Dead Animal in House
- Wet Spots – As disgusting as it sounds, the decomposing body will begin to liquify. Over time, this wetness will begin to seep into the walls or ceiling, depending on where the body is located. This can obviously cause damage to the structure of the home.
- Flies – You’ve probably seen how flies flock to rotting things out in nature, whether it’s an old orange on the ground or roadkill. They get easy nutrients from stuff that is decomposing, and actually like to lay their eggs in rotting animals as well, since it provides plenty of food for maggots when they hatch. If you notice a sharp uptick in flies inside, there might be a dead animal somewhere.
- Smell – This is an undeniable, unavoidable consequence of a dead animal in your house. The odor will be so pungent and putrid that it’ll be impossible not to detect after a certain amount of time. As the body first begins to decompose, the smell may be localized and not as strong, but after a couple of days, it will become overpowering.
Dead Animal Odors
It does not take long (especially in warm weather) for an animal carcass to start decomposing. Bacteria consuming soft tissues excrete foul-smelling, sulfuric gasses that cause the dead animal to swell to sometimes three times its size. Bloating further forces fluids out of the animal’s orifices, which only increases the intensity of the smell and fluid seepage.
The quickest and easiest way to get rid of dead animal smell is to dispose of the dead animal carcass. When you find dead animals outside, the smell dissipates as soon as the carcass is removed. However, getting rid of strong odor of a dead animal that is decomposing inside your home is not so easy.
How to Get Rid of Dead Animal Smell
- Enzyme Cleaners--solutions containing enzymes can break down and dissolve molecules responsible for harboring dead animal smells and producing stains. Enzymes are non-toxic proteins that expedite chemical reactions necessary to break down odorous substances released by an animal’s decomposing body.
- Baking Soda--mix baking soda with water to make a paste that can be applied to areas where dead animals are decomposing. Allow the paste to dry before removing the residue.
- Bleach–using full-strength bleach to get rid of a dead animal smell will only work on certain solid surfaces that bleach won’t damage. Bleach does kill many kinds of microorganisms but it may only cover up an odor temporarily
Downside of Using Home Remedies to Eliminate Dead Animals Smells
If a dead animal decomposes inside walls, on insulation, dry wall, fabric or porous wood, you will probably need to remove and replace the items to completely remove the smell.
Dead animals may also leave behind infectious bacteria capable of spreading diseases to you and your family. Enzymatic cleaners, baking soda and even bleach may not completely eradicate disease-causing bacteria.
Instead of wasting your time and money on home remedies, call Critter Control for professional removal of dead animal smells. We use only industry-strength solutions formulated to eliminate persistent, dead animal odors. In addition, we will carefully inspect your home and yard to dispose of all dead animals and the odors they leave behind. Contact us today for immediate assistance.