A house or vehicle that sits unused for a few weeks is a gift to a rodent. There is no light, no noise and no one to disturb a nest. If you travel for part of the year, run a few checks before you lock up and a few more when you return.
Before you leave.
- Empty the pantry of open packages and put dry goods in sealed containers.
- Take out trash and clean up crumbs, pet food and spilled seed.
- Look at the garage door seal and the corners for daylight.
- Raise stored boxes off the floor and away from walls.
- Close vents and covers that normally stay open and check their screens.
Pay attention to the garage. It is the part of the house that most often has gaps, stored paper and cardboard, and a vehicle parked inside.
Vehicles, trailers and RVs.
A parked vehicle is a warm, enclosed space that some animals use as a nest site. Before you leave it for a long period, check the engine bay, the air box and the cabin intake. Park it away from brush and woodpiles if you can.
- Open the hood and look for debris.
- Clear any food or wrappers from the cabin.
- Check the area under and around the vehicle for droppings.
- Ask someone to look at it every week or two.
A note on Vail and seasonal absences.
Vail is an unincorporated community in Pima County. If you are away during the summer monsoon months, storms can move debris and animals around while no one is there to notice. Ask a trusted person to walk the outside after heavy rain, and tell them where the garage opener, the attic hatch and any traps are.
When you return.
Some evidence is easy to miss in a quick return. Look at the floor along the walls for fresh droppings. Look at the pantry and the garage for torn packaging or shredded paper. Listen for scratching during the first night back.
| What you notice. | What it may mean. | First step. |
|---|---|---|
| Musty or ammonia-like smell in a closed room. | Urine or a nest. | Air out, photograph and call. |
| Chewed pet food or birdseed. | An animal fed while you were away. | Seal containers and call. |
| Droppings in drawers or behind appliances. | Active rodents. | Do not sweep, follow CDC steps. |
| Insulation or fabric pulled into a pile. | A nest. | Leave it and call. |
If you notice more than one of these, treat the property as having active rodents. Photograph the signs, follow safe cleanup steps and call before you settle back in.
Tell us the room, the time of night and the sound. Those three details usually point the first visit in the right direction.
Call (888) 686-4821Asking someone to check for you.
If you are away for a long time, a trusted person who looks in now and then is the single most effective safeguard. Give them a short, written list so they know what counts as a problem and what to do about it.
- Where the garage opener, the attic hatch and the electrical panel are.
- Which droppings, smells or noises should prompt a call to you.
- Whether any traps or stations are in place, and where.
- The phone number of the line, so they can ask what to do if something looks wrong.
Ask them to take dated photos on each visit. Photos help you decide whether a problem is new or old, and they help the technician see what changed.
Rental and seasonal properties.
If you manage a property that changes hands, build the checks into the turnover routine. Walk the garage, the kitchen and the attic hatch, and write down what you see. If you find signs, call before the next guest or tenant arrives.
For a full look at the home, ask for an inspection. To close the gaps, see rodent exclusion, and for a vehicle, vehicle and car rodent removal describes that visit.
A short safety list before anyone cleans up
General safety practice drawn from CDC guidance on rodents. It is meant to keep you safe before any professional arrives.
- Resist the urge to sweep. Dry droppings crumble into dust that is easy to inhale.
- Air out a closed attic, garage or shed for at least 30 minutes before you go in to work.
- Wear rubber or plastic gloves, and wash your hands well afterward, even if you wore gloves.
- Spray the area with disinfectant, wait roughly five minutes, then wipe it up with paper towels instead of dry material.
- Seal everything you wipe up in a bag before it goes in the trash, and do not handle carcasses bare-handed.
- If you develop fever, muscle aches or trouble breathing in the weeks after cleaning up rodent droppings, tell a doctor about the exposure. We are not medical professionals and cannot judge individual health risk.
Sources and standards
These public sources sit behind the advice on this page. They cover standard practice and rules for everyone, ours included.
- CDC: How to Clean Up After Rodents: The reference behind the cleanup and safety steps on this page, covering ventilation, disinfecting and disposal.
- US EPA: Restrictions on Rodenticide Products: A federal summary of rules for rodenticides sold to the public, with the safety reasons behind them.