Rodent Cleanup for Attics and Crawl Spaces
Once rats or mice have lived in an attic or crawl space, the droppings, urine and nesting material stay behind after the animals are gone. The smell lingers, the insulation stops working, and the scent trail invites the next colony. Our cleanup removes everything they left, disinfects the surfaces and restores the insulation — after the entry points are sealed.
The order matters: exclusion first
Cleaning an attic while rodents can still get in means paying for the same cleanup again next winter. The sequence we follow:
- Exclusion. Entry points sealed. See rodent exclusion.
- Confirm they are gone. Traps or monitoring stations are checked for one to two weeks. Your pest control company can handle trapping, or we coordinate with one.
- Cleanup. Only after activity stops.
- Reinsulation. New insulation installed over a clean, sealed attic floor.
What the cleanup includes
- Removal of contaminated insulation with a high-powered vacuum into sealed bags outside the house.
- Hand removal of nests, droppings and debris from framing, top plates, ductwork and the attic floor.
- HEPA vacuuming of all accessible surfaces.
- Disinfection. An EPA-registered disinfectant applied to framing and the ceiling plane, with the dwell time the label requires.
- Odor treatment where urine staining is heavy, including sealing stained framing with an odor-blocking primer when needed.
- Repair of damaged components. Chewed duct insulation, torn flex ducts and chewed bath fan ducting replaced. Damaged wiring is photographed and referred to an electrician.
- Before and after photo report.
Why we wet the droppings before removing them
Sweeping or dry-vacuuming rodent droppings puts dried particles into the air, and that is how most exposure happens. Public health guidance for rodent cleanup is consistent: wet the material with disinfectant first, let it sit, then remove it. Our crew follows that method and wears respirators and disposable suits the whole time.
Rats or mice: what we find in this area
Two rat species are common around Puget Sound. Roof rats are agile climbers that come in high, through roof vents, gaps at the eaves and along tree branches and utility lines. Norway rats are heavier burrowers that come in low, through crawl space vents, gaps around pipes and holes in foundation walls. Deer mice and house mice fit through gaps the width of a pencil. The kind of droppings and where they concentrate tells us which animal you had and where to look for the entry. Our guide on rats in the attic explains the signs.
Rodent cleanup prices
| Scope | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Light activity, spot cleanup and sanitize, no insulation removal | $1,200 – $2,800 |
| Full attic: remove insulation, sanitize, reinsulate to R-49 | $5,500 – $12,000 |
| Crawl space: remove soiled insulation and vapor barrier, sanitize, replace | $4,500 – $10,000 |
| Exclusion (priced separately, usually done first) | $900 – $3,500 |
Price depends mostly on square footage, how much insulation comes out and how hard the space is to move around in.
Rodent cleanup questions
Does homeowner's insurance cover rodent damage?
Most policies exclude damage from rodents and vermin. Some cover sudden events that follow, such as a fire from chewed wiring. Check your policy wording; we can provide photos and a written scope if you file a claim.
How do I know they are really gone?
No new droppings on cleared surfaces, no new gnawing, traps that stay empty and no sounds at night for two weeks. We place tracking material when we seal the entries, so we can see on the follow-up visit whether anything crossed.
Will the smell go away?
Once the soiled insulation is out and the framing is disinfected and sealed, yes. A lingering smell after cleanup usually means a dead animal in a wall cavity, which we locate and remove.