Animals and other wild creatures are good at finding openings in homes, basements, attics, and even cars, causing problems if the animal is sick or can't get out. When an animal that enters a house, car, or building without your knowledge dies, the stench can be very disturbing, especially if the carcass is not immediately found. There are several ways to deodorize carrion, but the most important thing to do is to remove the source of the odor and sanitize the area to prevent the transmission of parasites or disease.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Removing Odors
Step 1. Find the carcass of the animal
Follow your smell to find the source of the smell. Narrow the search area in the home (for example, in the basement or attic). From here, let your nose guide you to where the smell is strongest. You may need to search a bit if the animal carcass is well hidden. Check out places like:
- Back of the wall (maybe there is an unknown hole)
- Under the floorboard
- Under or behind insulation
- Under the pile of rubble
- Near warm air vents or heat sources
- Near pipes or water sources
Step 2. Remove the source of the odor
How to get rid of animal carcasses depends on local regulations, but your options range from burying, burning, and throwing the carcass in the trash. Do not directly touch animal carcasses; put on gloves, or use a shovel to pick it up.
- If you can bury an animal, put it in a garbage bag first, then in a small box. Consult the PDAM to make sure you don't hit pipes or water lines. Dig a hole 1-1.2 meters deep, place a box at the bottom, and fill the hole.
- You may also be allowed to burn animal carcasses. If so, burn it over a bonfire.
- To dispose of animal carcasses in the trash, first wrap them in newspaper, then put them in sealed plastic before throwing them in the trash.
- You can also contact animal control services to retrieve the carcass, or bring it to them for handling.
Step 3. Clean and sanitize the area
Put on gloves and use a washcloth or kitchen paper to pick up any leftover fluff or anything else left in your home. Spray the area with an enzymatic cleaner that will break down organic matter and get rid of disease and odor. Let the solution sit for 10-15 minutes before wiping the area with a clean rag and throwing it in the trash. Enzymatic cleaners include:
- Ultrazyme
- Multi-zyme
- EmPower Foam
- Nature's Miracle
- Fizzion
Step 4. Clean the cloth
All fabrics contaminated with animal carcasses, such as curtains, clothes, linen or other fabrics, must be sanitized and cleaned as well. The best way is to take it to a dry cleaner service. If that doesn't work, you can use a washing machine, hot water, and a regular cycle, and 240 ml of one of:
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Bleach
- Pine-Sol
Step 5. Discard objects that cannot be cleaned
Sometimes, animals die in areas that are difficult to clean, such as the top of the insulation. If so, discard and replace any items that cannot be cleaned.
Part 2 of 3: Freshen the Air
Step 1. Know what you need if you can't find the carcass
If the animal dies in an inaccessible place, such as inside a wall, the carcass may not be removed. The time it takes to decompose the carcass and deodorize itself depends on the animal's size, temperature, and humidity. Sometimes, it can take weeks or months.
- Locate the general source of the odor.
- If necessary and possible, drill a few holes to open up the area where the carcass is (such as under a floorboard or behind a wall) so that it can be treated with a disinfectant or deodorizer.
- Use a strong deodorizer or disinfectant on the area. You can spray a product like Bac-Azap into the hole or hang deodorizing products like Earth Care Odor Remover Bags or Smelleze around it.
- Change the bag as necessary or continue spraying the product until the decomposition is complete.
- Close the hole again after the smell is gone.
Step 2. Improve the airflow of the area
Whether you're removing the source of the odor or waiting for it to decompose, airflow is key to freshening the air and helping to get rid of bad odors.
- Open as many windows as possible in the area to let the air out
- Install several fans to move air from the inside to the outside of the house. This is especially important if you can't get rid of the carcass.
Step 3. Get rid of the bad smell in the air
There are many odor-fighting products that can be used to neutralize and get rid of bad odors wafting in your home. You can absorb and deodorize using:
- Bleach-soaked cloth (soak the cloth in a bucket of hot bleach. Squeeze the cloth and hang it in a safe area. Change it when it is dry and keep the area well-ventilated. Keep the area out of reach of children and pets.)
- Open box filled with baking soda
- A container of coffee grounds with a hole in the lid
- Charcoal (buy 3 bags of charcoal or more from the market or the internet.)
- Air filter with absorbent filter
Step 4. Freshen the air
In addition to neutralizing carrion odors with deodorizing products, you can freshen up your room using air fresheners, for example:
- Commercial aerosol sprays, eg Bayfresh or Stella.
- Scented candles
- Essential oils in a diffuser, cotton swab, or mixed with water or alcohol in a spray bottle.
- Incense or essential oil
- Room deodorizer
- A cloth bag filled with fresh herbs, such as rosemary and lavender.
Part 3 of 3: Preventing Animals from Entering
Step 1. Cover the inlet holes and gaps
Animals can enter homes through holes, crevices, air ducts, and other openings. The best way to prevent animals from entering and dying in your home is to close all of these entry points. Make sure you cover holes greater than 1.25 cm in diameter, vents, fireplaces, crawl spaces, and cracks.
Use materials such as concrete, wire gauze, and cement so that they can't be cut into holes
Step 2. Clean the food source
Animals tend to enter the house if someone invites them, such as food and water. To get rid of it, you need:
- Get rid of puddles around the house
- Cleaning bird and pet food
- Store trash or compost in a rodent-proof container
- Pick up fallen fruit and vegetables in your garden
- Collect animal waste
Step 3. Remove debris around the house
Piles of wood, garbage, unkempt shrubs, and dangling leaves can be used by animals as shelter and means of access to your home. Make sure you clean up debris and keep plants, trees, and grass short and groomed.
- For example, bushes that are too large and untreated can make good shelter for rodents.
- Branches hanging above the house can be used to access the roof of your house.
- Similarly, debris, garbage, and accumulated organic matter can be climbed by animals to access entry points that would normally be inaccessible.
