Attics are commonly used as storage spaces and are places that most homeowners visit infrequently. These areas are also usually off-limits for household pets. As a result, mice and rats can reign with impunity in these areas, and there will be a build-up of dust and dirt.
If you don’t take steps to clean up the attic spaces, they will soon reek of rodent urine and feces and even dead rodents. Together with the dust and dirt, it will create an environment that facilitates mildew and mold growth and where bacteria and a variety of parasites can thrive. Eventually, the contamination will spread to the rest of the house and compromise your and your family’s health.
Rather than let things come to this pass, you should schedule periodical clean-ups of your attic spaces. If you don’t have the time to do it yourself or find the task too difficult, you can hire a cleaning company to undertake the attic cleaning for you.
To find local cleaning companies, search online for ‘companies that will undertake attic cleaning near me and look up their contact information. Contact them about your requirements, and they will probably send someone over to assess the amount of cleaning needed. They will then give you an estimate for the work. If their price fits your budget, they will proceed with the work.
Here are some of the steps they will take for cleaning and decontaminating your attic space:
1. Remove the dust and dirt
If the attic hasn’t bee cleaned in a long while, the accumulated dust may pose a health hazard. That is why professional cleaners wear face masks, gloves, and goggles when they embark on the cleaning work. They will first open all the windows for better ventilation and then remove all the movable objects. If they cannot take some things down the stairs, they will stack them in a corner and clean that corner last.
Using a vacuum cleaner, a duster, a wipe cloth, and soapy water, they will get rid of all the dust and dirt from the floor, corners, walls, windows, window blinds, beams, ceiling, fans, and overhead lights. Depending on the size of your attic and the amount of accumulated dust and dirt, it could take a day or two.
2. Clean up rodent urine and droppings
While vacuuming the attic will remove rodent droppings along with insects, dust mites, dander, and other allergens, getting rid of the urine smell will be more tricky. The cleaners may need to disinfect the attic area several times with water, bleach, and disinfectant before the stink goes away entirely.
Cleaning the attic until all the smell is gone is essential, otherwise, there will be more rodents; the pheromones that rodents secrete act as a clarion call for other rodents.
3. Get rid of mold and mildew
For removing mold and mildew, the cleaners will first seal the attic door and windows to prevent the spores from wafting downstairs into the rest of the house. Wearing a mask, gloves, and goggles, they will scrape away all the mold and mildew from the attic surfaces. They will spray and scrub them next with a soap, bleach, and water solution. The next step is opening the windows, turning on the fan, and letting the newly-washed surfaces dry.
They will check for cracks in your roof or windows and seal those to reduce the likelihood of future mold and mildew outbreaks.
4. Replace insulation in the attic
If you have long neglected your attic, it is very likely that your insulation also comes besmirched with dust, dirt, rodent feces, and rodent urine. The cleaners will remove and take it away and put in new insulation. Along with being clean and efficient, it will also save you on energy bills.
5. Investigate and seal entry areas for rodents
After the professional cleaners have decontaminated your attic, they will check it thoroughly to find the entry points through which the rodents have been accessing the area. The cleaners will seal these off to prevent future mice and rat proliferation.
Make a point of getting your attic professionally cleaned once or twice a year and prevent problems before they even occur.