How to Get Rid How to Get Rid Cleaning Up After of Rodents of Rodents an Infestation Step 1: Take Away Their Food. Rodents will eat Step 3: Keep Them Out of Your House. Small Follow these clean-up procedures to reduce anything. You must get rid of their food to get rid openings in homes, buildings and sheds must be your risk of exposure: of them. Common food sources include: sealed to prevent rodents from entering. • Bird food/feeders • Check for openings where pipes or wires Note that these are recommendations • Pet food/chicken feed enter the building, under eaves, and around provided by the CDC. Remember that bleach • Garbage foundations, doors and windows. Use cement, can stain surfaces and that cleaning chemicals • Pet waste 1/4 inch steel hardware cloth (wire mesh- can be harmful if misused. ALWAYS follow • Unprotected compost pictured), or steel wool and spray labeled instructions. • Fallen fruit from trees or unharvested produce foam to seal openings. from gardens • Crawl spaces and attics must be NEVER dry sweep or vacuum a rodent infested sealed to prevent rodent access. area. ALWAYS use wet cleaning methods. Step 2: Eliminate Them. Trapping and • Rodents often enter through open poisoning are two effective ways to eliminate doors, windows, or through pet doors. Install ALWAYS wear rubber gloves, long sleeves, rodents. thresholds to prevent access under doors. protective eyewear and a dust mask when cleaning. This will help protect you from Trapping: Trapping is the preferred Step 4: Keep Them Out of Your Yard. contamination, and from coming in contact method for eliminating rodents Don’t let your yard be a nesting zone for rodents. with potentially harmful chemicals. indoors and outdoors. Snap traps are Rats will nest in: inexpensive and effective. Peanut • Outdoor piles of garbage and junk. A 10 parts water to 1 part chlorine bleach butter usually works as bait. Set the • Under wood piles or lumber. Stack wood piles solution or a household disinfectant can be trap in the area with the most rodent activity. 18 inches off the ground. used to clean up contaminated areas. Rodents tend to run along walls, so place traps • Under blackberry bushes, shrubs, vines and next to a wall, fenceline or foundation. Make sure tall grasses that are not trimmed or cut back. Dispose of dead rodents by children and pets do not have access to the traps. • Holes under buildings that haven’t been filled. disinfecting first. Use gloves to pick up the rodent, place it in a bag and Poisoning: Poisoning is not an You may need to hire a professional if you have seal it. Place the bag within another ideal way to eliminate rodents, but a bad infestation. Visit http://www.ipmnet. bag and seal it. Put the bag in a covered is sometimes necessary. Poison is org/Tim/Choose_Pest_Cont_Co.pdf for help outdoor trash can that is regularly emptied. choosing a pest control operator. not recommended for indoor use, as rodents can die inside walls and Wash your hands thoroughly with You can also call Multnomah County Vector produce odor. Rodent poisons (rodenticides) are warm water, soap and dry with paper Control at (503) 988-3464 or e-mail also harmful to animals and pets, so use carefully. towels when you are done cleaning. [email protected] if you think you may Always use a secured bait station to keep Launder your clothes normally. have a rodent problem. poisons away from children and pets. Rodent Facts Contact Information

Rodents are a public health risk because If you live outside of Portland, there may be they spread disease. another local agency responsible for rodent Rodent • Rats eat everything! control. Contact information for local municipalities • Rats climb, jump and swim. If a squirrel is listed below for your convenience. Prevention and can climb it, a rat can climb it. City of Fairview • Rats chew through plastic, wood, soft Main Office Control metals, electrical wires (sometimes causing (503) 665-7929 fires) and even cinder block and brick. City of Gresham • Rats squeeze into tiny spaces and nest Code Compliance Office where it is dark and warm. They can (503) 618-2463 produce a litter of pups (babies) every 3 to City of Wood Village 4 weeks! City Hall (503) 667-6211 What activities increase my risk of exposure to diseases carried by City of Troutdale Code Compliance Office rodents? (503) 491-4009 Entering or cleaning buildings that have been closed for a long City of Maywood Park Multnomah County Code Enforcement period of time, such as hunting (Call this number for rodent questions within shacks, garages, storage sheds, or unincorporated Multnomah County) anywhere with rodent droppings. (503) 988-3464 You can get sick by breathing in Some of the content in this pamphlet was adapted from Public Health- Seattle & King County Environmental dust that is contaminated with Health Services urine or droppings, by direct contact with an infected rodent, or Multnomah County Health Department by eating or drinking products contaminated Vector Control 5235 N. Columbia Blvd. with urine or feces. Portland, OR 97203 Phone: (503) 988-3464 How do you know if you have a HTTPS://MULTCO.US/HEALTH/STAYING-HEALTHY/PEST- rodent problem? PREVENTION-AND-CONTROL/RATS Droppings are typically the easiest way to identify a rodent problem.