Reducing Dead Animal Smell

[Dimitrios Paskoudniakis]

A squirrel made its way through an opening to the attic, then down the interior of a wall in our master bedroom. We have since had an exterminator company seal off the opening, but the squirrel died inside the wall a few days ago, and now the room smells.

Short of tearing open the wall to remove the dead squirrel, is there something that can be done to reduce the smell? We have put baking soda on the carpet along the base of the wall, put out some solid air fresheners, and spray, but no significant improvement.

This did happen once before a couple of years ago, and after several weeks the smell completely dissipated. I'd rather not have to wait that long this time, but might have to, unless some temporary solution exists, again short of opening the wall.

[Home Guy]

The company that performed this "service" for you was negligent for not removing the squirrel (live or dead) *BEFORE* they sealed the entrance.

You're a dumb shmuck for allowing them to do that.

(throws up arms)

So you don't learn from your mistakes.

That's what I expect from Americans.

[Jules Richardson]

Find another dead squirrel and keep it on the bedroom floor; the smell should mask that of the one trapped in the wall.

[dennisgauge]

What do you want them to do, tear the whole house apart to catch the squirrel? Unless the bastard is sitting in the doorway staring them in the face, and it's piss drunk, there is no way to actively catch him.

May as well burn the damn house down, but that's probably what you backwoods Canucks do... or you just name it Aunt Rosie and set a place at the dinner table for it.

They close off the entrance, and set traps. SOP, and short of tearing the house apart, the only logical way to do it.

Squirrels are stupid. If they were smart they'd get hungry and go out the way they came in. They get stuck in a random wall cavity and die.

[Stormin Mormon]

Go to Home Depot. Back in the cleaning supplies section. Zep makes some really great odor neutralizer liquid. Mix up about five gallons of this. Drill a half inch hole in the drywall near the top of the bay, where the squirrel got in. Use a funnel, and pour in four or five gallons of odor neutralizer. Should help with the smell.

You really think there is answer other than open the wall? I don't.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

Short of tearing open the wall to remove the dead squirrel, is there something that can be done to reduce the smell? We have put baking soda on the carpet along the base of the wall, put out some solid air fresheners, and spray, but no significant improvement.

This did happen once before a couple of years ago, and after several weeks the smell completely dissipated. I'd rather not have to wait that long this time, but might have to, unless some temporary solution exists, again short of opening the wall.

[Frank]

My son had the wall opened when this happened. Not much more to do or wait it out.

[Tegger]

"Dimitrios Paskoudniakis" wrote in news:jskf19$as5$ [e-mail]:

Years ago I had that same problem with mice. I learned, then, why Bromone is an imperfect solution to mice, even as it's wonderfully effective in killing them...

In my experience, you basically have two options:

1) wait until the carcass mummifies, or 2) open the wall.

If you end up opening the wall, I hope you know exactly where he is, otherwise you'll be searching stud-by-stud.

I feel for you. A squirrel is much larger than a mouse, and will take longer to mummify. That stench is awful.

[hrhofmann]

5$ [e-mail]:

Why not just a big window fan??????

[Robert Macy]

May be wrong, but thought Fabreze neutralizes rotting protein smell. Check with a rendering plant? What do they use.

Can find easily, watch for 'blue', or are those 'green'?, flies. They'll congregate as close as possible to the corpse. circular pattern on the exterior wall. I've seen those flies accumulate way before an odor even starts.

[gregz]

Aside from the good advise, use a large air cleaner with plenty of activated charcoal. Get an automatic dispensing room freshener. Battery operated.

Greg

[fred.flintstone]

Ho do you trap a dead squirrel?

[fred.flintstone]

I followed the thread. The OP said it was dead in a wall. You suggested a trap. Thus, I had to ask how you trap a DEAD squirrel. I suppose someone will now ask "But how dead was it, on a scale from one to ten?" Only the OP can answer that, but if it smells, I'd say it's a ten.

[Home Guy]

You don't.

You allow it to leave before you close up the hole.

[Dimitrios Paskoudniakis]

It was already dead.

[Home Guy]

Not according to your original post:

========= A squirrel made its way through an opening to the attic, then down the interior of a wall in our master bedroom. We have since had an exterminator company seal off the opening, but the squirrel died inside the wall a few days ago, and now the room smells. =========

The order of events as you first described the situation indicate that the squirrel died after the opening into your walls were sealed off.

Do you now want to tell us the truth, or do you want to spin another version of this story?

[Home Guy]

As opposed to what - tearing the "whole house" apart to remove a dead sqirrel?

And it's not even that.

If a live squirrel found his way into a wall cavity, he can damn sure find his way out - unless the home-owners go all ape-shit and terrorize him and preventing him from doing that.

You don't want to catch him.

You want him to leave - preferrably the same way he got in.

[dennisgauge]

If they were smart enough to find their way back out, they would after a co= uple of hours when they got hungry and couldn't find food. The homeowners c= an't go ape-shit 24/7. Hungry squirrel with any sense at all should make a = break for it as soon as things quiet down.

They don't. They wander around randomly until they are too hungry and weak = to move, then they fall down in a wall cavity and die.=20

You also want to keep more squirrels from finding the hole and getting in.

[fred.flintstone]

You sound like a woman....... (especially one who hates men)!!!!

[fred.flintstone]

Four: Just remove that wall. it's a common misconception that houses need 4 walls. This is not true. Three walls will suffice. Just apply a blue plastic tarp whenever it rains.

To remove the wall. Shut off electrical power, water, and gas. Take chainsaw and cut the corners of the defective wall. When it's cut all the way around, get some strong guys over. Get them drunk, and push the wall outward until it falls. Once the wall is down, hook a chain to that wall and the other end to your buddies redneck pickup truck (the one with the dixie flag, number 69 on the doors, and naked woman picture in rear window). Once the wall is securely chained to the truck, drink lots more beer, then drive 100mph or faster down the highway. The wall will just vanish after 20 miles or so. (Be sure to watch for that dead skuirrell, and when it flies out of the wall, celebrate by chugging another 12 pack, while driving faster than the speedometer will read).

Note: Before turning the power, water, and gas back on, contact the electric company, gas company, and a plumber. They might need to seal some pipes or wires with ducttape.

[gregz]

It's hazardous to be in a room with ozone. Although a hospital uv light fixture, claimed to be near zero ozone, help make the air smell sweet. Ozone is for uninhabited rooms. It dissipates in short order, then you can enter. The ozone goes back to oxygen.

Greg