Guide · Homeowners, landlords, property managers

Rodent infestations: health risks, including hantavirus

Mice and rats are common in Middle Tennessee homes, sheds, barns and vacant buildings, especially in cooler months. Most people worry about the damage they do, but their droppings, urine and nesting material can also spread disease. This guide summarizes what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says about the risks, including hantavirus, and when a cleanup is better left to professionals. It is general information; if you are ill after rodent exposure, contact a health care provider.

How rodents spread disease

According to CDC, diseases from rodents spread mainly when people breathe in air contaminated by dried droppings, urine or nesting material that has been stirred up. Rodents can also spread disease through bites and scratches, though bites are less common, and through fleas and other parasites they carry. Contaminated food and surfaces are another route.

What hantavirus is

Hantaviruses are a family of viruses spread mainly by rodents. In the United States, the type that causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is most commonly carried by the deer mouse. People are usually infected by contact with rodent urine, droppings or saliva, especially by breathing in particles stirred up from contaminated areas. CDC notes that the Andes virus, found in South America, is the only hantavirus known to spread from person to person.

HPS is rare, but it is serious. CDC reports that 38 percent of people who develop respiratory symptoms may die. That is why prevention during cleanup matters.

Symptoms to know

CDC says early symptoms usually appear one to eight weeks after contact with rodents and include fatigue, fever and muscle aches, especially in large muscle groups such as the thighs, hips and back. About half of patients also have headaches, dizziness, chills or stomach problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain. Four to ten days after early symptoms, later symptoms may include coughing, shortness of breath and chest tightness.

If you develop these symptoms after rodent exposure, see a health care provider right away and tell them about the exposure. Early symptoms can look like the flu, so the exposure history is important.

Other rodent-related concerns

Hantavirus gets the most attention, but rodent infestations raise other issues too. Fleas and ticks on rodents can carry their own diseases, which is why CDC suggests insect repellent during cleanup. Droppings and urine can contaminate food and food preparation surfaces. Nesting material and droppings can trigger allergies and asthma. Rodents chewing wiring can also create fire hazards.

The most important rule: do not sweep or vacuum

CDC advises against sweeping or vacuuming rodent droppings, urine or nesting materials, because that can send virus particles into the air where they can be breathed in. This is the most common mistake people make. If you have already vacuumed, follow CDC's cleanup steps from that point on.

What CDC recommends for small cleanups

For a small area in a home, CDC's general approach is to air out the space first, opening doors and windows for at least 30 minutes and leaving the area during that time. Wear rubber or plastic gloves. Wet droppings, urine and nesting material thoroughly with a disinfectant labeled as such, or with a freshly mixed bleach solution as CDC describes, and let it soak for the time CDC or the product label specifies before wiping up with paper towels. Dispose of waste in a covered trash can that is emptied regularly, then disinfect the area, wash gloved hands before removing gloves, and wash bare hands with soap and warm water.

For vehicles, CDC suggests airing them out for 20 minutes before cleaning. CDC's full instructions are on its rodent cleanup page and are worth reading before you start.

When to call professionals

CDC says heavy infestations and vacant buildings with many rodents call for special precautions, including coveralls, boots, goggles, gloves and a respirator with HEPA filters. Workers hired for this kind of cleanup are directed to consult local or state health departments, OSHA or CDC. Where respirators are used in workplaces, OSHA's respiratory protection standard requires a written program, medical evaluation and fit testing.

CDC also advises calling a professional pest control service if there is evidence of rodents in heating or cooling ductwork. In practice, attics, crawlspaces, barns, sheds, long-vacant homes and estate cleanouts often fall into the heavy-infestation category.

Contaminated belongings

Hard items can usually be cleaned and disinfected. Soft items such as bedding, clothing and stuffed toys that have droppings or urine on them can often be washed in hot water with laundry detergent; follow CDC guidance and the item's care instructions. Heavily soiled upholstered furniture, mattresses and insulation may need to be discarded. Food or food packaging that rodents have reached should be thrown away.

Stopping the problem

Cleanup without exclusion means the rodents come back. CDC recommends sealing gaps and holes inside and outside the home, removing food sources, storing food in rodent-proof containers, and trapping rodents. Pest control professionals can identify entry points and set up an ongoing plan. Keep woodpiles, debris and tall grass away from the house.

Sheds, barns, cabins and vehicles

Outbuildings, seasonal cabins, campers and stored vehicles are places where rodents settle undisturbed for months. They are also enclosed spaces where dust and droppings concentrate. Before cleaning, open them up and air them out as CDC describes, and leave while they ventilate. Do not start by sweeping out a shed or blowing out a camper with a leaf blower. If droppings and nesting are extensive, treat the job as a heavy infestation and bring in people with the right protective equipment.

Landlords and property managers

In rental properties, rodent problems often surface during turnovers or when a unit has been vacant. Do not send maintenance staff to sweep out a heavily infested unit. Arrange pest control and, where droppings and nesting are extensive, cleanup by workers equipped with appropriate protection. Keep records of pest control visits and cleanup in the unit file.

The bottom line

Most rodent encounters do not lead to illness, but simple precautions reduce the risk. Ventilate, wet before you wipe, do not sweep or vacuum, wear gloves and wash your hands. For heavy infestations, enclosed spaces and vacant buildings, bring in professionals with the right protective equipment.

Sources

OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard 29 CFR 1910.134 · checked 2026-11-03

If you need help

Call 615-914-0790 or email contact@newdawnbiorestoration.com. We serve Middle Tennessee.

This page is general information, not legal, medical, or insurance advice. Requirements change; verify with the agency listed before acting.