Vacuum rat feces - Vacuuming up the waste material left behind by a nuisance animal infestation may seem like the easiest cleanup method. There are, however, serious risk factors associated with vacuuming feces. Rodent feces have the potential to spread Hantavirus, a serious flu-like illness that can cause death if left untreated. Hantavirus will seemingly resolve after a few days only to reappear with much more serious symptoms. Most people are unable to breathe properly and end up hospitalized. When you use a vacuum to clean up rodent waste, the force of the vacuum air will cast tiny virus particle out into the atmosphere. Anyone within the room can potentially inhale the particles and become ill. The best method of cleanup for rat droppings is to scoop the droppings into a pan—not with the use of a broom. Vigorous sweeping will also push dust into the air. If you cannot avoid vacuuming, you should wear a respirator, eye protection, and gloves. When you are finished you need to remove all your contaminated clothing and immediately take a shower.

Learn more: Do rats carry rabies?

Types of rat poop - Rodent droppings are all similar in appearance but vary slightly depending on the type of animal excreting the waste. Rat poop differs from mouse poop most often by size. A mouse will leave tiny, rice-like droppings around a home. Rat droppings are often bean-sized and dark, but color can vary depending on the rodent’s diet. Rat droppings and squirrel droppings are usually the most difficult to differentiate. The Norway rat will leave behind oblong droppings that are rounded at the tips. The black rat will leave droppings of similar size but the tips will be pointed and a spiral shape to the poop. Rat feces can vary in color depending on their food source, but it is often much darker than that of squirrels. A squirrel’s droppings are usually light in color from a restricted diet and have a drier, raisin-like appearance. The area you find the dropping in can also give you a clue as to which animal is at fault. Black rats are excellent climbers and will often break into an attic from a nearby tree limb. Norway rats are not as industrious climbers and tend to enter homes at ground level. No matter what kind of rat you have, your home needs to be sealed up and the rats trapped and removed as soon as possible.

House mouse droppings - The house mouse, or field mouse, spends most of its day chewing and eating. This active level of food intake results in a similar amount of waste creation. Mouse droppings are tiny and are often overlooked unless they appear in quantity or in an area, like a cabinet, where everyday debris is usually absent. The presence of mouse dropping should not be ignored. There is a mouse inside of your home somewhere, and even if that rodent moved on to greener pastures, somewhere there is a hole that will allow other rodents entry. As soon as you find mouse droppings, do a thorough search of the exterior of your home and seal any potential points of access. Once you are safe from additional invaders, you can concentrate on trapping the mouse inside of your home. Another reason not to disregard mouse droppings is because of the potential health hazard they create. Rodents are the primary vector for transmission of Hantavirus, a flu-like disease that causes high rates of mortality in those afflicted. Hantavirus can be transmitted through contact with rodent droppings or through breathing in the dust created by rodent droppings.

Read more educational guides I wrote:
Rat and mouse feces - what’s the difference?
Diseases caused by rat urine
What does rat feces look like? Where is it found?
Is rat feces dangerous to touch or breathe?