Mouse droppings!

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  • November 16, 2019 at 10:37 am #187253
    drifter
    Participant

      Just picked up a very nice 1958 Johnson 7.5hp, but was it ever a home for the mice! What is the safest (for me and the engine) way to clean this up?

      November 16, 2019 at 11:49 am #187261
      Buccaneer
      Participant

        US Member

        Hazmat suit and a air supplied respirator maybe, lol, but I started with a dust mask
        and a shop vacuum. Then air hose, blowing out what I couldn’t suck. Then lots of
        WD-40 to remove some of the “mouse” residue. I ended up replacing part
        of the carb and other parts, that was ate away from urine.

        Prepare to be boarded!

        November 16, 2019 at 1:54 pm #187279
        Steve D
        Participant

          And maybe a 50/50 bleach/water solution sprayed on and let it sit and/or Lysol spray disinfectant. That mouse urine can be hazardous to your health. I hate working on motors like that.

          November 17, 2019 at 6:05 am #187327
          aquasonic
          Participant

            US Member

            The most important thing is to wear a respirator, and to wet everything down before cleaning. Mouse droppings can contain deadly diseases. You don’t want that stuff getting airborne. I still remember the Hantavirus outbreak in the Southwest, carried by mice, and distributed by the droppings. People got sick and some died from breathing the air in places where the droppings were present.

            November 17, 2019 at 11:58 am #187341
            outbdnut2
            Participant

              US Member

              Be glad the mouse stuff is all on the outside. I bought a 1958 RDE-19E 35 Johnson that I couldn’t pull over all the way. I took the spark plugs out and the lower cylinder had a mouse nest in it that I could see blocking the spark plug hole. The mouse must have come up through the exhaust port.

              It amazes me how far those critters will go into things to nest. Two weeks ago I had to pull the heater fan out of my 2003 Cadillac and found a mouse nest and dead mouse totally clogging the fan blades. It had chewed through a very dirty cabin air filter to get there.

              For mouse stuff, like the others, I also start with a shop vacuum and a dust mask. Some Lysol and water in a spray bottle goes on next.
              Dave

              • This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by outbdnut2.
              November 17, 2019 at 12:57 pm #187356
              seakaye12
              Participant

                US Member

                Assuming that all the debris is simply under the cowling but not INSIDE the engine itself….I would use a high-pressure nozzle on a water hose and spray it down good from a distance away. I have a brass nozzle that will reach clear up under the eaves of my house; that’s what I would do.

                You should find that the water spray will dis-lodge most of the problems and blast it away from you.

                It isn’t going to hurt the motor to get it wet for a few minutes; just refrain from blasting into the carburetor.

                Then; I take some dishsoap and toothbrush and finish cleaning that way. Gets most of everything and keeps the dust down.

                • This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by seakaye12.
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