Rat(s) in the polytunnel - cleaning up

MrBrindle · 17 February 2022 at 3:51PM

Hi all, not sure if this is the right section for this.

I went out to check our polytunnel before the storm tomorrow, hadn't been in there for a few weeks, and discovered around 20 rat droppings over out rattan sofa which we're storing out there. I'm not going to clean it today, because of the weather and it's tricky to get out, however is this going to be safe to use again? Or am I being paranoid? The sofa is standing upright, so the droppings are inside the sofa and on the upper side. Obviously as well as droppings there will be urine as well, which we obviously can't see. I've seen a rat on our bird table a few times, which doesn't bother me much, however I'm a bit worried now it's been in the polytunnel.

Would people wash this down, and how? Or would they discard it?

Also in the polytunnel are some big plastic planters which we've used for growing veg and some fruits. Should we empty all the compost out and start again, or is that overkill?

I suffer from health anxiety, so this is making me pretty worried with the diseases rats carry etc.

Soot2006 · 18 February 2022 at 10:06AM

Wash it down - I'd probably use washing up liquid and give it a good scrub with a brush and hose it down. You can use things like bleach if you really need to alleviate your anxiety but obviously consider where it runs off. I have always lived with gardens and outbuildings, and rats are a reality of outdoor life. Mostly they're no bother as long as they stay outside!

chrisw · 18 February 2022 at 3:12PM

Maybe wash it down with something like Milton solution which is used for sterilising baby bottles. It's still a mild bleach though so rinse it off properly afterwards.