Oh crap! Mouse crap to be exact.

[Axtman]

I am in the process of cleaning up an SWR California Blonde amp that I picked up at a yard sale last weekend. The amp was dirty but in working condition. The pots and jacks were a bit crackly so I sprayed them out. In the process of pulling the chassis out I pulled one of the speaker leads off the speaker. I knew exactly what I had done since the amp no longer made a sound. So I popped off the speaker and saw leaves inside the amp cabinet. I thought that the previous owner had played gigs outside in the fall and leaves had come in through the bottom port. I got out my vacuum cleaner and sucked up most of the leaves. There was also a bunch of thistle seeds.

Well it was not thistle seeds. It was mouse crap! So I had been handling and breathing in mouse turds. After I realized the error of my ways I sprayed the inside of the polyester batting down with Lysol and closed the cabinet back up. I sure hope that I don't get sick.

Have any of you had experiences with rodent feces in old amps? How have you handled the clean up?

[xtian]

Oh, yes. Mouse and rat poop, cat and dog pee. Outside. With facemask.

[DrGonz78]

Honestly I don't think you really have that much too worry about. I would imagine it would take a huge amount of Deer Mouse poops to really cause airborne transmission. Think of a mouse infested work shed with tons of accumulated poop all over. While sweeping all that up you better where some sort of safety mask as the particles can become airborne dust clouds. Now if you start feeling some flu like symptoms you better head off the ER.

[nosaj]

Honestly I don't think you really have that much too worry about. I would imagine it would take a huge amount of Deer Mouse poops to really cause airborne transmission. Think of a mouse infested work shed with tons of accumulated poop all over. While sweeping all that up you better where some sort of safety mask as the particles can become airborne dust clouds. Now if you start feeling some flu like symptoms you better head off the ER.

What about Hantavirus?
https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/
Washington looks to have the deermouse which can carry it. I wouldn't take the health risks lightly.
When fresh rodent urine, droppings, or nesting materials are stirred up, tiny droplets containing the virus get into the air. This process is known as “airborne transmission“.

There are several other ways rodents may spread hantavirus to people:

If a rodent with the virus bites someone, the virus may be spread to that person, but this type of transmission is rare.
Researchers believe that people may be able to get the virus if they touch something that has been contaminated with rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, and then touch their nose or mouth.
Researchers also suspect people can become sick if they eat food contaminated by urine, droppings, or saliva from an infected rodent.

nosaj

[The Dude]

When I was doing TV repair some years ago, I got a dead set in. I found a dead frog laying on the main PCB. As it decayed, the frog splooge corroded some of the component leads. After frog carcass removal and some part replacement, the set worked again. I've always wondered why there would be a frog in someone's house.

[Justin Thomas]

Escaped pet? Mom went to the laundromat once and three of my pet Garter Snakes fell out of my sheets... granted, they were still alive.

Justin

[The Dude]

You're lucky I'm not your mom!

[nosaj]

When I was doing TV repair some years ago, I got a dead set in. I found a dead frog laying on the main PCB. As it decayed, the frog splooge corroded some of the component leads. After frog carcass removal and some part replacement, the set worked again. I've always wondered why there would be a frog in someone's house.

We get the tree frogs in out house all the time. They will be on the door you open the door and they jump inside. Sometimes you see them an can rescue them from certain death and other times they get the door jamb, There was one in between the garage door panels the other day half in half out but surely crushed.

nosaj

[Leo_Gnardo]

What about Hantavirus?

Yes definitely. I looked up hanta 22 years ago when I was clearing out mouse condominiums from my basement, between the outer stone walls and inner beaver-board ones. At that time hanta had been reported in the US anywhere from Arizona to Pennsylvania. I'm in NY so theoretically out of harm's way. Then... Now I'll bet it's just about everywhere in North America so use disposable dust mask & gloves, work outdoors, dispose of vacuum bag when done with your mouse clearing project. DO get medical care & point out you've been exposed to potential hanta transmission if you fall ill afterwards. Hanta is no minor thing, not to be ignored, but can be treated successfully. Dam' mice! And all those amps with open ports look so inviting to them & their rat & chipmunk friends.

[Justin Thomas]

Without ignoring the dangers, I would think that "reasonable" measures would be fine. If you've got a medical condition causing immune suppression, then maybe more is needed. But I agree - fresh air, common sense, put a rattlesnake in the bottom of the speaker cabinet... Just remember it when it comes back for a mysterious buzzing sound...

Only two pests I find in amps are stinkbugs and 20A fuses...

@ The Dude, Mom actually encouraged me to like snakes. And anything that got me outside was probably good for me. And 30 years later, I find myself picking up big logs and rocks in Ireland (and getting a lot of funny looks from natives), looking for snakes. I don't make fun of people for being scared of them, knowing many were either traumatized by a genuine scare or had siblings chase them. I never had that, and my introduction was peaceful. That said, I do make a distinction between a healthy respect for the potentially harmful, and an irrational terror of the unknown... So now I work on archaic electronics instead.

Justin

[nosaj]

Without ignoring the dangers, I would think that "reasonable" measures would be fine. If you've got a medical condition causing immune suppression, then maybe more is needed. But I agree - fresh air, common sense, put a rattlesnake in the bottom of the speaker cabinet... Just remember it when it comes back for a mysterious buzzing sound...

Only two pests I find in amps are stinkbugs and 20A fuses...

@ The Dude, Mom actually encouraged me to like snakes. And anything that got me outside was probably good for me. And 30 years later, I find myself picking up big logs and rocks in Ireland (and getting a lot of funny looks from natives), looking for snakes. I don't make fun of people for being scared of them, knowing many were either traumatized by a genuine scare or had siblings chase them. I never had that, and my introduction was peaceful. That said, I do make a distinction between a healthy respect for the potentially harmful, and an irrational terror of the unknown... So now I work on archaic electronics instead.

Justin

yea archaic electronics with their cadmium and asbestos and mercury Life is so full of what are considered dangers today . Worry has a habit of taking up a lot of our time that could be better spend enjoying the world rather than being afraid of it.
Just wash your hands and use a fan for fumes
nosaj

[Justin Thomas]

Never thought about the heavy metals & carcinogens. I was thinking the 450Vdc!

Justin

[The Dude]

Many won't get this, unless you've seen the episode. The "heavy metal" comment and animal urine made me think of this.

[DrGonz78]

I guess in my shop that I just moved from I was really watching out for scorpions falling right by my hands and head while I was soldering. I still think a small amount of poop is less of a chance for airborne transmission. Still yes don't be rubbing your nose or face while cleaning up anything found in a dirty cabinet. Perhaps using the vacuum could have stirred up the turds but what if they are old turds? Do these old poops still have the same chance of transmitting anything like a nice fresh dookie would? In other words, does the Hantavirus have a shelf life?

[nosaj]

I guess in my shop that I just moved from I was really watching out for scorpions falling right by my hands and head while I was soldering. I still think a small amount of poop is less of a chance for airborne transmission. Still yes don't be rubbing your nose or face while cleaning up anything found in a dirty cabinet. Perhaps using the vacuum could have stirred up the turds but what if they are old turds? Do these old poops still have the same chance of transmitting anything like a nice fresh dookie would? In other words, does the Hantavirus have a shelf life?

I thinks I'd rather be safe then trying to determine the age of mouse crap. Just as if you have a kid and you clean up after an accident or whatever. You clean and disinfect, that the problem with micro organisms for the general public its a guess.

nosaj