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No, you should never vacuum or sweep up mouse or rat droppings, as doing so can release harmful particles into the air and increase your risk of disease exposure. Instead, wear gloves and a mask, spray the droppings with a disinfectant spray, let it soak for a few minutes, and then carefully wipe them up with paper towels. Afterward, disinfect the area thoroughly and immediately wash your hands when you’re done.

In some cases, yes, it’s safe to spray hydrogen peroxide on your mattress, but the solution can damage memory foam mattresses, so you should only use it on non-memory foam mattresses. If you have a standard spring mattress, you can mix hydrogen peroxide with cold water in a 1:1 ratio and spray that on your urine-soaked mattress. If you’re cleaning pee out of a memory foam mattress, swap out the hydrogen peroxide for white distilled vinegar, or call in a professional mattress cleaner to avoid doing damage to your mattress.

Vinegar and baking soda can be effective for removing old carpet stains, although success may depend on the type of stain. There are two common methods for this process.

One method involves combining the ingredients directly on the stain to create a chemical reaction. First, pour a generous layer of dry baking soda over the stain. In a spray bottle, mix distilled white vinegar with 1 cup of warm water and a few drops of liquid dish soap, then spray this solution thoroughly over the baking soda. The mixture will foam as the acidic vinegar reacts with the basic baking soda, which helps loosen and lift the stain. Let this sit for a few hours until it dries, then wipe or vacuum up the residue and blot the area with a clean, dry towel. You can repeat the process if the stain persists.

An alternative method suggests using the ingredients separately. Start by sprinkling baking soda on the stain and letting it sit for 15 to 30 minutes before vacuuming it up. Next, blot the remaining stain with a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water, and then blot the area dry with a clean cloth.

One way to sanitize and deodorize a carpet is to use a cleaning solution made from one part vinegar and two parts warm water. After you vacuum, spray the solution on parts of the carpet that smell, being careful not to oversaturate it. Let the solution sit for 15 to 20 minutes before you perform your normal carpet sanitation routine.