lizardkng

OK so my car sat for several years and mice got in it...I KNOW they got into the air vents because there was a huge nest in the blower motor and the lower vent on the passenger side has a mouse sized hole chewed in it...

So Im highly allergic to mouse droppings/nests, I break out in hives pretty badly if I get too much on me...

So my question is, how would I go about making sure that all the mouse debris is cleaned out of the ductwork? I know Ill never get the smell out if I dont get it deep clean.

Ive considered getting one of those round poof ball brushes on the end of a long spring like what you would clean out your dryer vents with...get some hot soapy water, or a vinegar/water mix or bleach/water mix and try my best to soak the brush in it and work it around inside the vents. I dont even know if thats possible, or if the whole dash needs to come off or what...any pointers?

Oh, Im trying to do this as inexpensively as possible, too.

Like this thing:

http://www.rewci.com/lirodrveclki.ht...FQSxnQodxyUA0A

stealtht/a

iTrader: (1)

You can't really do it without removing the heater /ac box and ducts.
Once you have that removed, you could use the long brush w hot water and strong cleaner to get the fresh air intake clean.
You will still need to clean out the actual heater ac box as that's where the nest will be and all the crap will be caught in the doors and foam seals.
If you aren't going to remove the ac heater box, don't bother with anything else, you'll just make it worse by getting it wet.

lizardkng

We got a nest out of the blower on the passenger side against the firewall.

Is that the box youre talking about?

And the fresh air intake is at the base of the windshield, where the wipers are, yes? Take the screen off and brush down inside?

navy02ws6

I think he means you need to remove the entire ventilation system for cleaning, in addition to the heater box (where the blower motor mounts) and fresh air intake...with your condition, you want to be 100% sure that you've got 100% of the contaminants out of there. This may very well require removing the entire dashboard assembly to properly do it.

stealtht/a

iTrader: (1)

Yes, the duct control box where the heater core is. It's the deepest part of the system, so thats where the mice go. Sucks to remove but you are to do it. It will really gross you out when you do.

lizardkng

Wow, that sounds like a wonderful experience...

Im really not too concerned about how gross it is...Im an EMT, Ive held peoples brains inside their head...doesnt bother me a bit...I am more dreading the work of taking everything apart and not really knowing what Im doing. Im the kinda guy who always has a screw left over, and Im dreading breaking some little plastic part thats been sitting for 12 years just waiting for me to come along and break it.

Thank you I appreciate the advice, as always

stealtht/a

iTrader: (1)

Mostly it's pretty easy to get to, but the part where you break screws and stuff is getting the ac evap out of the way and then unbolting the box from the firewall.
This is why I am the main advocate for mouse poison on this forum. Once they get down in there, no way to get rid of that smell without pulling the heater box.
You might get lucky if they didn't make it past the fresh air tunnel, but not likely.
If you pull your pass side fender you can get to the fresh air tunnel drain/outlet. From there you can also reach back up to where the inlet goes to the box, might be able to get some more out there.

Trust me its gross.
I have lots of emergency med experience too, blood doesn't bother me, rodent waste does!
Maybe it would be better if I didn't know how many diseases they carry.

Jay

iTrader: (2)

I removed everything to the firewall inside the car ... pulled all the ductwork apart and used Clorox cleaner on every surface then Febreeze cleaner... put it all back together and no smell or nastiness.

Keeping the little buggers out is the hard part

lizardkng

Thanks Jay, Im not sure I have the expertise to get it apart, much less put back together.

Camaro86IrocZ

iTrader: (1)

Going thru the same thing here this week.. Except starting from the rear hatch forward... Seems they had the run of it, underneath and behind everything.. Pulled all rear plastics, rear seats, center console, dash next week... Doing repair and rebuild at the same time... D@mn Mice... Makes for a Real Time Consuming and Nasty Job... Think I'm in need of a New Clean Drivers Side Rear Cardboard Trunk Box under the locking hatch... and one expensive 6x9 speaker that they ate the wires in...

3rdgenmaro

iTrader: (9)

It really aint that bad to pull the dash. Take your time, take pictures, label pieces you remove. Right it down as you go and then reverse it to put it back together.

Just takes patience.

Also, I would go ahead and replace the heater core while you are that far in. Cheap insurance. Might save you the headache of tearing it back apart to replace.

lizardkng

Yes, that was in the plan...as long as this car sat outdoors, its only a matter of time before the pressure becomes too much and I end up with a floorboard full of coolant. Just about everything else has been replaced...I would be foolish not to.

Thanks

xavier_pr84

so how did it turn out did it workout god?

lizardkng

I work 7 on 7 off, 12 hours a day, so I wont be able to get to this for a while....I *might* try to work on it after Thursday, but with 2 little ones its hard to get time sometimes.