[pianotech] mouse contamination from the dark side

[Terry Farrell]

Who the heck is angry? I sure don't sense that from Douglas. I think the only folks getting angry are the ones who keep getting this sort of lengthy inconsequential paranoid drivel in their inbox.

Terry Farrell

On Jul 28, 2012, at 11:47 PM, Euphonious Thumpe wrote:

> Greetings Douglas and anyone else still interested:
> I suggest you search "diseases transmitted by rodents", which brings up the CDC website, where more than hantavirus is mentioned, and there seems to be a greater concern about these things than by some on this list.
> Besides the disease issue, though, "there is no accounting for taste": so if some choose to have pianos in their homes which smell or even reek of excrement, that's their business. But I am not one, and neither are those whom I would choose to have for customers. That's my right, is it not? So I ask you to please do some self-examining, to discern exactly why this issue raises your hackles so? If it is a concern for me but not for you, 
> why should that make you angry?
> 
> Thumpe
> 
> From: Douglas Gregg <classicpianodoc at gmail.com>; 
> To: <pianotech at ptg.org>; 
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] mouse contamination from the dark side 
> Sent: Sat, Jul 28, 2012 10:36:30 PM 
> 
> Please, lets lay this issue to rest. Viruses don't jump or fly or live
> very long outside of a cell. I know, I worked with exotic animal
> viruses for 30 year and was even in the Biologic Safety Officer at
> Plum Island Animal Disease Center for a year of that career. Please
> read the following from the CDC. This should be sufficient.
> 
>     How long can hantavirus remain infectious in the environment?
>     The length of time hantaviruses can remain infectious in the
> environment is variable and depends on environmental conditions, such
> as temperature and humidity, whether the virus is indoors or outdoors
> or exposed to the sun, and even on the rodent’s diet (which would
> affect the chemistry of its urine). Viability for 2 or 3 days has been
> shown at normal room temperature. Exposure to sunlight will decrease
> the time of viability, and freezing temperatures will actually
> increase the time that the virus remains viable. Since the survival of
> infectious virus is measured in terms of hours or days, only active
> infestations of infected rodents result in conditions that are likely
> to lead to human hantavirus infection.
> 
> 
> Information Courtesy of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
> 
> If no mice were recently present, forget the HAZMAT suits.  For my
> use, I clean dirty pianos with or without mouse droppings with
> Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom cleaner. It is a reasonably good
> disinfectant and more important is a good wetting agent that prevents
> dust from being stirred up in the air and breathed in. Once wet, the
> dirt and debris can be safely mopped up with rags or paper towels.
> Rubber gloves are recommended. The Scrubbing Bubbles clean very well
> and do not leave a strong odor like some cleaner. It is safe for all
> surfaces on pianos except leather and hammers. I even use it on string
> felt with no problem. It will clean ALL hard surfaces. I have not had
> any remaining mouse odor after using this product.
> 
> If you do have a really strong odor, use Ultra Odor Gone and it takes
> odors away permanently. It comes as a gel in a cottage cheese-like
> container. Just put it in the bottom of an upright piano and the odors
> will be gone in a few days. That includes smoke odors after a fire.
> 
> 
> 
> Douglas Gregg DVM. PhD
> Veterinary Pathologist
> Classic Piano Doc
> Southold, NY

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20120729/309323ea/attachment.htm>