[pianotech] mouse contamination from the dark side

[Susan Kline]

I'm not angry, Euphonious. (Great name, by the way.)

If I deal with an infestation (not as bad as the one I just mentioned) 
once or twice a year, and some decent old upright can be clean enough to 
live in a home again, I think it's worth the bother. Such a piano 
usually has been newly bought by someone, so the house it's in isn't the 
toxic slum where the mouse damage happened. I wouldn't want to do mouse 
abatement every day, or waste my energy cleaning worn out poor quality 
pianos, but then, I'm older now than when I used to do such things. I do 
feel it can be done safely, with some care, and the final result doesn't 
need to smell bad.

Susan

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
>
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