Something died inside a wall in my finished basement. The smell is
foul. It is not possible to get inside the wall. Is there anything I
can do other than wait for the carcass to dry up? Spraying with
Fabreeze helps for a while.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

On Jun 2, 8:45 am, (---MIKE---) wrote:
Something died inside a wall in my finished basement. The smell is
foul. It is not possible to get inside the wall. Is there anything I
can do other than wait for the carcass to dry up? Spraying with
Fabreeze helps for a while.

Speaking from experience I'd rather not have, depending on the size of
the critter carcass, the smell might get far more foul - you may not
think it possible, but it can. There's always a way inside a wall.
What exactly are you up against?

R

On Jun 2, 10:45*am, (---MIKE---) wrote:
Something died inside a wall in my finished basement. *The smell is
foul. *It is not possible to get inside the wall. *Is there anything I
can do other than wait for the carcass to dry up? *Spraying with
Fabreeze helps for a while.

* * * * * * * * * ---MIKE---In the White Mountains of New Hampshire

* (44° 15' *N - Elevation 1580')

It will pass in a month or so - a rat did the same in my home. Lasted
for about 1 month but was livable as it was in the basement. We used
Oust spray to mask it.

I suspect that the critter was a mouse. At first I thought it was cat
pee on the carpet (I have two cats) but the smell is definitely coming
from the wall. The wall is between the bathroom and the hall. It is
pine panels. I don't want to destroy the wall. The smell seems to be
lessening right now.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

On Jun 2, 8:45 am, (---MIKE---) wrote:
Something died inside a wall in my finished basement. The smell is
foul. It is not possible to get inside the wall. Is there anything I
can do other than wait for the carcass to dry up? Spraying with
Fabreeze helps for a while.

I found a completely skeletized mouse in the wall of my basement.
Could have been there for 40 years. It still smelled bad.

---MIKE--- wrote:
Something died inside a wall in my finished basement. The smell is
foul. It is not possible to get inside the wall. Is there anything I
can do other than wait for the carcass to dry up? Spraying with
Fabreeze helps for a while.


---MIKE---

In the White Mountains of New Hampshire

(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

I worked my way through college doing trade embalming. Consequently
I've smelled my share of unpleasant odors. If you search for autopsy or
mortuary deodorizers you'll find a number of enzyme based deodorants
that work quite well. Of course they need to be applied (injected) at
the site of the corpse to be effective. I once had a possum die in a
wall and was able to insert a trocar through the wall where the critter
was and inject an enzyme based solution and effectively neutralize the
odor with one of these materials.

Be a bit cautious spraying Febreeze. It is largely a cyclodextrin.
Cyclodextrins are synthetic sugar molecules that, instead of being
straight chain sugar molecules are circular. Look at it as a tiny sugar
based bagel. The material responsible for the odor becomes encapsulated
in the "bagel" so you don't smell it. However, it's still there in the
cyclodextrin molecule. Clever, isn't it.

Cyclodextrins were developed to "encapsulate" medications so that they
would not encounter a first pass metabolization in your liver (a
protective filter) and therefore be delivered to the desired sites in
greater concentrations. You may not want to afford odorants this same
delivery protection.

"---MIKE---" wrote in message
...
Something died inside a wall in my finished basement. The smell is
foul. It is not possible to get inside the wall. Is there anything I
can do other than wait for the carcass to dry up? Spraying with
Fabreeze helps for a while.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')


If you knew exactly where it was there might be something you could do but
if not, its not worth tearing down the wall just yet. If it is a mouse, it
will be gone soon. Running a dehumidifier might speed it up a bit. A good
air filter with charcoal filter should work pretty good too.

Expanding foam insulation in a can is a good way to block up the hole that
animal got into in the first place if you can find it. We used to get birds
who would enter the attic and fall in the large gap between the bathroom
walls and make a racket. Found the access hole, sealed it up, no more
birds.

I miss the White Mountains of NH, my only regret after moving to CA from MA.

to further ask the same question: Do air ionizers help? Ozone generators?

"---MIKE---" wrote in message
...
Something died inside a wall in my finished basement. The smell is
foul. It is not possible to get inside the wall. Is there anything I
can do other than wait for the carcass to dry up? Spraying with
Fabreeze helps for a while.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

On Jun 2, 8:45 am, (---MIKE---) wrote:
Is there anything I
can do other than wait for the carcass to dry up?

If you can determine the location, inject lime into the void.

You can use a bulb duster like this one (but I sure wouldn't pay 40
freakin' dollars for it).
http://txpest.com/6.htm (no endorsement of this site intended).
-----

- gpsman

On Sat 07 Jun 2008 06:47:15a, gpsman told us...

On Jun 2, 8:45 am, (---MIKE---) wrote:
Is there anything I
can do other than wait for the carcass to dry up?

If you can determine the location, inject lime into the void.

You can use a bulb duster like this one (but I sure wouldn't pay 40
freakin' dollars for it).
http://txpest.com/6.htm (no endorsement of this site intended).
-----

- gpsman


You could probably sutstitute a turkey baster that has an injection needle
fitting on the end, for a fraction of the cost.

--
Wayne Boatwright
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Saturday, 06(VI)/07(VII)/08(MMVIII)
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Dumb luck beats sound planning every
time. Trust me.
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Thanks for all your ideas. The smell seems to subsided a lot.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

In article ,
"jmagerl" wrote:

to further ask the same question: Do air ionizers help? Ozone generators?

Ozone generators can kill the smell of dead cows being autopsied; I
doubt your smell approaches that

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

You're welcome. Glad that it's getting better.


On Sat 07 Jun 2008 10:15:29a, ---MIKE--- told us...

Thanks for all your ideas. The smell seems to subsided a lot.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')




--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Saturday, 06(VI)/07(VII)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Last time I was stoned, I tried to eat
an airport.
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