<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><div>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</div></td></tr></table> <div id="_origMsg_"> <div style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif:font-size:10pt"> <div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"> <hr size="1"> From: Douglas Gregg <classicpianodoc@gmail.com>; To: <pianotech@ptg.org>; Subject: Re: [pianotech] mouse contamination from the dark side Sent: Sat, Jul 28, 2012 10:36:30 PM <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" style="font:inherit;">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 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div>