# Squirrel in Chimney and Dead for weeks



## BucksCounty (Aug 19, 2011)

My wife and I came home from vacation to a terrible smell in the house.  Something crawled down chimney and died.  I thought there was a screen on this chimney but not so.  The thing was resting on the damper and I got him out.  The house STINKS!!  Is there anything to do (other than candles and febreeze) to get the smell out?  I was thinking of pouring a little bleach down the chimney.   I have also made sure the chimney is covered so nothing else can get in. 

I need to get the Jotul installed and put a good cap on there with the liner.  Just another reason to get it done sooner.

Thanks for the help. I am ready for the cold.


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## SnapCracklePop (Aug 19, 2011)

Ewwww.

I feel for you. For now, how about a fan blowing up and out? And, soon as it's cool enough, a good long, HOT fire?

I've had mice die in the attic or in the wall. The odor stays for days. I don't think bleach will help that much. Personally, I can't stand the smell of bleach...

Let us know if you find a solution. 

Nancy


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## raybonz (Aug 19, 2011)

BucksCounty said:
			
		

> My wife and I came home from vacation to a terrible smell in the house.  Something crawled down chimney and died.  I thought there was a screen on this chimney but not so.  The thing was resting on the damper and I got him out.  The house STINKS!!  Is there anything to do (other than candles and febreeze) to get the smell out?  I was thinking of pouring a little bleach down the chimney.   I have also made sure the chimney is covered so nothing else can get in.
> 
> I need to get the Jotul installed and put a good cap on there with the liner.  Just another reason to get it done sooner.
> 
> Thanks for the help. I am ready for the cold.



Baking soda may help.. They sell special packs to place in your fridge and they may work there.. Just remember to remove them before buring..

Ray


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## EatenByLimestone (Aug 19, 2011)

Building a long hot fire is probably the best bet.  It'll cook any juices that leaked out and if it is a fireplace, it will pull lots of fresh air into the house.  

Matt


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## Jags (Aug 19, 2011)

Yep, light a fire.  It will cook the squirrel squeezin's till no stink is left.


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## fossil (Aug 19, 2011)

Having removed the dead animal, you've eliminated the primary source of the odor.  I don't think bleach down the flue is a good idea.  Candles and Fabreze...sure, why not?  While the weather permits, open up the house for air to move through...including opening up the top and bottom of the flue to let it air out, as well.  Encourage the air movement with fans if you have fans available.  With the elimination of the source, the residual odor should dissipate in a reasonable time, I'd think.  Yuck!  I know that smell, and it ain't pretty.  Good luck with it.  Rick


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## PapaDave (Aug 19, 2011)

Warn the wife.....then have a fire. Open windows.
Would you rather be hot or stinky?


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## 98dingo (Aug 19, 2011)

They make firebox deodorant, you might want to give that a shot.   Your local big box hardware store should have it,  atleast ours here do anyway.


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## BucksCounty (Aug 19, 2011)

Thanks for all of the suggestions.  I would love to make a fire but I can't right now.  Here's the problem.  The stove isn't installed.  I finished the project this spring.  There use to be a slammer insert installed that exited directly into the chimney.  Right now I just have the Jotul resting on the hearth, not installed.  

I might try the firebox deodorizer.


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## jatoxico (Aug 19, 2011)

If you do not want to have a fire this time of year a 10% bleach solution in a spray bottle or bathroom mold and mildew cleaner sprayed from bottom up to where you found the critter can be used to discourage any bacterial growth on any residual   :sick:  "material".


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## Milton Findley (Aug 20, 2011)

Well, the squirrel must have had a bad week leading up to his demise too.  

That sure is a beautiful stove and hearth.  I am sure you will love what you get out of it come fall.


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## Bugboy (Aug 20, 2011)

EatenByLimestone said:
			
		

> Building a long hot fire is probably the best bet.  It'll cook any juices that leaked out and if it is a fireplace, it will pull lots of fresh air into the house.
> 
> Matt




MMMMmmmmmmmm, dead squirrel juice!  Some of that over some Fruit Loops and you got urself a meal!!


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## dcjohnson (Aug 20, 2011)

Go rent an ozone machine.  These things will remove 99% of the odor.


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## Backwoods Savage (Aug 20, 2011)

Well, no doubt the squirrel is beyond skinning for a meal....


Try a large cup of white vinegar sitting in the fireplace. Close it off with plastic. Even before the vinegar you can also spray some Lysol up on the damper and those should take care of the smell. 



Here is another little tip for those who want to get rid of odors and although I have never used it in a stove, I have no reason to doubt. I think it would work. 

Scentbuster Dust
100% activated carbon powder.

I buy it in a 5.5oz plastic container and at first bought it for hunting purposes to cover human scent. However, we've come to use it on many other things too. For example, occasionally the trash can gets a bit smelly, like really bad. So I just sprinkle some of this dust in the can, close the lid and usually within a day or two the smell is gone. 

The only thing I will warn folks of is that this is a very fine dust and if you get it on something, it most likely will turn that something black. On rubber boots, I'll make a paste with it and brush it all over the boots. I've even put some inside the boots but under the insole so my socks don't all turn black but if they did it would not bother me. I just want the odors to go away.

This is packaged by Brauker Biotech. You can order it from    www.scentbuster.com


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## Ron34422 (Aug 20, 2011)

Wow!...Beautiful stove and Hearth...what a steal...

Ron


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## begreen (Aug 20, 2011)

Open up the space and get some air exhausted in the house using some fans blowing outward in some windows. Then light off some incense sticks on the hearth.


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## orionrogue (Aug 22, 2011)

Another option would be to rent a high-velocity fan (used by flood cleanup crews) that has a flexible hose coming off the fan's outlet.  Either run it out a window or attach it to your flue, and let 'er rip for several hours.  Open a window on the other side of the house to let the stale air flow into the room before exiting the house.  A half-day should exchange the whole house's air.


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## My Oslo heats my home (Aug 23, 2011)

Hey Bucks I agree with the Capt., nice looking setup you have there. I especially like the look of the small storage nook for firewood, nice touch!


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## fishingpol (Aug 23, 2011)

+1 with Derek on this one.  An ozone machine creates an extra oxygen molecule to oxidize organic odors.  A flood cleanup company will rent you one.  You would have to be out of the house for a few hours, and take any pets with you.  When you get home, open the windows and air the place out.  They work surprisingly well.


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## BucksCounty (Aug 24, 2011)

Thanks for all of the suggestions.  I took Dennis's suggestion with the vinegar/plastic ( as well as candles, and airing out the place) and darn if it didn't work!   I just need to get all these flies outta here....they are the little green shiny ones.  They are dwindling in number daily though.

Also thanks for the nice comments on the set up. I am proud of it.  Did it this spring and looking forward to getting her installed.


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## Backwoods Savage (Aug 24, 2011)

Good to hear you have the problem taken care of. Hopefully the flies should go away quite fast. If not, you can get fly bait from Tractor Supply, elevators or even hardware stores. In hardware stores they do not always put it on the shelf so you would have to ask for it. That stuff is really potent so make sure you don't let animals get to it.


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