Replies

1. 
   dirtstirrer | Mar 19, 2004 04:24am | #1

   Buck, you could plane the piss out of it!  Sorry, couldn't resist.  I wonder how deep it soaked into the wood?

   Steve
1. 
   theoldbuck | Mar 19, 2004 02:35pm | #3

   Rats are nasty little vermin. I doubt that they actually urinated on it, but the whole shed was permeated by urine smell. Osmosis, I guess. They will eat, breed, urinate, and defecate in the same place. You know how a whole house can smell like cat urine? Same thing, only it happens a lot quicker. Somebody else suggests a professional cleaner. I'm going to try a test of that, and also a box of Baking Soda in a closed container. We'll see. Maybe stickering outdoors (Under Cover!) for a while will do snome good. Needless to say, I have NOTHING planned for this stock until this problem is solved. (It's S4S so I can't do too much planing.) Thanks.

1. 
   UncleDunc | Mar 19, 2004 03:56pm | #4

   This comes up periodically at Breaktime in the context of pet urine on floors. Several people have suggested vinegar, and one guy recommends apple cider vinegar.

   http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages/?msg=32985.2

1. 
   theoldbuck | Mar 19, 2004 08:43pm | #7

   Yep! Apple Cider Vinegar is a folk cure-all. I even saw a book once on it's many uses. I'll investigate that. Thanks.

2. 
   bobhallsr | Mar 22, 2004 06:14am | #13

   Rodent urine flouresces under ultra violet light.  I think that if you looked at it under UV you would find rat piss all over it.  Rats drag their tails in their urine and spread it all around.  I got this from an old FDA food inspector whose job was to find rat evidence in food warehouses.

   BJGardening, cooking and woodworking in Southern Maryland

1. 
   dirtstirrer | Mar 22, 2004 06:20am | #14

   Now that sounds like a fun job.  Rat urine tracer.  Yikes.Steve

2. 
   theoldbuck | Mar 22, 2004 07:51am | #15

   Makes sense. Mark territory. Call in the opposite sex. I have no idea where to find a UV light source. Is that so called 'black light'? It would make a good experiment to look. Thanks. Buck.

1. 
   CheekyMonkey | Mar 22, 2004 10:26pm | #17

   'Black light' is indeed ultraviolet light. Just as an aside, cat urine floresces under ultraviolet light also. Perhaps all urine does.

2. 
   theoldbuck | Mar 22, 2004 11:38pm | #18

   Gotta be the high mineral content. Thanks.

2. 
   Tao | Mar 19, 2004 04:27am | #2

   Try going to a place that sells professional carpet cleaning supplies and get a jug of the enzyme treatment they use for taking urine stains and odors out of carpets and upholstery.  Dilute it per the instructions and spray it on with a pump up sprayer.  It won't hurt rough stock any more than it already has been hurt by the urine, and it will take care of your problem.

   Michael R.

3. 
   Miami | Mar 19, 2004 06:08pm | #5

   Best stuff I've ever found for urine smell is called Timsen.  Works on all sorts of biological smells - it was developed for use in cleaning out dairy tankers/piping.  I buy it at the local feed store, but I imagine it can be found elsewhere.  Comes as little packets you dissolve in water.  Miracle stuff.

   Clay

1. 
   theoldbuck | Mar 19, 2004 08:41pm | #6

   That sounds accesible. I'll check at the farm supply when I visit the old folks next. The Apple Cider Vinegar cure-all might work as well. That stuff is used everywhere. Thanks

4. 
   opener | Mar 20, 2004 12:13pm | #8

   Whatever you do don't treat dealing with Rat piss lightly it's highly toxic and can lead to the onset of Weils Disease if it manages to get into the human's system. Gloves should always be worn where this problem is encountered.

   Apologies if you are already aware of this but others may not be.

   Regards.

   PeterW

1. 
   UncleDunc | Mar 20, 2004 12:45pm | #9

   http://www.snopes2.com/toxins/raturine.htm

1. 
   mitch | Mar 20, 2004 03:07pm | #10

   from time to time you might have been accused of not knowing ratsh!t, but you da man in rat piss! ;-)

   m

2. 
   opener | Mar 21, 2004 08:39pm | #11

   Very interesting information Uncle Dunc but on the basis of prevention being better than cure . . .

   Regard

   Edited 3/21/2004 1:41 pm ET by PeterW

1. 
   UncleDunc | Mar 22, 2004 02:05am | #12

   >> ... on the basis of prevention being better than cure ...

   Only if the precautions are commensurate with the risk.

1. 
   opener | Mar 22, 2004 09:46am | #16

   . . . Ce la Vie