Which disinfectants are used to poison mice? - briefly
Commonly, sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) and phenolic disinfectants are employed as rodent poisons because of their acute toxicity when ingested. Quaternary ammonium compounds can also be lethal, though their use as bait is limited by volatility and regulatory constraints.
Which disinfectants are used to poison mice? - in detail
Disinfecting agents sometimes employed in rodent control contain chemicals that are lethal to mice when ingested or absorbed. The most common categories include:
- Phenolic compounds such as ortho‑phenylphenol and hexachlorophene. These substances disrupt cell membranes and cause rapid organ failure. Concentrations above 0.5 % are fatal to rodents.
- Quaternary ammonium salts (e.g., benzalkonium chloride). High doses interfere with respiratory function and can lead to death within hours. Effective doses range from 5 g per kilogram of body weight.
- Chlorine‑based agents like sodium hypochlorite. Concentrations of 5 % or greater produce severe oxidative damage to tissues, resulting in mortality.
- Hydrogen peroxide at concentrations of 30 % or higher. The oxidative stress overwhelms antioxidant defenses, causing lethal systemic effects.
- Iodine solutions (e.g., povidone‑iodine). Doses exceeding 10 ml of 10 % solution are toxic, producing cardiac arrhythmias and renal failure.
These chemicals are not formulated as rodenticides; they are intended for surface sanitation. Their use as mouse poisons is generally prohibited by regulatory agencies because of the risk of accidental exposure to non‑target species, including humans and pets. Legal rodenticides rely on anticoagulants (warfarin, bromadiolone) or neurotoxins (bromethalin) that are specifically tested for safety margins and efficacy.
When a disinfectant is considered for pest control, the following factors must be evaluated:
- Toxicity threshold – the dose required to cause death in rodents compared with the dose that poses a hazard to humans.
- Environmental persistence – how long the chemical remains active on surfaces and in soil.
- Regulatory status – whether the substance is approved for use as a poison in the jurisdiction.
- Risk of secondary poisoning – potential impact on predators that consume dead rodents.
Professional pest‑management programs avoid repurposing sanitation chemicals. Instead, they select products expressly labeled for rodent control, apply them according to label directions, and combine chemical treatment with sanitation, exclusion, and trapping to achieve comprehensive results.