# Aaaghh! Dead mouse in my water softener salt tank! What to do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 8, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916 "2010-07-08T00:25:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Free\_Range\_Otter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Free\_Range\_Otter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Free_Range_Otter)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/1 "2010-07-08T00:25:43Z")
So I found a dead mouse in the salt tank that is connected to my water softener. The mouse is “complete” and came out in one piece, but it still smells in there. Is there something I should pour in there to decontaminate? I’ll probably call the water softener guys tomorrow morning but they are closed tonight and I don’t quite know what to do. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/2 "2010-07-08T00:56:33Z")
Mouse jerky. ---
**Author:** ![Free\_Range\_Otter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Free\_Range\_Otter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Free_Range_Otter)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/3 "2010-07-08T01:10:38Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Mouse jerky. Too late. I already threw the mouse in the backyard. Other suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/4 "2010-07-08T01:14:33Z")
Scoop out salt until the smell is gone? Of course the first thing to do is turn off the timer that is counting down until the next cycling of the salt water through the resin tank. The water softener guys should be able to talk you through that if it’s not obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/5 "2010-07-08T01:21:11Z")
Pipe down or everyone will want one! . . . Nah, I got nuthin’. If I were in your shoes, I’d just be buying a gallon or two until tomorrow and let the experts sort it out. On preview: **Yllaria** ’s suggestion looks good. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/6 "2010-07-08T01:33:53Z")
I have really very little factual info to contribute to this thread, I just needed somewhere to say eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww eww. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/7 "2010-07-08T01:39:15Z")
Can you put bleach in a salt tank? That would be my first instinct. But I’m not sure if it would damage the thing. I’m also not sure what concentration would be effective but not damage clothing/skin. Maybe someone has tried this? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/8 "2010-07-08T01:49:24Z")
Turn off the timer till you get the professional reply. ---
**Author:** ![Free\_Range\_Otter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Free\_Range\_Otter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Free_Range_Otter)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/9 "2010-07-08T01:54:32Z")
The real problem is that we just got back from a vacation and found the water tank out of salt (I’m not the best at keeping it full of salt) and found the mouse there. For all I know he’s been there a few weeks and all of our water in the house has been, ahh, mousefied. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/10 "2010-07-08T01:56:26Z")
Provided you are only using solar crystals you can simple hit the salt tank with a few cups of bleach. If you are using rust remover or a salt with an additive I wouldn’t recommend adding bleach without knowing more. Long term exposure to bleach will damage resin bed short term will not. The water in the salt tank is only exposed to the resin for short periods. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/11 "2010-07-08T01:57:19Z")
It won’t kill you. Force a couple regeneration cycles without salt to clean everything out while not drinking your water. Then add salt and force another regeneration. It should just take a few hours. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/12 "2010-07-08T02:03:42Z")
> [@Free\_Range\_Otter](#): > > The real problem is that we just got back from a vacation and found the water tank out of salt (I’m not the best at keeping it full of salt) and found the mouse there. For all I know he’s been there a few weeks and all of our water in the house has been, ahh, mousefied. That’s a bit different problem. I’d recommend running bleach through all the lines just to be safe. They water treatment company that services your softener could easily do that for you. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/13 "2010-07-08T02:21:50Z")
i would empty the tank of water, easy since it is saltless. then do a wash down a few times with some bleach water and empty until you are stink free in the salt tank. get the contamination out of the tank before worrying about the resin. then add salt and bring the tank to the correct water level, add a cup of bleach and do a recharge cycle. ---
**Author:** ![Wordy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@Wordy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wordy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/14 "2010-07-08T03:01:19Z")
Ew. How did the mouse get in there anyways? If the mouse was drowning, I think it is likely it would have shat itself in distress. ---
**Author:** ![Free\_Range\_Otter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Free\_Range\_Otter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Free_Range_Otter)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/15 "2010-07-08T03:28:40Z")
> [@Wordy](#): > > Ew. How did the mouse get in there anyways? If the mouse was drowning, I think it is likely it would have shat itself in distress. There’s a little plastic tube that comes out of the top of the salt tank and feeds into the water softener. The opening in the cover of the tank is larger than the tube - definitely large enough to let a mouse climb down looking for water or shelter. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/16 "2010-07-08T08:41:28Z")
I wouldn’t be too worried - the brine in the salt tank should kill any bacteria. Clear the tank, rinse with bleach, reload salt and run a cycle. Run a couple of baths and drain your drinking water lines, too. That said, I don’t drink softened water (too much sodium). We have a filtered line directly from the supply for drinking water, and softened water for everything else. Si ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/17 "2010-07-08T15:09:24Z")
I can say that you have some good suggestions, but if it were my house I think my wife would be calling a Real Estate Agent to get it listed for sale. Say, is a mouse carcass in the salt tank a disclosure item? ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Steve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7ab992/32.png) [@Uncle\_Steve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Steve)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/18 "2012-12-11T18:13:56Z")
I found the same thing but worse in my salt tank. My mouse was decomposed. The Kenmore water softener service line was helpful. (800 426 9345). They told me to vacuum out the salt in the tank. Wipe down the tank, and then sanitize it by pouring in 3 gallons of water and then adding 6 tablespoons of bleach. Then push recharge now, but skip the fill cycle, by pressing the skip button, and go right to brine. When the recharge cycle is finished, add salt pellets and recharge again normally. More interestingly, they agreed that it was a good idea to seal off the holes around the entry and exit pipes with steel wool. It seems to me that it would be appropriate to do so AT INSTALLATION. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/19 "2012-12-11T18:49:13Z")
> [@Uncle\_Steve](#): > > The Kenmore water softener service line was helpful. (800 426 9345). That’s all well and good. I still think fire is a valid option. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916/20 "2012-12-11T22:03:32Z")
Buy mousetraps. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaghh-dead-mouse-in-my-water-softener-salt-tank-what-to-do/545916.md?page=2)