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Follow your nose to the source of the smell. Narrow it down to an area of your house (such as your basement or attic). From there, let your nose guide you to where the smell is strongest. You may have to do some investigating if the animal didn't perish out in plain sight. Check in places like: Behind walls (you may have to cut a few holes) Under floor boards Under or behind insulation Under piles of debris Near warm air vents or heat sources Close to plumbing or water sources What you do with the body will depend on the local bylaws in your municipality, but your options include burying, burning, and throwing the body in the trash. Don't touch the animal directly: either wear gloves or use a shovel to move the carcass around. If you can bury the animal, place it in a compostable bag and then into a small box. Consult area maps or your local zoning office to be sure you aren't going to hit any pipes or water lines. Dig a hole three to four feet deep, place the box at the bottom, and fill the hole back in. Your municipality might allow burning, in which case you can burn the body on a bonfire. To dispose of the body in the garbage, wrap the body in newspaper, then double bag it in sealable plastic bags before throwing it in the trash. You may also be able to call an animal control service to pick up the body, or you may be able to drop the carcass off for them to dispose of. With gloves on, use a rag or paper towels to pick up any leftover fur, juices, or anything else left behind by the animal. Spray the area with an enzymatic cleaner, which will break down the organic materials and eliminate diseases and odors. Let the solution sit for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping the area with a clean rag and disposing of the rags and waste. Enzymatic cleaners include: Ultrazyme Multi-zyme EmPower Foam Nature's Miracle Fizzion Any fabrics that were contaminated by the dead animalsuch as curtains, clothes, linens, or other materialsshould be sanitized and cleaned as well. The best way to do this is to bring them to the dry cleaner. If that is not an option, you may do so in your washing machine, using hot water on your regular cycle with an added one cup (240 ml) of either: Hydrogen peroxide Bleach Pine-Sol Sometimes, animals die in areas that are difficult to clean, such as on top of insulation. If this is the case, remove the material that cannot be properly cleaned and replace it.
Locate the animal. Get rid of the source of the odor. Clean and sanitize the area. Clean fabrics. Discard materials that can't be cleaned.