This might not be the right forum to ask, but perhaps some of you are chemists. I recently heard we have a symphony conductor in the house.

I'm trying to fix up an old saxaphone.

Just kiddin...

I'm restoring a Rans S7S. It's in pretty good shape, but mice were living in it for three months in both wings. Looking back, they got a few good rides out of me. Free-loaders. Miraculously, the wings are actually probably even better than pretty good shape. Even though I've beat the living tar out of this airplane it is structurally brand new (I did fix one hole that got wallowed out). It looks like it could be around for a long time (knocking on wood), so I don't want to risk screwing up the fabric/glue or the aluminum structure. I'm even treating this old gem to larger fuel tanks for being such a great plane.

What I've done so far:
I cleaned it all out with a hose and dish soap. Then I sprinkled a little baking soda in there and rinsed it out. It still makes me want to puke when i stick my head in the wing root. Oh, this isn't just you casual mouse p!ss. It was like a whole family was in there and nobody potty trained them and it was all like Section-8-downtown-Zanesville conditions. I had to pick up three of the little crying, malnourished babies and relocate them myself.

There is still trace poop in there--mostly where the fabric meets the ribs and such.
I've read up on hydrogen peroxide as a decent disinfectant. It appears to not corrode aluminum. I really want to spray this Febreeze stuff I just picked up at the store, but I'm very apprehensive on squirting anything in there.
It's Superflite System IV, and will soon have a couple Stewarts patches in it.

Also, while i'm at it, the paint is in decent shape except where I spilled gasoline repeatedly at the wing root. Is there a way to brighten that paint? It was tan. Now it is light tan.

Here's what I have learned. To get mice out, and they can be damned stubborn. I think they actually like airplane rides. Use bear spray in small doses. within minutes they can't get out fast enough. I just sit there and wait, when they come out I squish the little bastards for some payback.
To keep them out of the S7. Make some slide on covers out of paneling that seal the elevator control yoke on both sides. attach remove before flight ribbons as you don't want to go airborne with those.
To get rid of the stench, use enzyme based products that get rid of cat piss. Natures miracle sold at pet stores works well. Hydrogen peroxide could be effective but it is an oxidizer, something I would not want to get on metal parts.
Flying with the inspection plates removed and doing back and forth slips can help blow out the mice shit and litter, just watch out, cause sometimes it's blown out through the wing root and ends up in your face. Been there done that.

Sidewinder wrote:To get rid of the stench, use enzyme based products that get rid of cat piss. Natures miracle sold at pet stores works well..

Ok, Sidewinder beat me to it. This is the stuff alright. I think it's formulated in a base of isopropyl alcohol (or so my nose tells me) but it's very dilute and isn't likely to cause any harm. Spray a little on the outside of the horizontal stabilator or some other likely spot and see that it doesn't cause problems. The stuff is not made to spray on like a disinfectant and then hose off. You spray it on and leave it to do it's piss bacteria consumption. I'm sure that it will work very well and it comes in a gallon and a half container with a battery powered spritzer sprayer gun. It may not get deep enough into the wing with that though now that I think about it. Maybe just buy the gallon size and pour it into a pump type garden sprayer with a long wand. Thinking out loud. I've used it around the house for doggie accidents, former cat resident stinks, and even taking the head grease stains off my lazy-boy. Amazing stuff.

Bounce fabric softener dryer sheets repel mice and helps with the oder.I had mice pack about 5 pounds of alfalfa seed into the D tube of a wing.When re-covering the wing I covered the opening on the root rib with metal window screen where they were getting in.

Thanks guys. I'll give that pet store stuff a try. I'm glad our mouse poop isn't poisonous like it supposedly is out west.

wyomingiswindy wrote:Thanks guys. I'll give that pet store stuff a try. I'm glad our mouse poop isn't poisonous like it supposedly is out west.

I just noticed your avatar is really random. Who are all of those people? Checker players? Is that in South America?

Do tell....

Edit- Looks more like domino's.

wyomingiswindy wrote:...I'm glad our mouse poop isn't poisonous like it supposedly is out west.

Ya. The "Hanta" can kill you before the end of a long flight if you're not careful (Like a long flight to Australia kinda long...which is still pretty quick considering we're talking death and all)

CW

The clue is it's a post-apocalyptic place not far from Florida where the people are innovative and proud of their cigars.
I'll give you the full slide-show in person and bore (big-bore?) you to tears. Or maybe that's the mouse piss. Bring eye drops.

wyomingiswindy wrote:The clue is it's a post-apocalyptic place not far from Florida where the people are innovative and proud of their cigars.
I'll give you the full slide-show in person and bore (big-bore?) you to tears. Or maybe that's the mouse piss. Bring eye drops.

I'll have a Cuba Libre, please...