Silver Bullet Pest ControlThe raccoon is gone, but the attic still smells, the insulation is flattened and there's a pile of droppings in the corner. That pile is a raccoon latrine, and it's the part of a raccoon problem most people underestimate. Silver Bullet Pest Control cleans raccoon latrines out of North Jersey attics with HEPA equipment, removes the soiled insulation, treats the odor and puts new insulation back in.
4.9 stars on Google • NJ License 90568B • Licensed by NJ Fish and Wildlife for wildlife work • 15+ years • Hablamos español
Text a photo of what you found in the attic to 973-510-2585 — we'll tell you if it's a raccoon latrine.
Raccoon latrine cleanup in an attic means removing the droppings and every bit of soiled insulation by hand into sealed bags, HEPA-vacuuming the area, treating the surfaces and odor, and then replacing the insulation — after the raccoons are out and the entry is sealed. Because raccoon droppings can carry roundworm eggs that last for years, it should be done with a respirator, protective gear and HEPA equipment, not a shop vac. Silver Bullet Pest Control does the whole job ourselves; call or text 973-510-2585 for a free quote.
Raccoons don't go to the bathroom just anywhere. They pick one or two favorite spots and use them over and over. Outside, that's often the base of a tree, a flat roof, a deck corner or the top of a woodpile. In an attic, it's usually a corner away from where they sleep, or a spot near the eaves.
Over weeks and months that spot builds into a latrine: a pile of dark, tube-shaped droppings, often with seeds or bits of food in them, soaked into the insulation around it. A mother raccoon raising kits in the attic in spring can build a large latrine fast, and the kits add to it as they grow.
Raccoon droppings are much bigger than mouse or rat droppings — roughly the size of a small dog's, with blunt ends. If you're not sure what you're looking at, don't poke it. Take a photo from a few feet back and text it to us.
One latrine usually means more damage than you can see from the hatch. Our page on raccoons in the attic covers the removal side.
The main reason to treat a raccoon latrine carefully is raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis). It's a parasite that lives in raccoons' intestines, and an infected raccoon can pass huge numbers of microscopic eggs in its droppings.
Raccoon droppings and urine can carry other germs too, and dried, broken-up insulation turns into dust the moment you disturb it. That's why the cleanup is about not spreading dust as much as it is about removing the pile.
If a child or pet may have touched raccoon droppings, wash hands right away and call your doctor or vet and tell them it may have been raccoon feces. Your local health department can also advise.
You don't have to see the pile to know it's there. These are the usual clues:
Raccoons walk the same routes every night. Insulation along those paths gets crushed, and the area around a latrine stays stained and soaked even after the droppings dry.
Raccoon urine and droppings soak into wood and insulation. Air fresheners don't touch it — the smell stays until the soiled material is removed and the surfaces are treated.
A ceiling stain under the attic is often urine from a latrine. If you see one, the insulation and possibly the drywall above it are soaked and need attention.
For a small outdoor spot, some homeowners do. In an attic, we recommend against it. Here's the honest comparison:
| DIY attic cleanup | Professional raccoon latrine cleanup | |
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Usually a dust mask and gloves | Respirator, disposable suits, gloves and eye protection |
| Dust control | Easy to spread dust through the attic hatch into the house | Work area set up to keep dust in the attic |
| Vacuum | Shop vacs and household vacuums blow fine dust back out | HEPA vacuum built to trap fine particles |
| Soiled insulation | Hard to tell how far the contamination goes | All soiled insulation bagged and removed |
| Odor | Often comes back on the first hot day | Surfaces treated after removal to control odor |
| Raccoons | Cleaning before they're out is wasted work | Raccoons removed and entry sealed first |
| Insulation after | Left bare or patched | New insulation installed |
If you do handle a small outdoor latrine yourself, wear disposable gloves and a well-fitting respirator, don't sweep or blow it, bag the droppings and any soil under them, and wash up carefully afterward. Never use a leaf blower or pressure washer on raccoon droppings.
We confirm no raccoons are still living there — including kits in spring — and that the way in is closed. Cleaning first and sealing later just invites a new latrine. We're licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife for wildlife work.
Our crew wears respirators and disposable protective gear, and we set up the work area so dust stays in the attic, not in your bedrooms or hallway.
Droppings and all soiled insulation are picked up and sealed in heavy bags, then the area is HEPA-vacuumed to pick up the fine material that's left.
Exposed wood and surfaces are treated to clean them and control the odor that's soaked in.
We install new insulation where the old was removed, so you're not left with a cold, bare attic floor.
We show you photos of before and after, and what we sealed at the roofline so it doesn't happen again.
Want the bigger picture on cleaning up after any animal — squirrels, bats, mice or raccoons? See our attic wildlife cleanup and sanitation page.
In most raccoon latrine jobs, yes — at least around the latrine and the nesting areas. Insulation that has been soaked with urine and mixed with droppings can't be cleaned. It also stops working: matted, compressed insulation doesn't hold heat the way it should, so the rooms below get colder in winter and hotter in summer.
How much comes out depends on how long the raccoons were there and how far they traveled. A raccoon that was in the attic for a couple of weeks may have soiled one corner. A mother that raised a litter up there over a spring may have spread mess across most of the attic floor.
We do insulation removal and replacement ourselves, so the cleanup and the new insulation are one job with one crew. More on that: attic insulation removal and replacement.
Every attic is different, so we give a free quote after we see it. These are the things that move the price:
| Factor | Smaller job | Bigger job |
|---|---|---|
| How long they lived there | A few weeks, one raccoon | Months, or a mother with kits |
| Latrine size | One small latrine | Several latrines or mess spread out |
| Insulation | Spot removal only | Full attic removal and replacement |
| Access | Walk-up attic with a floor | Tight crawl space, low roof pitch |
| Other damage | Small entry hole | Torn ductwork wrap, stained ceilings, several entry points |
| Removal and sealing | Already done | Raccoons still inside, entry still open |
Homeowners insurance sometimes covers part of wildlife damage and cleanup — it depends on your policy, so ask your insurance company. We can give you photos and a written description of what we found. For removal pricing, see what affects raccoon removal cost.
Tell us what you found in the attic and how long the raccoons were there, and send a photo if you can. We'll give you a free quote for removal, cleanup and new insulation.
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A raccoon latrine is a pile of dark, tube-shaped droppings in one spot, roughly the size of a small dog's droppings with blunt ends, often with seeds or food bits in them. In an attic it's usually in a corner or near the eaves, with stained, matted insulation around it and a strong ammonia smell.
Yes, raccoon droppings can be dangerous because they may carry raccoon roundworm eggs, which can survive for years and cause serious illness if swallowed. Human cases are rare, but young children and pets are most at risk. Don't touch, sweep or vacuum droppings with a regular vacuum; leave attic latrines to a crew with respirators and HEPA equipment.
No, bleach and common household disinfectants don't reliably kill raccoon roundworm eggs. That's why professional cleanup focuses on physically removing the droppings and soiled insulation in sealed bags and HEPA-vacuuming the area, rather than spraying and wiping. Surfaces are treated afterward to clean them and control odor.
After. Cleaning while raccoons still live in the attic is wasted work, because they'll keep using the same latrine or start a new one. The right order is: remove the raccoons, seal the entry points, then clean up, deodorize and replace the insulation. In spring, we also make sure no kits are left behind.
Most attic latrine cleanups take one day, sometimes less for a single small latrine. Bigger jobs with full insulation removal and replacement, several latrines or a hard-to-reach attic can take longer. We give you a time estimate with your free quote after we've seen the attic.
Usually not. We set up the work area to keep dust in the attic and away from the living space. We do ask that kids and pets stay away from the attic hatch and the work area while we're working. If anyone in the home has breathing problems, tell us and we'll talk through the plan.
In most homes, yes, once the droppings and soiled insulation are out and the surfaces are treated. The smell often lingers because something soaked is still there. If odor comes back on a hot, humid day after we clean, let us know so we can check for a spot that needs more work.
Sometimes. Some homeowners policies cover part of the damage animals cause, others exclude it. Call your insurance company and ask. We can give you photos and a written description of what we found and what we did, which helps with a claim.
Yes. We're licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife for wildlife work, and we handle raccoon removal, sealing the entry points, latrine cleanup, odor control and insulation replacement. One company, one plan, and a free quote that covers what your attic actually needs.
Sí. Sacamos los mapaches, sellamos las entradas, quitamos el excremento y el aislamiento sucio con equipo HEPA, controlamos el olor y ponemos aislamiento nuevo. Hablamos español. Llame o mande texto al 973-510-2585 para una cotización gratis.
Based in Garfield, we serve Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties.
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
