How do I clean up dried, smeared feces on a tile floor? The tile is not smooth, but textured. I don't even know where to begin.

With all the work involved in cleaning up feces I think the real question is how long can you keep doing this? It sounds like an absolute nightmare with no real solution and feces harbors all kinds of nasty pathogens that can make you really sick. Might be time to get mom out of the house.

You've got it covered! Add hot water in a bucket, soap and bleach, use a scrub brush on the rough tile floor. Dump it in the toilet. Bleach the scrub brush to use again. Mop the floor after that.

Set aside the brush and bucket for the next time, keeping it separate for that use.

Use the bucket to also clean the bottom of shoes.

sp19690,

There's no reason why any young person should grasp what it's like for someone in their 80's or 90's because they aren't there yet.
All old people don't end up in diapers. My father at the age of 90 was still golfing a full course once a week and bowling twice a week. He also still drove, lived on his own, and didn't have a moment of dementia. Then he had a stroke. He was in the NH for less than a year then he died. He had 90 very good years. So you never know.

I too agree that it maybe time for Mom to go to LTC. An AL will not take her. After cleaning up after my Mom a couple of times (one I swore the toilet thru up and we had to throw out an area rug. The other time, she went on a small table) I said one more time and I would have to place her. It took a bowl or two of vinegar just to absorb the smell. I don't do smells very well.

I have had this problem with my dogs, mainly, over the years. I use Nature's Miracle. You spray it on and wait. Then wipe it up with towels, toilet paper (I find makes sense for disposal.) It may take several attempts. It works for me, and it doesn't smell too bad, and it does remove other smells. It's called an enzymatic stain and odor remover; I imagine there are other brands. I suspect it works for all us critters.

If your mother is getting into her diaper, it's time to make some adjustments to how it's kept on her. I'm going to assume that if her mind is so gone from dementia that she doesn't know what sh*t is, she doesn't live alone either.
I've had many dementia clients who did the same thing. Here is the cheap solution that I've used every time and it is tried and true. You will need three things.

1) A pair of round-nosed bandage cutting scissors (the kind nurses use to cut away a wound dressing)

2) A roll of duct tape.

3) A couple of pairs of shortlette-style non-compression underwear (not a girdle) that come to just above the knee. The don't have to be tight-fitting, but they should fit snuggly.

After her diaper is put on cut a long piece of duct tape and loop it around the diaper like a belt. Do it tight enough that she can't get her hand into the diaper. Then put the pair of shortlette underwear over it. When she has to be changed, the tape and diaper can be cut right through it with the bandage scissors.
You won't be risking an injury because the scissors are round-nosed and slanted. They are made for cutting off wound dressings that are taped in place.
This has worked for me for more people than I can remember.

PS. Clean the floor with bleach and water. You won't need to go to Home Depot for all the other stuff because there will be no need. If she can't get into the diaper she can't get to what's in it either. Please try this. You will see it works.

My husband got violently ill and threw up dried blood all over the bathroom floor. Had to call 911 to take him to ER.

When I got home I used old towels to get what I could - I then just poured bleach onto the floor and let it sit. Sopped it up with more towels then scrubbed down the floor. Luckily the bathrooms in our house are miniscule as far a floor space.

I'm so sorry for what you are going through.

garylee,

It would help if you put protective mitts on your wife's hands at night so she can't pull her diaper apart or mess with her catheter.
You can order them online. They're sort of like boxing gloves, but not as big. The person wearing them isn't able to get them off on their own. Look into getting some for your wife so she doesn't injure herself.

Please do not feel like you are the only one who has had to deal with all these feces situations at all! My mother has done all kinds of crazy things with it in the past! We have cameras in her room which I can monitor what is going on in her bedroom from my cellphone and computer. We have cameras all over the house because of her. These days most of the craziness with my mom happens in the bathroom but it still can get crazy in a matter of 15 to 30 seconds or less! I finally decided area rugs in my bathroom was not worth having until she is no longer staying with us. I bought a gallon jug of OdoBan Odor Eliminator and Disinfectant, Original Eucalyptus Scent (1 Gallon - Makes 32 gallons) I use it for everything when it comes down to disinfecting everything in the house. It smells great, disinfects, and reasonable priced too. You can buy it at Sam’s, Walmart, Lowes, or Home Depot. I would saturate the areas heavily then wait a few minutes and wipe up with paper towels. Afterwards disinfect again and wipe. I have had to shampoo my mother’s bedroom carpet twice in one month! I was ready to pull my hair out too! It is only a phase right now. It will eventually stop then it will be something else which causes additional work. Hang in there! In addition, I keep bottles of hand sanitizer everywhere to disinfect my mom’s hands often too! Another thing I would recommend is keeping her finger nails real short!! This is a must for my mom too! Hang in there!

I could not do it. I can barely change a baby's diaper. The only time there was a mess to clean up with my mil was when my daughter was here and I was out of the house for a few hours. Her first words to me were, "Mom, you could not have handled this. If it happens again, you have to call me." I am dreading the possibility of dh having these issues eventually.