I almost threw up just thinking about how these things had been sitting there all that time in the middle of a mouse infestation. I immediately threw out not only the sweaters, but also the old scarves that were lying next to them.
I had to clean the entire closet with soap and disinfectant, and wash it several times until the smell disappeared.
I also noticed that one of the sweaters had been nibbled at the sleeve—a small hole that I hadn’t seen at first.