6 Creatures That Can Crawl In Through Your Toilet and How to Stop Them
If you are wondering why bugs and other pests pay your bathroom a visit, it’s because of all the moisture. And when we’re talking about the toilet seat, in particular, many people fail to clean it consistently and in detail. Flushing isn’t enough, since there is the residue left behind and that is enough to attract all the wrong guests.
We wants you to know that many pests can crawl into your house through your toilet and that there are ways to prevent this from happening.
1. Snakes
You mainly find sneaky snakes crawling up through the pipes in places that have a warmer climate. Snakes start in the sewer, feasting on the remnants of your food and trash. When they are done with their lunch, they slither through the pipes, trying to find a way out.
And, they DO find that way out — it might just be up into your toilet!
Typically, it’s harmless, non-venomous snakes that make it up through the pipes, but there HAVE been instances where bigger, meaner snakes have been found in toilets.
Just make sure you look before you sit down!!
Also, make sure you keep that toilet seat clean — top and bottom — and the lid down.
2. Rats
Rats hang out in the sewers, making meals out of your trash and garbage. They are good little swimmers and climbers, so the wet pipes don’t deter them in the least.
Fun Fact: Rats can hold their breaths for minutes before they need air.
They are also bendy little dudes, so they have no problems getting through those pipes that have lots of twists and turns.
Whilst running and swimming through the sewer pipes, they may just make their way up into your toilet bowl.
You want to make sure you always leave your toilet lid closed. This will deter them from getting out into your house.
So, it’s not just important to discard your food remnants in a trash bag but to also never flush food down the toilet. If there is no food in the pipes, rats won’t have any reason to try and enter your sewage system. You should also keep the toilet cover closed at all times and maybe install a rat guard. This allows water to exit the pipes whenever you flush, but nothing can come up in the opposite direction.
3. Spiders
Now, spiders don’t swim through your pipes, but they have been known to hangout under the toilet seat, in showers, in windows, and in the dark corners of drawers.
While you will most definitely find spiders in many outdoor toilets — ALWAYS look before you sit down — it is always possible that there is one hiding in a place you might least expect in your bathroom!
To deter spiders, keep it clean! Clean under the toilet seat, clean your shower curtains, clean that scum that builds up in your shower, clean out dark corners and drawers.
4. Lizards
Lizardslove water and they try to find food wherever they can. Crickets and other insects (like flies) can be found a lot in your toilet’s plumbing if it’s not kept decently clean. The lizards that can achieve this are usually small enough that they can fit through the pipes.
5. Possums
These nocturnal rodents have been known to make their way up pipes, too. So in addition to looking out in your garbage cans, make sure your toilet bowl is safe, as well! The San Diego Animal Control Department had to deal with multiple calls about these incidents in a span of just weeks.
6. Centipedes
Similar to cockroaches, centipedes don’t come up through your pipes, but through cracks in the walls and floors where the pipes enter your bathroom. They end up in your toilet looking for a damp place.
What to do if you find a snake, rat, or other animal in your toilet
If a critter invades your toilets, You should slam the lid of your toilet seat down and put something heavy on top of it. Rats are strong and it’s better for a shit-befouled rat to be trapped in your toilet than running around in your house. (Putting the lid down probably won’t stop smaller snakes from escaping through the gap in your toilet lid. Sorry.)
Now that you’ve trapped the animal, call animal control. They’ll deal with your toilet critter, and be able to tell if it’s part of a larger animal issue in the sewers.
Some people recommend pouring bleach into the bowl to kill lost rats. This which would work in theory, but would involve lifting the lid, potentially allowing a sewer rat into your house.
How to prevent and react to these occurrences
Keep your toilet clean: This may sound obvious, but you really need to clean your toilet often and neatly. You can do this with a drain cleaner you buy at the store, or you can opt for a more natural cleaner.
* Baking soda, followed by vinegar or lemon juice
* A salt, borax, and vinegar combination
* Boiling hot water
Keep it dry: Most pests love humidity and that’s why they will be attracted to wet bathroom floors. So, it’s important to get rid of any standing water from the sink or the floor after you’ve taken a shower. If you notice any leaks in your plumbing, call a technician immediately and get them fixed.
Clean your pipes naturally: In a bowl, add equal parts of sugar, water, vinegar, and 5-10 drops of dish soap. Mix all of this together and pour it down the toilet or in your bathroom sink. You can also pour some boiling water into the toilet.
Call a pest control company: If you don’t have the time or courage to deal with pests yourself, call professionals and let them use their heavy cleaners. After that is done, you can occasionally throw water mixed with a cleaning solution down the drain to make sure no pest will climb up into the toilet.
Have you ever found an uninvited guest in your toilet — if so, what was it and how did you react?
Source:brightside.me, totallythebomb.com, lifehacker.com.au
