4 Creatures Can Crawl In Through Your Toilet. Here’s How To Deter Them.
I’m just going to go ahead here and say, NOPE!! I wasn’t even aware these creepy crawlies could get through your pipes and into your toilet.
I may never use the toilet again.
We all know that’s not possible, so it’s time to learn how to deter these creatures from coming in through openings we don’t think about — our toilets.
But, WHY do these creatures pick our bathrooms to rear their ugly heads?
Well, bathrooms usually hold moisture, and creepy crawlies love moisture.
Also, think about places like the underside of your toilet seat and that plastic curtain that hangs into your shower. Probably NOT the cleanest, and those unwanted creatures love all the dirty things!
Creatures That Can Crawl In Through Your Toilet, and How To Stop Them.
1) Rats
I don’t even want to think about the possibility of rats coming up through my pipes and into my toilet. But, it could happen, and so we have to talk about it.
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.
You also might want to consider a human rat trap to hide somewhere inconspicuous in your bathroom.
2) Snakes — aka Nope Ropes
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.
3) Lizards — aka Nope Ropes with Legs!!
It is quite common in certain parts of the United States to find lizards coming up through your toilets.
They feast on bugs — crickets, flies, and even spiders — that might be hanging out in your pipes. In an effort to find food, they just may pop their head up in somewhere it doesn’t belong — your toilet!
This is another reason to keep your bathroom, toilet, and toilet seat clean. Don’t give bugs — and their predators — a reason to hang out in your bathroom.
4) 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.
Besides Keeping It Clean, Here Are Ways To Deter Unwanted Creatures In Your Bathroom.
Get rid of standing water. Whenever my son takes a bath, he gets the floor sopping wet. It is important to dry up areas that are holding water. Water equals moisture, and critters love moisture.
Keep your pipes clean. 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
If all else fails, you can call a pest control company. Now, I would probably START with calling a pest control company, but you may want to try the other methods of deterring creepy crawlies before you call in the professionals.
Photos courtesy of Deposit Photos.
