Having bugs crawling up the drains is a sight nobody wishes to see. However, this seems to be the problem of many householders. In this article, we discuss how to stop bugs from coming up the drain.
What’s the cause of this problem? Is there a permanent solution?
Bugs Coming Out of Bathtub Drain – The Cause
Before we show you how to stop bugs from coming up the drain, let’s discuss the cause of this problem.
Why do bugs come up drains and how does this happen? The shortest answer is this – bugs love warm, moist places.
Especially if it’s a dark place, with high humidity, where food and water can be found. These types of places are drains inside your kitchen and bathroom.
When we say food, we don’t refer only to the leftovers of the food you eat. Pieces of soap, hair, dust, and other gunk and debris are the perfect food for many bugs species.
Now, how do bugs enter the bathroom drains in the first place? Don’t they get flushed by all the water?
The truth is – the chances of bugs coming up the drain by previously entering the sewer pipes are pretty slim.
That means they had to enter through the cracks of the burst pipe. If this were the case, you would notice a leak somewhere else too.
But in many cases, people only notice the nasty bugs crawling up the drains. The bugs usually find their way through other cracks in the house (e.g. walls, doors, floors).
After entering the house, they quickly find their way to the bathroom as it’s the room with the most moisture. They then enter the drains as this is where they find food and shelter.
In the case of clogged or partially clogged drains, the bugs don’t get flushed. This is because they cling to the gunk that is in the drain.
Bugs usually lay their eggs here too, which can only worsen the problem. That’s why one needs to tackle this problem as soon as possible.
How To Stop Bugs From Coming Up The Drain – Simple Solutions
Ultimately, the best point of prevention is to try to keep the area cleaner. Be it your bathroom or your kitchen, bugs tend to go to places with excess garbage and puddles of water.
In the bathroom, always properly ventilate in order to keep the excess moisture out. Also, throw out any old soap bars that may break off and create clogs in the drains.
But even if you keep the surfaces in your house clean and your bathroom well ventilated, bugs can appear. This is because clogged drains still have plenty of built-up gunk that serve as bug food. We recommend using insect killer, beside following measures below.
Luckily, there are easy steps you can take to solve this problem:
- The “X” tape trick
Take any stronger tape, and put it on the drain opening creating an “X”. Make sure to not completely cover the drain, stopping the water access to it.
Leave it overnight as most bugs living in the drain are nocturnal. Check in the morning to see if any bug crawling up the drain got stuck to the tape.
This won’t completely solve the problem but discovering which type of bug is in the drains will help you. This is because you won’t take the same steps for the drain flies as you would for the cockroaches.
- Drain covers to keep bugs out
Purchase either metal drain screens or drain stoppers. Ideally, get both.
It’s highly recommended to put the metal drain covers on both your bathroom and kitchen drain openings.
In your bathroom, these metal covers can stop any hair, soap, toothpaste, or other fallout from clogging your drains. In your kitchen, this will stop any grease or leftover food.
Overnight, keep the drain stoppers (the ones without any holes) on all the drain openings. This will stop the bugs from climbing out.
- Anti cockroach drain cover
If you discover that you have cockroaches in your home, this solution is for you.
The anti-cockroach trap is a plumbing fixture designed specifically to stop cockroaches. Made with filters on both sides, this trap maintains the constant water level which stops the cockroaches from entering.
The best part is – it will also stop other parasites, such as rats or snakes, from entering your bathroom fixtures. It stops harmful gases from entering your house and is environmentally friendly.
- Seal any openings
Seal any holes and openings that may allow bugs to enter. These include the holes around your windows, doors, or the floor.
In the bathroom, seal any improper caulking or installation. Check under the bathroom sink, around your toilet, and your shower.
- Unclog the drain
No matter how many points of prevention you take, the drain will clog eventually. This is why it’s important to unclog the drain every month or so.
Knowing how to unclog a bathroom drain without calling a plumber is very important. This is possible with the use of boiling water, a plunger, or baking soda and vinegar.
If all else fails, unclog the drain using a plumber’s snake or an air snake.
How To Stop Bugs From Coming Up The Drain Using Chemical Cleaners
Before we dive deeper into this topic, we do hope that you’ve tried out the previously mentioned, safer options. Choosing to unclog the drain using a chemical drain cleaner should come as a last resort.
This is because chemical cleaners unclog the drain by causing a chemical reaction.
However, this reaction doesn’t only clean the drain – it can also damage your pipes. As they use strong chemicals, these cleansers can cause a number of health and environmental hazards.
They’re ultimately not worth it to kill the bugs if you simultaneously cause more harm.
On the other hand, if you still opt for the chemical cleaner, there are several trusted ones available. Let’s see which ones are they:
- Dawn Dish Soap
Dawn dish soap is one of the less harmful cleaners out there proven to not only clean the dishes but also unclog the drains. We’ve discussed the ways you can use it in this article.
- Liquid Plumr and Drano
Liquid Plumr and Drano are known as the most popular drain openers.
Liquid Plumr unclogs drain fast, degrades quickly, and is available in multiple versions. However, it has limited use, as it can damage rubber pipes and is dangerous to mix with other substances.
On the other hand, Drano is affordable and easy to use but can damage PVC pipes and act unpredictably.
Never Pour Bleach Down Drain to Kill Bugs
Speaking of chemical drain cleaners, bleach is one of the most popularized cleaners used for this purpose. However, you should avoid using it as a drain opener at all costs!
Why? First of all, it’s proven that bleach doesn’t unclog drains, contrary to the popular belief. Bleach alone won’t be enough to dissolve the clog, and it can cause more harm than good.
When paired with other chemicals, bleach can cause severe skin burning, vomiting, pneumonia, and even death.[3]
If anything, the chemical reaction can cause burst pipes, which will allow more bugs into your drain. Just don’t use it for this purpose as it’s not worth it.
Read Next: Drain Clogged With Hair
The Takeaway
To solve this problem, seal any openings in your house and keep your house clean. Use metal covers on the drain openings during the day and drain stoppers overnight.
Additionally, use chemical cleaners mentioned in this article. Now you know how to stop bugs from coming up the drain, so you’ll never have to face this problem again.
Michael Davis is a heating & plumbing expert who currently works as independent contractor in SC. He also writes for Plumbertip.
For almost 10 years he worked on various plumbing tasks across South Carolina.
