Rats are unpleasant and unwelcoming visitors to our homes, particularly to our bathrooms, where they devour everything they come across, including electrical wire, walls, clothing and toilet paper.
Even though it can be very rare to see rats running about your bathroom in broad daylight, many homeowners discover rat infestations by finding droppings and chew marks on wood, cardboard and paper.
Rats are always looking for food and a suitable place to breed. You should not be surprised if a rat swims from the sewer line to your toilet bowl, even though it cannot climb out.
Occasionally, it may become necessary to prevent this type of rat infestation as it cannot be completely avoided.
The following post will give an in-depth look at what to do if you find a rat or rats in your toilet bowl and how to prevent further infestation.
In this post, we’ll cover:
- Can rats swim into your toilet bowl?
- Can a Rat get out of the Toilet Bowl?
- How to deal with a Rat Swimming up the Toilet Bowl?
- How do you find that you have rats in your bathroom?
- Best Ways to stop Rats from entering your bathroom?
Table of Contents
Can rats swim into your toilet bowl?
Yes, rats can make an unwelcome appearance in your toilet bowl. The fact that rats can do this may seem impossible, but a sewer rat is actually a proficient swimmer.
When it comes to hunger, rats do not fare well. When food becomes scarce, rats tend to look for new places to find anything they can eat. Sewer lines provide easy access for rats to hide and a point of entry into the house, so they can easily find their way onto your toilet.
With the help of their legs and long tails, they can paddle through the sewer line to the toilet S-trap. Within seconds, they will show up in the bowl of your toilet.
Can rats get out of the toilet?
The answer is No. These are some of the reasons why you should not be afraid of sewer rats making their way through from the toilet to your bathroom.
1. Most toilet bowls are made of porcelain, which consists of a glassy, shiny clay. Because porcelain is very slippery, rats would likely be unable to climb it with their sharp claws.
2. Generally, a toilet measures 22 to 34 inches from the toilet base to the seat. This can be a considerable distance for a rat to jump over.
3. Toilet S-trap is an S-shaped drain pipe located at the end of a toilet drain; it siphons waste and water when the toilet is flushed and leads to the sewer system.
There is always water in the S-trap at both ends, preventing most rats from swimming through it. Those rats that made it through will really struggle through the curves and bend, which is rare for most rats.
How to deal with a Rat Swimming up the Toilet Bowl?
The worst thing to do if you find a rat in your toilet bowl is flush it, as this won’t solve the problem since the rat will likely survive the flush and return to the bowl.
There are also instances in which homeowners have resorted to the extreme of electrocuting or poisoning the rats. Rather than killing the rats, this can cause injuries or damage to the toilet.
The simplest and easiest way to kill a rat is to pour bleach into the toilet bowl, then close the lid for approximately two hours. In the absence of oxygen, the rat will suffocate and die.
You can flush the toilet if the rat is small. If the rat is big, it is advisable to wear gloves and pick it up by the tail. It is more likely that a large rat will block the S-trap section of the toilet if it is flushed.
How do you find that you have rats in your bathroom?
The simplest and most obvious sign of a rat infestation in your bathroom is seeing round droppings, which are rat poop. Other signs include scratching noises, particularly at night, rat holes and rat footprints.
Best Ways to stop Rats from entering your bathroom?
The most effective way to stop rats from entering your bathroom is to install a toilet guard or a rat flap. This will help to stop rats from entering your bathroom or toilet through your plumbing system.
It is designed so that it can only move in one direction. This means that if rats enter the pipes, they will not be able to get beyond the flap.
The flap allows drainage water to push it outwards so any rodents in the line would be pushed back outside and away from the bathroom or toilet.
When food becomes scarce, rats try to find new locations to look for food. The sewer provides naturally and easy access to drain pipes as they follow the food tracks to your home
As the kitchen pipes are connected to the sewer, food remains are drained through the sewer, attracting sewer rats.
The best way to stop rats is to stop draining food remains through the sewer and to clean the kitchen sink thoroughly using baking soda, vinegar, and boiling water.
Conclusion
As we have seen, a rat infestation can be unavoidable. This is especially if your sewer line offers easy access for the rat to find their way to your toilet S-trap.
Although the S-shaped opening may be challenging for the rat to climb through, it is not unusual to find a rat inside your toilet bowl.
If you follow some of the preventive measures listed above, you can prevent future rat infestations.
Recommended:-
Do rats actually live in sewers?
How can I get a rat out of my toilet?
Sewage rats typically enter the toilet through plumbing pipes linked to your toilet; the simplest and most effective technique to prevent rats from entering is to use a device called a non-return valve or rat blocker that is attached to the sewer drain.
What caused a rat to enter my toilet?
In many homes, the toilet and garbage disposal are connected by the same pipes. When sewer rats’ food is scarce, they enter the sewer system in quest of it, eventually making their way to your toilet.