Flush Cockroach down Toilet: Everything You Need to Know

Have you ever found yourself in a midnight battle with an unwelcome cockroach in your toilet bowl?  

If the keywords “flush cockroach down toilet” have led you here, chances are you’re seeking answers that go beyond the surface-level approach.

Is It Normal for a Cockroach to Be in a Toilet Bowl? 

If you’re wondering how these creepy crawlies end up in your toilet, the answer lies in the openings and gaps around your toilet seat and lid.

Roaches, those notorious survivors, are remarkably adaptive creatures.

But when it comes to infiltrating your toilet bowl, they don’t have an innate ability to scale the porcelain walls from the depths of your toilet tank or emerge from the bottom drain.

In fact, their aquatic endeavors are quite limited due to their lack of gills or specialized swimming organs.

The idea of simply flushing a roach down the toilet might cross your mind, but there’s a twist. Cockroaches are surprisingly resourceful when it comes to holding their breath. Underwater, they can survive for around half an hour, giving them ample time to seek an escape route.

However, while they might be able to manage a short stay submerged under the seat, it’s not an ideal environment for their long-term survival. They have their own roachy responsibilities to attend to, after all. 

>> Read more: Difference between Roach and Waterbug

Causes of Roaches in a Toilet Bowl

Generally, a dirty toilet that is constantly used but rarely cleaned attracts bugs. Roaches can eat human poop and a toilet bowl that is poorly flashed and rarely washed will attract them. They crawl on the toilet seat while foraging for urine and stool particles splashed on it.

Spilled pee on the toilet seat is a major cause of cockroaches in toilet. If there is an infestation, baby roaches hide at the joint where the lid is attached to the seat. At times, as you open of close the lead, adult roaches may also pop from those joints.

Urinating on the floor also attracts roaches around the toilet seat. It s a common habit for men and young boys to spill some urine on the toilet seat. This is always done when they are drunk or in a hurry. Whatever it is that makes them do it doesn’t matter, just find how to stop the habit.

Using an old brush to scrub the toilet bowl is another cause of bugs. An old scrubbing brush has weak bristles that cannot remove dirt particles stuck on the seat. Poor cleaning will only invite more roaches in the bowl and they will keep coming back no matter how much you clean.

How to get rid of roaches in Toilet Bowl?

Seal the drainage and sinks

Cockroaches can live in the restroom sink and drainage, and they often emerge during the night to search for food.

The first place they find that might offer sustenance is a dirty toilet.

In their quest, they may crawl on the bowl and encounter urine droplets left on the toilet seat and floor.

To prevent a cockroach in bathroom, consider sealing or finding covers for your drainage and sinks.

Floating covers for bathroom drains, which allow water to pass while remaining in place, come in various shapes and colors and are one of the best ways to deter roaches from crawling up the drains.

>> Read more: Cockroach in bathroom: Why They’re There & Prevention Tips.

Soapy water

Can cockroaches drown in the toilet bowl with soapy water?

If you consistently find roaches there at night, even when it’s clean, try mixing 1 cup of dish soap with 2 cups of water and pour it into the toilet, letting it blend with the water at the base of the bowl.

Soapy water kill cockroaches as it can suffocate them when they are immersed in it. Therefore, roaches can potentially drown if they stumble and fall into a container filled with soapy water.

>> Read more: Can cockroaches drown? Myths and Truth Revealed!

Keep the lid closed

Keep the toilet lid down to ensure that the bowl is covered and protected from roaches and other bugs. However, this should only be done once it has been washed.

Keeping the lid closed while the toilet is not washed can result in a bad smell that can spread into the rest of the house overnight. Since roaches eat poop, the toilet lip should be left down to cover the bowl so that they do not go in.

Lower the water levels in a Toilet Bowl

High water levels in the toilet that rise towards the seating area can make it easy for roaches to leak human waste. In case they trip and fall in the water, they will also have an easy time while trying to climb out.

In case the toilet has extra water levels that exceed the normal, check if there is a blockage. Kids may drop things in the toilet that may cause the water levels to rise.  Lower the water levels in a toilet bowl by removing any foreign material at the base or replacing the toilet seat the problem persists.

Toilet bowl cleaners

Some bowl cleaners designed to keep the toilet seat sterilized while leaving it with a strong scent that can repel roaches and other bugs. Roaches hate chemicals that block their breathing holes and they will not crawl on the toilet bowl if those cleaners are applied and left overnight.

You may also spray roaches in a toilet bowl to get rid of them. However, the disadvantage of using insecticides on toilet seats is that they can irritate your skin. It is therefore advisable to wash them off after spraying so that nobody seats on them while using the restroom.

To deter roaches from a toilet bowl, clean it with ammonia. Pour 5 ounces of ammonia into the bowl and let it sit for 2 hours. Then use a brush to scrub the grime and flush it once you are done. Ammonia can kill roaches on contact. Its pungent odor will also repel them.

Can you flush a cockroach down the toilet?

Flushing live roaches down the toilet is not a good idea, especially since cockroaches play dead, and they can survive and live in your drainage and sewers.

Roaches can stay underwater without air for 30-60 minutes, so if you flush them, they may end up in the sewer system, potentially escalating an infestation.

In the sewers, they can feed on human waste, lay eggs, and multiply.

Sewers offer a dark, warm, and moist environment, ideal for roaches to breed.

Once they’ve overpopulated, they seek new habitats.

Roaches from the sewer can climb through pipes and infiltrate your house if they find cracks or openings.

This scenario can be troublesome, as sewer-dwelling roaches may carry various bacterial infections.

Therefore, flushing live roaches into a toilet, even if you are uncertain whether they are pretending to be dead, is not a recommended solution.

What Happens if You Flush a Cockroach Down the Toilet? Does Flushing A Cockroach Kill It? 

So, what’s the fate of a cockroach that takes an unplanned plunge into your porcelain throne?

Flushing a cockroach down your toilet initiates a journey into the mysterious and often unsettling depths of your sewer system.

The force of the flush propels the roach into the labyrinthine chambers of your home’s sewer pipes, a world beyond the reach of human eyes. 

While it might seem like a one-way trip, cockroaches are tenacious creatures. Once in the sewer, they encounter an environment that aligns well with their preferences: darkness, filth, and malodorous surroundings.

In this subterranean realm, a flushed cockroach can find solace, exploiting the organic materials and waste that abound. 

Surprisingly, a cockroach that’s been flushed might not meet its end in the depths of the sewer. Roaches are social insects, and if they encounter their kin down there, their presence becomes even more potent.

Their population might surge, establishing a thriving community in the very place you hoped to banish them. 

Over time, given their knack for survival and adaptability, these flushed roaches might decide it’s time to make a comeback.

Roaches from the sewer might attempt to ascend through pipes and cracks, seeking new habitats—possibly, yours. 

Can Cockroaches Come Up Through The Toilet? 

The notion of a cockroach emerging from the depths of your toilet bowl might be enough to make your skin crawl, but rest assured, it’s a scenario that’s less likely to play out in reality.

Research has indicated that while cockroaches can withstand the challenges of water and hold their breath for a notable span of time, the finality of water-caused demise is inevitable. 

However, what truly works in your favor is their lack of swimming prowess. Even in cases where your toilet experiences a backup, rendering it a less-than-pleasant scenario, cockroaches are unable to navigate their way back up through the water to reach the surface air.

With modern toilet designs, the intricate system of the water trap presents an insurmountable obstacle for these resilient insects. Their aspirations for upward mobility are thwarted by the complexity of the trap, keeping them firmly grounded in the watery depths. 

Can Cockroach Eggs Be Flushed Down the Toilet? 

The prospect of eradicating a potential cockroach infestation by flushing their eggs down the toilet might seem tempting, but the effectiveness of this method is less straightforward than it seems. Yes, you can flush cockroach eggs down the toilet, sending them on a watery journey through the pipes and into the sewer.

However, here’s the catch: not all the eggs are likely to meet their demise through this aquatic adventure. 

Each cockroach egg possesses a slippery coating on its outer shell. Consequently, unless the eggs are thoroughly shattered and neutralized prior to being flushed, the risk remains that some of them might emerge from their shells unscathed.

These resilient survivors could potentially hatch and thrive, amplifying their numbers in the most unexpected of places. 

Given the right conditions and a bit of time, these eggs can develop into mature cockroaches. And as fate would have it, a way could be found back up through the pipes, granting these resilient pests an entryway back into your living spaces. 

How to Pick up a Dead Cockroach?

Encountering a deceased cockroach can be a mixture of relief and unease. While the immediate instinct might be to swiftly dispose of the remains, it’s crucial to do so while considering your own safety and hygiene. Here’s how to handle the situation without risking any unintended consequences: 

• Gloves Are Your Allies: Before you even think about picking up a dead cockroach, arm yourself with a disposable glove. This simple barrier provides protection between your skin and the potential contaminants that the roach might carry. 

• Toilet Paper or Paper Towel Method: If gloves aren’t readily available, reach for a piece of toilet paper or a paper towel. This makeshift protective layer allows you to grasp the roach without direct contact. 
• Broom and Dustpan Approach: Alternatively, employ the classic broom and dustpan technique. Gently sweep the cockroach onto the dustpan and dispose of it in a sealed bag or trash receptacle. 
• Avoid Bare-Hand Contact: The cardinal rule in handling cockroach carcasses is to never, under any circumstances, pick them up with your bare hands. Whether the roach is alive or deceased, it can potentially harbor diseases that pose risks to human health. By avoiding direct skin contact, you prevent the transmission of germs or diseases from the cockroach to your hands, and subsequently to other surfaces or individuals. 
• Proper Disposal: Once you’ve successfully picked up the cockroach, it’s crucial to properly dispose of it. Seal it in a plastic bag or wrap it in paper before placing it in a trash bin. This prevents any potential contamination from spreading. 

Remember, the key is to approach the situation with caution and hygiene in mind. While a dead cockroach might not be a living threat, the potential health risks associated with it should be taken seriously.

By adhering to these practices, you can confidently and safely deal with the aftermath of an encounter with these unwelcome visitors. 

Conclusion

The quest to flush cockroaches down toilet might appear as a convenient solution, but as we’ve uncovered, it’s a journey that leads to deeper waters. These tenacious creatures can weather challenges and find new havens, leaving you with more than you bargained for. 

For more insights into pest management and the hidden world of household invaders, dive into the treasure trove of knowledge at Pestweek.