There’s nothing more disconcerting than stepping into the shower and seeing small black worms in the bottom. So if there are drain worms in your shower, you’re going to want to get rid of them as quickly as possible!
Fortunately, in this article, you’ll find out why these worms are in your shower, how to get rid of them, how to prevent them from coming back, and much more! So keep reading to find out how to get rid of these pesky pests once and for all!
Why Are Their Drain Worms In Your Shower?
Drain worms are the larvae form of drain flies. So if you notice drain worms in your shower, then the chances are you’ve also been noticing drain flies around your home as well. (Here’s what to do if you notice drain flies in your shower.)
So if the drain flies are breeding, they’re going to be doing so in areas that are dark, damp, and have an abundance. As you can imagine, there are quite a few areas of your shower that are going to have the perfect requirements for this.
For example, the drain itself provides the perfect environment. Not only is it dark and damp, but drain worms can also feed on all the muck that ends up in your drains, such as soap scum, hair, natural oils, and even certain types of shampoo!
Even if you’re cleaning your drain properly, sometimes, it’s also possible for drain worms to enter your home through the sewage pipes that are connected to your home.
Lastly, there may be drain flies in other areas of your home and bathroom, too, such as other sinks, your toilet, or any area where standing water might be starting to build. When this is the case, the drain flies may have migrated to your shower’s drain to breed.
How Do You Get Rid Of Drain Worms In Your Shower?
Now you know why drain worms are in your shower, you’re going to want to get rid of them! Here are all the different ways you can get rid of drain worms in your shower once and for all!
Use Boiling Water
One of the easiest ways to get rid of drain worms is to just pour boiling water down the drain. As you can imagine, the heat from boiling water is going to be more than enough to kill any drain worms in your drain.
However, the only issue with boiling water is that it may not destroy all the organic waste buildup in your drain. So if you don’t get rid of that as well, it’s only a matter of time before drain worms and drain flies come back.
Use Salt
Salt is another great choice, especially if you don’t use your shower too much. Not only will pouring salt down the drain kill any worms, but it will also stick to any surface of the drain as well. This will help kill any eggs that are present, as well as deter drain flies from breeding more.
If you want to use salt, then make sure you’re adding more salt every time you use the drain; otherwise, it’s just going to be washed away.
Vinegar And Baking Soda
Combining vinegar and baking soda is another great way to clean your shower drain and also remove any drain worms and eggs that may be living down there. And the best part is these are ingredients almost everyone has in their homes!
If you plan on using vinegar and baking soda, then all you’ll need to do is pour a cup of baking soda down your drain. Once you’ve done this, just follow it up with a cup of vinegar as well. When you do this, the two combined will begin to bubble up and kill any drain worms, help remove any debris in your drain, and remove eggs as well!
Just make sure if you’re going to use vinegar and baking soda, you leave it overnight to work its magic. Then in the morning, to clear it out, pour boiling water down the drain.
Drano
At some point in time, you’ve probably had to use Drano in your home to remove a blockage. Because of this, you probably have a good idea of how powerful the stuff is. And that’s because one of the main ingredients in Drano is lye.
So if you want the drain worms gone fast, pouring Drano down the drain is a great way to get rid of them. However, you should be warned that Drano can only be left in your pipes for around 15-30 minutes. Anything longer than that, and the pipes could end up being damaged.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is another great choice for killing drain worms, especially ones that are living down your drain. In fact, the moment any drain worm comes into contact with hydrogen peroxide, it’s going to kill them instantly.
And the best part is that hydrogen peroxide is also great for removing any buildups of detritus in your drains as well. So not only will you be eradicating drain worms from your home, but you’ll also be getting rid of their habitat as well, so drain flies won’t want to breed there!
Check For Clogs
On the subject of buildups of muck and detritus, if you start noticing drain worms in your shower, now is a good time to check for clogs in the pipes. Because clogs of human hair and soap scum, etc., are going to be the perfect breeding ground for drain flies.
So removing the clogs is also going to deter drain flies from breeding in your shower, as well as giving drain worms no place to live!
Enzyme Cleaners
By far, one of the best ways to get rid of drain worms in your shower (and drain flies) is with enzyme cleaners. Not only will enzyme cleaners destroy any drain worms, drain flies, and eggs, but they’re also going to eat away at any clogs in your drains as well.
Using an enzyme cleaner is actually one of the most effective methods on this list, and the best part is that they’re not harmful to the plumbing in your home either!
Fix Any Plumbing Issues
If you noticed drain flies in your shower, then it’s a clear indicator that you need to fix any plumbing issues that you have.
Try A Plumbing Snake
When the plumbing issues aren’t too serious, one of the things you can try is a plumbing snake. Plumbing snakes are going to be great for dislodging drain fly larvae, as well as any of the muck that is clogging your drain and providing them everything they need to breed!
To use a drain snake, you just have to insert it into the drain and then slowly move it around, knocking loose the larvae and dirt.
Once you’ve done this for a good amount of time, you’ll just need to flush the drain with hot water after.
Try A Metal Pipe Brush
If you don’t have a plumbing snake, you can also try a metal pipe brush as well. Metal pipe brushes are used in much the same way. You just need to move it up and down adequately before flushing the pipe with hot water again!
Fix Leaking Pipes
This is also the perfect time to check whether any of the pipes in your shower are leaking. If they are leaking, there may be a buildup of standing water somewhere in your home. Once again, this standing water is going to be the perfect area for drain flies to breed.
If you do find leaking pipes, make sure to fix them as soon as possible and remove the water that may have leaked out.
Check Outside
Drain worms may be living in your shower, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only place they’re living. Most of the time, drain flies actually live outside and then move inwards when they sense areas in your home that meet their requirements for breeding
So if you want to get rid of drain worms in your shower, you should do what you can to remove any drain flies outside. Here are all the places drain flies might be coming from.
Add Mineral Oil To Your Drain
When you want to try a natural method to remove drain worms from your shower, then mineral oil is a great choice. Mineral oil is going to suffocate all the drain worms in your pipes.
If you want to use mineral oils, then pour half a cup down the drain and then let it sit for an hour. Once it’s sat for an hour, use boiling water to flush it out and kill any drain worms that may have survived.
Try Insecticides
Sometimes more natural methods aren’t going to be enough, and you’ll have to use something more heavy-duty. If this is the case for you now, then insecticides could be the way forward.
Just go into any hardware store, or pick some up from Amazon! You should look for insect growth regulators as they’re great at destroying insects in the larval stage. They stop them from being able to molt, which prevents them from ever becoming adults.
Keep The Bathroom Dry & Remove Excess Moisture
Lastly, you should also make sure you’re keeping the bathroom dry and removing excess moisture as well. As you know, damp environments are the best environments for drain flies to breed, so if you want to get rid of drain worms, you’ll need to stop the breeding.
So try adding a dehumidifier to your bathroom and shower, keep the windows open when possible, and also install a ventilation system if your bathroom doesn’t.
How To Remove Drain Worms From Grout
Sometimes, drain worms won’t be in the pipes; instead, they’ll be in bathroom grout instead. Grout is perfect for growing drain worms as it provides a dark, porous, moist atmosphere for them to thrive.
Fortunately, removing drain worms from grout is simple. You’ll just need to scrub the walls and grouting with a strong disinfectant and use a stiff-bristled brush.
To stop them from returning to grout in the future, you can also scrub the grout and walls regularly to remove any buildup of organic material.
You can also try a grout sealer to make sure that drain flies are unable to lay eggs in the grout.
How To Prevent Drain Worms In The First Place
Now you know how to get rid of drain worms in your shower; you also want to make sure they’re not coming back either.
Here are all the ways to ensure that your shower stays drain worm free from now on!
Deep Clean Your Bathroom Regularly
One of the easiest ways to prevent drain flies from coming back in the future is to clean your bathroom regularly. This includes purging your drains and making sure that there’s no standing water anywhere.
As well as this, you should also disinfect any areas you think it’s likely drain flies will like to inhabit.
Cover Unused Drains
One of the best things you can do is cover any unused drains. If you know that you’re not going to use the drain in a while, then covering it is one of the best ways to make sure that drain flies won’t end up inhabiting it.
And covering your drains doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, you can buy a drain stopper off Amazon for extremely cheap.
Seal Any Crevices
Crevices are one of the prime locations for drain flies to breed and lay eggs. So if you notice crevices, you’ll need to seal them as soon as possible. Doing this ensures that you’re going to drastically reduce the chance of finding drain worms in your shower.
FAQ
Here are some questions people commonly have about drain worms.
Are Drain Worms Harmful To Humans?
While drain worms may look gross, they’re not harmful to humans, so you don’t need to worry if you do spot them in your shower. The only risk that comes from drain worms is that they normally come from areas full of bacteria they may end up spreading.
It is important to note, though, that drain flies have been known to worsen the symptoms of bronchial asthma, so it’s well worth getting rid of drain worms asap.
Are Drain Worms The Sign Of An Underlying Plumbing Issue?
Drain worms don’t always mean that you have a plumbing issue. However, drain flies are attracted to drains that have more dirt and muck in them. So if you do notice a lot more drain flies, then it may be worth checking to make sure there’s no problem.
Recap
As you can see, while drain worms in your shower are a nuisance, they don’t pose any real danger to your health. However, it’s still worth getting rid of them as soon as possible!
And while the recommendations above are normally enough to work, sometimes it may just be a case of calling a professional to get rid of them permanently.
If you liked this article, make sure you check out the rest of the website! Otherwise, have a great day!
