There are lots of ways to dispose of dead cockroaches. You can throw them in the trash, for instance. And you can also burn them to leave no traces behind. But many people ask, “can you flush a cockroach down the toilet?” Yes, you can actually flush a cockroach down the toilet, but there are certain considerations…
You can flush a cockroach down the toilet, but…
- Make sure that the cockroach is actually dead. Cockroaches are resilient creatures. They don’t die easily. Don’t think that you can drown them by flushing them down the toilet. You can’t kill them this way. These common household pests can hold their breath for more than 40 minutes, which is more than enough time for them to make it to the sewers where they can survive and make their way back to your home. If you are going to flush a cockroach down the toilet, make sure that it is actually dead. If it isn’t, it may just come back to your property.
- Check first if your toilet is flushing properly. The cockroach itself is not the only thing you should check. You should check the toilet as well. If the cockroach is alive and the toilet is not flushing properly, there is a chance that the cockroach will not be flushed down the pipes. It will then have an opportunity to crawl back out of the toilet. Normally, a working flush will have no problem pushing a cockroach down to the pipes. The water inside your toilet system will also prevent the cockroach from crawling back up if it indeed goes down. But because of flushing issues, the water may not push the cockroach down.
- Clean the area where the cockroach has died. If you have just found a dead cockroach and wanted to flush it down the toilet, make sure to clean the area of death. Cockroaches carry disease-causing microorganisms even when they are dead. Some of the microorganisms they carry include Salmonella typhimurium, Entamoeba histolytica, and the poliomyelitis virus. These pests also release pheromones that may attract other cockroaches to the area.
How the cockroach can come back if you don’t kill it
- The cockroach can crawl out of your toilet. If you don’t kill the cockroach and your toilet happens to have flushing issues, the cockroach may not go down the pipes and make its way back out of the toilet. Unfortunately, your bathroom is also one of the best places in your home for cockroaches to thrive. It has the food they need, as they eat anything organic, including hair and soap debris. It also has the water they need, especially if your bathroom is always wet or moist. Keep your bathroom clean and dry. Don’t let the cockroach that has crawled out of the toilet thrive there.
- It can survive in the sewers and find its way back to your home. If you flush a cockroach that is still alive, there’s a high chance that you will never see it again. But the fact still remains that the flushing won’t be enough to kill it. It can thrive somewhere else, such as the sewers, and find its way back to your home. Cockroaches are known to come up the drains. Your bathroom is not the only part of your home that has drains. Your kitchen has them too. The pests can also get to your home through the cracks and holes in your walls and the gaps between your doors and windows.
- It can attract other cockroaches to your property. If the cockroach does find its way back to your home, it can start an infestation. Yes, a lone cockroach can call your property its home. But many times, even seeing just one cockroach may indicate there is an active infestation will multiple cockroaches in hiding. Cockroaches are social insects. They like to stay in groups. The lone cockroach can also release pheromones that attract more cockroaches to the area.
How to prevent cockroaches from coming back
- Cover drains, put down toilet covers, and close doors and windows. Many people think that they can just keep their homes clean to prevent cockroach infestations. There is some truth to this. But cockroaches can be in clean homes too. One reason for this is easy access. If cockroaches find openings, they will get through them in search of food and water. This is why you should cover every crack, gap, hole, and opening in your home. They can serve as passageways not just for cockroaches, but also for other small pests like rats and mice.
- Put food and water away. The availability of food and water is one of the biggest reasons why cockroaches get into homes. It’s easy to say that you should just store food in cabinets, containers, refrigerators, or anywhere pests can’t reach them easily. But cockroaches are not picky eaters. They will eat things even humans don’t consider food, such as the debris in your bathroom, dining area, and kitchen. Keeping your home clean is just as important as putting food and water away.
- Actually get rid of the cockroach infestation. Why did you find a cockroach that you want to flush in the toilet anyway? Sure, there is a chance that it’s a lone cockroach that just happens to find its way into your home. But there is a bigger chance that there is an active infestation on your property. Consider calling pest control professionals. If you want to solve the problem yourself, buy commercial pesticides like bug bombs and sprays. You can also try natural remedies like baking soda and diatomaceous earth.
Get rid of a cockroach by flushing it down the toilet
Yes, you can flush a cockroach down the toilet. But make sure that it’s actually dead and your toilet is flushing properly. If you don’t meet these considerations, the cockroach may crawl out of your toilet. It doesn’t help that your bathroom is a great area for this cockroach to thrive because it has everything it needs — food, water, and shelter.
If it doesn’t crawl out of the toilet, it can at least survive in the sewers after you flush it down. You may never see it again. But there is always the possibility of it finding its way back to your home.