How to Get Rid of Drain Worms

image of thin black worm in house

If you find tiny black worms in the house, toilet, bathroom sink, or kitchen sink, you may have a problem with drain worms. People also call these small black or brown worms “drain fly worms” or “drain fly larvae.”

Because they can spread germs, they can be a bother and could be bad for your health. If you don’t do anything, the larvae will grow up, and you’ll have a fly problem.

What are Drain Worms? 

Drain worms and drain flies are the same thing, but at different times of their lives. Drain flies are part of an insect family called “Psychodidae” and are also called “moth flies” because they look like fuzzy moths. Sink flies, filter flies, and sewer gnats are some of the other names for them. Most of the time, they are much smaller and grayer than the usual housefly. 

Drain fly larvae, also known as “drain worms,” tend to live in moist places with organic matter, like storm drains, sewer treatment plants, compost piles, and certain types of home drains. These larvae can also be found in nature and play an important role in breaking down dead things. In a week, they grow up and become adults, or drain flies. 

But there are good things about having drain flies or moth flies. Because they can cause a lot of trouble at home and could be dangerous to your health. 

What Causes Drain Worms?

Drain worms live in drains and eat decaying biological matter, like hair and skin cells, that people have shed. They like places with a lot of moisture, like pipes, p-traps in plumbing equipment, and places where water stands. Most people who visit our website have this problem in their bathroom sink, shower, or sump pit.

They also like to breed in still water, which is why you usually see them when you return to a house that has been empty for a few days. 

If they show up, you must clean your drains more often. But drain worms don’t always mean that the lines are dirty. You could also have a plumbing problem, like a broken pipe, that lets water pool and sit still, which is a great place for bugs to grow.

In the worst-case scenario, a sewer line break under your home 

image of skinny black worms in house

Are Drain Worms Bad for People?

Drain worms can look scary, but they don’t bite or spread diseases through their bites like other insects do. The danger to your health comes from where they come from. They can spread germs wherever they go, and if they come out of the sink drain, they could make food unsafe to eat. Also, some people with lung asthma have said that drain flies worsen their symptoms. If you don’t do anything to stop them, drain flies can take over your home in big numbers.

How Can I Tell If I’ve Got Drainworms?

Adult drain flies are the most obvious sign that you have drain worms somewhere in your home. They only come out at night, but you might see them sitting on walls during the day. 

Drain worms can also sometimes come up from the drain. Putting a piece of sticky tape over part of the drain is one way to see if it has drain worms. 

Where Do Drain Fly Larvae Live?

Drain worms usually live in drains, showers, sinks, toilets, under shampoo bottles, in air conditioner lines, around garbage bags, or in places where rainwater pools.

They often live in septic tanks, which is generally a sign that the tank is healthy.

How Do You Know If There Are Worms In Your Pipes Or Toilet?

Worms in the drain don’t always mean that the drain is dirty. As we discussed in the last part, clogged drains will do well, even if dirty. Unless the drains haven’t been used in a long time, water and organic matter will likely be in them. 

But even so, drains with more dirt and organic matter tend to have more drain flies. Also, these insects prefer drains that are partially or fully blocked.

Also, damp places in the house because of leaking pipes can be good places for drain flies to live and breed. Drain flies can also be a sign of a crack in your home’s sewage sewer, which is another major plumbing problem. If you have a sudden problem with drain flies, cockroaches, palmetto bugs, or even rats, this is a strong sign that there is a problem with your sanitary sewer.

If you think that any of the above problems is the real reason why you have drain worms, you need to take care of these plumbing issues right away. Pipe leaks and cracks in the sanitary sewer will get worse over time and can cause a lot of building problems and health risks, respectively. 

If a problem with your pipes causes your drain worm problem, they will keep coming back. If you think your drain worm problem is connected to plumbing, it would be best to call a plumber. 

How Do I Get Rid of Drain Worms?

Check for a blockage

First, check to see if the drain is partly or completely clogged. Pour half a gallon of water down the drain and watch to see if it goes down quickly. If it drains slowly, you may have a clog on your hands. Use a pusher to see if you can get it to move. If not, it’s best to call a professional plumber to quickly and safely clean the drain.

Kill the Drain Worms

One way to get rid of drain worms from a drain that has them is to run very hot water down the drain. We tell people not to boil water because it can cause some things to break. Also, don’t use drain cleaners because they often damage the pipes. After pouring in the very hot water, pour in some white vinegar to kill any maggots that are still alive.

Remove Breeding Areas

There is a chance that the drain worms are coming from outside. So try to get rid of any dirty water that has been sitting still around the house or in dirty drains. If you have a garbage pile, you might want to move it away and cover it. 

Routine maintenance

The best way to avoid dealing with this problem again is to keep it from happening. Simple steps like putting half a cup of baking soda down each drain and then the same amount of white vinegar will keep them all clean. You could also choose a bio gel.

Let the ingredients mix for a few minutes, then run hot water through the lines to clean them. Run hot water through drains that aren’t used as often, once or twice a week, and keep up with the care of your septic system.

But if you had drain worms in the first place because of a plumbing problem (like a leaky pipe or a cracked sewer), the worms will definitely come back if the plumbing problems aren’t fixed first. So make sure to fix any water problems that might be causing the pests. You can do this by calling a plumber who knows what to do. 

image of tiny black worms in house

Can I Get Rid Of Drain Worms With Bleach?

Using bleach to clean all surfaces, including those in the kitchen and bathroom, removes any germs that drain worms may have left behind. You can also pour bleach down the drains, wait a while, and then flush. It will eat through worm flesh and kill any eggs that are there.

But unlike thick drain cleaners that stay in the drains longer after you flush or rinse, bleach goes through drains fast and might miss some. Bleach won’t get rid of buildup or clogs, and using too much bleach can hurt your pipes.

Are Drain Fly Larvae Harmful To Humans?

Drain worms aren’t dangerous to people because they don’t bite or spread disease. They are helpful because they can break down slime and other organic matter that has built up in drains. With their strong jaws, they can cut through thick layers of dirt and build up.

They can also be a sign of buildup or clogged pipes, which means you need to clean up. But if these worms are not stopped, they can cause an outbreak. Also, they can bring germs from the sewer or where they live and breed to different places in the house. 

As adults, drain flies can easily hop from one surface to another, leaving bacteria behind. So this causes several health problems and risks, such as food pollution. Drain fly eggs have been known to worsen bronchial asthma in some people.

Final Thoughts

The best way to get rid of tiny black worms in your house is to get rid of the organic buildup that they use to breed and eat. To avoid this problem altogether, always keep sinks and other areas clean, flush pipes by pouring water down them from time to time, and do regular maintenance as needed in food places.

Even though infestations are common in bathrooms and showers, removing organic buildup with a non-toxic drain cleaner can help avoid problems in the future.

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