If you notice worms in your toilet you want to first make sure that they are not coming from you or someone in your household. If you suspect they are then please contact your physician right away.
Otherwise, there’s no need to despair or panic. Although it may be a strange sight to find worms in your toilet.
What you are seeing are more than likely drain fly larvae (aka moth flies). These pests feed on sewage and decaying matter which makes them very attracted to sewage pipes.
But why are you finding them in your toilet?
The most common reason you would see these worms in your toilet is because it’s a toilet that is not used very often. Truth is, these worms are most likely already in your sewer pipes but they don’t often make it all the way up into your toilet if it’s being flushed every day.
Different Types Of Worms That You Might Find In Your Toilet
These drainf ly larvae worms are not the only types of worms that you could find in your toilet – there are others that you should know about.
Bloodworms
Bloodworm are quite common and are generally found wherever there is water. That includes toilets, sinks, bathtubs, etc. As you may have guessed by their name, Bloodworms are bright red. They are long (usually a few inches in length) and very thin.
How to get rid of Bloodworms in your toilet.
The best way is to use the toilet frequently and to keep it clean with bleach or a commercial cleaner.
Earthworms
Now if you find earthworms in your toilet – that COULD be a sign of a problem with your sewer pipe.
If there is a crack or more than one somewhere along your sewer pipe, then earthworms could get in there and eventually make their way up to your toilet.
How to get rid of Earthworms in your toilet.
You also want to use your toilet frequently and keep it clean with bleach or a commercial product but because the source of the earthworms is more than like a crack or more in your sewer pipe then you will need a professional plumber to come in and find those cracks and repair them.
This may involve a sewer camera inspection and possibly some trenchless plumbing.
Horsehair Worms (aka Gordian Worms)
Horsehair worms are dark, some would describe them as black and they are very, very thin (hence the name “horsehair” because they are as thin as a horsehair). They can also reach a length of 12 inches or more which can make it very disturbing to find these long worms in your toilet.
Oftentimes, they are not separated, they tend to clump together into a ball so don’t expect to see a 12 inch worm in your toilet but instead a glob of long stringy worms writhing together in the water.
Like the other worms mentioned in this article they are attracted to water.
How to get rid of Horsehair worms in your toilet.
As with the other types of worms, using the toilet frequently and keeping it clean with bleach or a commercial cleaner will help to keep horsehair worms out of your toilet.
If you are having problems with worms in your toilet or sink, call Atlantis Plumbing today at 770-505-8570. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.