If you notice some tiny black worms in your bathroom, they’re probably drain fly larvae and are called drain worms. They derive their name from where they live which is shower drains and sinks. These worms eventually turn into adult drain flies (also called sewer flies, filter flies, or moth flies).
Kill drain worms with an aerosol spray, remove the drain cover, scrub the drain then replace the drain cover to get rid of drain flies. If any of them remain, kill them with insecticides and fly traps. Prevent drain worms by keeping humidity low, unclogging drains and sealing crevices in the shower.
The best commercial drain cleaner to help kill drain worms is Green Gobbler Drain Clog Dissolver. It works in a few minutes and does not damage your pipes and drain like some harsh cleaners do. Always stay safe when using pesticides in the home as directed by the EPA.
How do I get rid of worms in my shower drain?
Those wiggly worms may pose little danger to you but they still need to be eliminated. Get rid of black worms in the bathroom in the following steps:
1. Kill the drain flies
First, kill the drain flies using either an aerosol spray or a fly trap to eliminate the source of the drain fly larvae worms in the shower. 2.
2. Remove the drain cover
Remove the drain cover with any debris in the drain. This includes fungi, hair, and other solid materials you may find in it. The drain worms feed on these decaying materials.
3. Scrub the drain
Scrub the sides of the drain and the drain cover with a toothbrush and hot water before flushing the drain with more hot water. If you have a clog, unclog the drain with a plunger, hot water, or a mix of white vinegar and baking soda.
4. Replace the drain cover
If it has a screw, use a screwdriver to secure it in place.
5. Kill any remaining worms and drain flies
Set up fly traps or use insecticides to kill any remaining drain flies.
If the tiny worms in the shower reappear after a few days, clean the drain with a commercial drain cleaner. Combine the drain cleaner with hot water for the best results. The drain cleaner should be formulated to clean away anything that the flies and their larvae may feed on debris such as soap scum and others.
Using bleach to kill drain worms
Bleach can also be used to kill drain worms as follows:
- Remove the cap off your bleach bottle.
- Pour bleach into the cap to fill it up.
- Pour the cap of bleach into the drain.
You don’t need to rinse it out since it’ll eventually clear up when you take a shower. A cap of bleach is enough to kill the larvae and drain worms in your shower drain. For safety purposes, don’t mix bleach with vinegar since it forms chlorine gas which is dangerous.
Are drain worms harmful?
Drain worms and their adult stage, the drain flies, don’t bite or transmit any diseases from one person or animal to the other. However, they pose the risk of contaminating foods given that they come from dirty places such as toilets, shower drains, compost pits, and other places with germs.
While the worms rarely venture far from the drain or other dirty places, the flies can be found all over the house. They are also known to worsen bronchial asthma in some people. Besides that, the little black worms wiggling around the bathroom just look gross and scary. They thus need to be eliminated.
How do I know I have drain worms?
The first sign of drain worms is the presence of drain flies in your home. Given that drain flies come from drain worms, the adults must be coming from somewhere close by. Drain flies are nocturnal flies but may still come out in the day. If you’re observant, you can see them during the day on the walls.
You can also know you have drain worms when you see black larvae worms in the bathroom or sink. These sink worms rarely venture far from their source and will be seen just around the opening of the drain in the shower or sink. You can also see small worms in the bathtub close to the drainage or other places with crevices where they can breed.
If you’re not sure about the presence of drain worms, put a sticky tape close to the drain. The worms will stick on it when they crawl on it and you can easily see them.
What causes drain worms?
Drain worms are the larvae stage of drain flies. They come about when the drain flies’ eggs hatch in a damp place with organic material that the larvae can feed on when growing. This includes the shower drain given that it rarely gets dry. The females lay up to 100 eggs which hatch at the same time.
Drain worms can be a sign of a clog in the drain, or simply a dirty drain with lots of decomposing material that the worms can feed on. Leaking pipes are another source of drain flies since they provide the needed wetness. Still, drain worms only need wet conditions to thrive. They can thus be found in drains, toilets, sinks, and under bottles in the kitchen or shower.
Drain worms rarely infest areas with moving or hot water. This means that, as long as your drains aren’t dirty and clogged or are used frequently enough, you most likely won’t have to deal with drain worms.
How to prevent drain worms
You should prevent drain worms in the following ways:
Clean the bathroom with bleach
Bleach kills the drain worms and their eggs before they hatch.
Use enzyme cleaners for the drains
Since drain worms and drain flies rely on biological dirt such as dead skin, hair, and soap, using an enzyme drain cleaner such as Green Gobbler Drain Clog Dissolver helps dissolve their food. This starves them to death and prevents their breeding. You can also use CLR, DF 5000, or InVade Bio Drain gel to kill drain worms.
Reduce the level of humidity
Drain flies and drain worms thrive in wet and moist conditions. You thus prevent them by reducing the amount of moisture in the air through venting the bathroom and using a dehumidifier. If your shower won’t stop running and it keeps the floor wet at all times, tighten or replace the showerhead.
Use insecticide where they have been found
Insecticides such as Diatomaceous Earth (DE) are the best for this purpose since they kill all types of insects from drain worms to millipedes without harming the home or its dwellers.
Seal crevices
Crevices in the bathroom caused by damaged caulk or tiles need to be fixed since they end up harboring dirt in wet conditions which the drain worms thrive in.
With these steps, you can be sure not to see drain worms and drain flies frequenting your bathroom. Learn how to clean the whole shower to avoid drain worms and dirt in general.