Can You Flush a Mouse Down the Toilet – Cut the Risk of Blockage!
The sight of a mouse in your toilet isn’t a pretty one. Especially after you watched a gut-wrenching movie or are just feeling uneasy.
Your first impulse is to flush it…but is it safe to do so? Hmmm… NO!
You shouldn’t flush a mouse down the toilet as it can harm your system, even your septic tank. Although they are tiny, they have the potential to block the pipes, whether close to your tank or further down.
What Happens if I Flush Mice Down My Toilet?
A mouse or rat in your toilet is actually more common than you think. Since their favorite places are the sewers and fending for food through pipes, they would find their way to your bathroom sooner or later.
If you flush a mouse down the toilet, it won’t flow smoothly down the pipes. Although they are fairly small, mice and rats can cause a horrible clog, especially if they drown and die in your piping. If they survive, they are likely to come back up to haunt you.
Their skeletons will not break down, although they are pretty small, which can cause your entire toilet system to back up and flow into your bathroom. This leads to a very costly repair, and let’s not forget the possible repairs you have to do on the bathroom itself. If you suspect a mice infestation, then that’s another bill.
Don’t hold your head in despair!
If you find a mouse in the toilet, it’s best to call pest control to remove it, or you can call someone else when you’re done freaking out. I’d advise pest control, though, so they can check your house for possible infestations.
Can the Mouse Come Back up the Toilet?
Unfortunately, they can.
Mice and rats are pretty resilient and can travel in tight spaces like pipes and sewer lines to look for food and shelter. Eventually, this search ends up in your bathroom.
When they come up to the toilet tank, they can hop out if the lid is up. However, if the lid is closed, they will stay put until someone discovers them. Larger rats can actually open the lid themselves to search for food.
If you keep finding these rodents in your toilet or coming from the toilet, you should double seal your food in your kitchen and other rooms to make them less attracted to your house.
Some rodents can hold their breath for long periods of time, travelling from the mainline to your house. They can also come into your house through unsecured ceilings and cracks in the walls. If your sink drains and pipes aren’t sealed, they can also pop up there.
How to Dispose of a Dead Mouse
If you find a dead mouse in your home or your toilet, don’t touch it with your bare hands and try to stay calm and collected. I know you’re panicking, but you have to take the mouse out!
Put on some disposable gloves, and grab your disinfectant or make a solution of 10% bleach and the rest of the water.
Spray the mouse with your solution and leave it for 10 minutes. Take the dead mouse and put it in a plastic bag. If it makes you feel better, you can double bag it.
Put the bag in the outside trash. Spray the area where you found the mouse with your disinfectant or solution. Wipe the area clean with some paper towels and throw those dirty sheets in the trash too. Don’t flush those either!
If you found the dead mouse in the toilet, then wash your toilet as normal with bleach.
If mice are running around in your home or you keep finding dead ones, then it’s best to call a pest removal company. They will come and see where the rodents are coming from and eliminate them in a safe, humane way.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I keep mice out of the toilet?
A device can block mice and rats from swimming toward your toilet pipes. It’s called a non-return valve, or rat blocker if you want to be simple. This is a stainless-steel flap that is put on the sewer drain. If you’re unsure which drain this is, flush the toilet to see where the water comes out.
Can mice survive underwater?
Mice have very good flexibility, as they can swim quite a distance for three days at a time. They can also hold their breath for 3 minutes if they are underwater. This is pretty impressive!
However, they can’t survive underwater for too long.
