If you are wondering why bugs and other pests pay your bathroom a visit, it’s because of all the moisture. And when we’re talking about the toilet seat, in particular, many people fail to clean it consistently and in detail. Flushing isn’t enough, since there is the residue left behind and that is enough to attract all the wrong guests.
Bright Side wants you to know that many pests can crawl into your house through your toilet and that there are ways to prevent this from happening.
1. Snakes
Snakes just love cool, wet, and dark places and that’s why your toilet pipes can be very intriguing to them. But, what drives them there in the first place is the sewer that has food remnants that they can feed on. When they are finished with their food in the sewer, they will look for a way out and the pipes are the easiest and quickest route. However, you shouldn’t be afraid if you live in a cold environment, since snakes will only sneak up in toilets in warm countries.
It’s usually harmless snakes that crawl through the pipes, like garden or tree snakes. That’s because these snakes are slimmer than venomous ones and can fit through the pipes. Although, some anacondas have appeared in people’s toilets in South America and Australia.
2. Rats
Like snakes, rats are also in constant pursuit of food and our pipes can be very appealing to them. In houses where the toilet and garbage disposal end up in the same pipes, rats are more likely to find a way in. And because their anatomy is very bendy, they can swim through the pipes and hold their breath for minutes before they need air.
So, it’s not just important to discard your food remnants in a trash bag but to also never flush food down the toilet. If there is no food in the pipes, rats won’t have any reason to try and enter your sewage system. You should also keep the toilet cover closed at all times and maybe install a rat guard. This allows water to exit the pipes whenever you flush, but nothing can come up in the opposite direction.
3. Spiders
With spiders, things get a bit more complex, since they can’t swim in your pipes, but they can appear in your bathroom through another passage. And when they get in, they will probably sit outside the toilet seat. Only black widows will crawl inside the toilet and weave their web from side to side. But, that will happen only in an outdoor toilet that doesn’t have plumbing and that isn’t connected to a sewer system.
That’s where these venomous spiders thrive since there are many flies that they can catch for food. That’s also why you need to always check the seat thoroughly before using an outhouse toilet. Spiders, like the black widow, the brown recluse, and the hobo spider won’t have any trouble biting you.
4. Lizards
In the Southwest United States, lizards coming through the toilet pipes are a quite common occurrence. That’s because these creatures love water and they try to find food wherever they can. Crickets and other insects (like flies) can be found a lot in your toilet’s plumbing if it’s not kept decently clean. The lizards that can achieve this are usually small enough that they can fit through the pipes.
5. Possums
In 2008, a man was in his bathroom in Australia when he saw the water in the toilet gurgling. Moments later, a baby possum appeared and this is not the first time this has happened. On another occasion, a woman found a dead possum in her toilet. These unusual guests are excellent swimmers and can hold their breath for a long time — that’s why they can crawl into your toilet.
How to prevent and react to these occurrences
- Keep your toilet clean: This may sound obvious, but you really need to clean your toilet often and neatly. Disinfecting cleaners are perfect for that job and if you want something cheaper you can resort to white wine vinegar or baking soda. You can also get one of those fresheners that stick on the side of the toilet and release a nice smell every time you flush.
- Keep it dry: Most pests love humidity and that’s why they will be attracted to wet bathroom floors. So, it’s important to get rid of any standing water from the sink or the floor after you’ve taken a shower. If you notice any leaks in your plumbing, call a technician immediately and get them fixed.
- Clean your pipes naturally: In a bowl, add equal parts of sugar, water, vinegar, and 5-10 drops of dish soap. Mix all of this together and pour it down the toilet or in your bathroom sink. You can also pour some boiling water into the toilet.
- Call a pest control company: If you don’t have the time or courage to deal with pests yourself, call professionals and let them use their heavy cleaners. After that is done, you can occasionally throw water mixed with a cleaning solution down the drain to make sure no pest will climb up into the toilet.
Have you ever found an uninvited guest in your toilet — if so, what was it and how did you react?
I Am Just a Straight, Happily Married Guy Who Loves Wearing High Heels and Skirts as My Daily Wardrobe
High heels were first made for men and they started wearing them back in the 10th century, historians say. In our era, some men have gone back to wearing high heels, and heels on men have even worked their way into pop-culture. Recently, a 61-year-old engineer from Germany, Mark Bryan, started wearing high heels with skirts to his office and as his normal everyday outfits. His looks give people a push to ditch stereotypes and to never be afraid to wear whatever they want.
Here at Bright Side, we did love the looks that Mark shows off on his page, and we’d love for you to find out more about this man and his story.
Heels and skirts are more than just fashion attributes for this man.
Mark Bryan, a robotics engineer and a father-of-3, is an ordinary man at first glance. He’s normally busy with his work and family duties. But recently, he’s created a stir on the internet and created a following of about 200,000 on Instagram by sharing his exquisite looks, which are far from the ordinary “dad stuff.”
He started to radically change his wardrobe habits 4 years ago. His daily outfits now consist of red pumps, plaid miniskirts, and suede boots, which Bryan combines with midi and mini pencil skirts. While sharing his daily looks, he speaks out about how his clothing preferences are just as normal as anything else that he does.
His outfits make him feel empowered and more confident.
He prefers skirts to dresses, because, as he says, skirts allow him to combine looks and make them masculine-looking above the waist and neutrally-gendered below the waist. To him, it’s all about clothes having no gender. He said that with ordinary “male” trousers, people don’t really have many options for outfit variety, but with skirts, there are a wide range of colors and styles, and this is what makes him feel good about himself when wearing his outfits.
His wife and kids share his views and mission.
When he first spoke to his children about his outfits, he tried to explain to them that there’s nothing sexual in his way of building up his daily wardrobe and that it’s not about their dad being gay. His daughter is now one of his most devoted fans and she dreams of being able to borrow some pairs of her dad’s shoes.
His wife has always been supportive and she’s even helped him choose his outfits. As he says, his current style is inspired by Meghan Markle’s Rachel.
Mark has quickly learned how to deal with the public response.
He has experienced a lot of harsh comments and negativity about his fashion experiments. However, a lot of men at work and in public places confess that Mark is a normal guy, who’s able to carry on a really manly conversation and who acts masculine. If people start asking him about his sexuality, he always asks them if they’d be this interested in it if he wore pants. Though these questions can make him short-tempered, in the long run, he confesses that people around don’t really care that much about other people’s outfits.
Do you have favorite outfits that you would wear no matter what other people think or say?
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