Rats Through the Toilet? A Real Case in Orihuela Coast and the Hidden Danger of Empty Homes

Leaving a second home closed for a few months is very common in areas like Orihuela Coast, Torrevieja or the urbanisations of the Mar Menor. What is not so common — and turns into a real nightmare — is what the owner of a detached house in the area discovered last week.

After some time away, the person in charge of looking after the property entered to check it and noticed an alarming situation: the house was full of rat droppings and urine. Worried about the lack of hygiene and the health risks, the owner contacted us immediately.

Here we explain how we solved this pest control problem in Orihuela Coast and, most importantly, what technical lesson this case left us with so that it doesn't happen to you.

The inspection: Looking for an invisible enemy

When I arrived to carry out the first technical inspection, torch in hand, I carefully checked every corner of the detached house. I was looking for cracks in the walls, poorly sealed joints, broken mosquito nets or gaps under the main doors.

Nothing. The house was perfectly sealed from the outside. Surprised by the lack of obvious entry points, I spoke with the caretaker to dig deeper into the details.

It was then that the puzzle piece fell into place. He mentioned that the siphon of one of the toilets had been dry for a long time due to lack of use. To make matters worse, the toilet lid had been left open.

There was the entry highway.

How do rats get in through the pipes?

Many people don't know this, but rats are excellent swimmers and capable of climbing through vertical sewer ducts. The only thing that stops them in a normal bathroom is the water accumulated in the toilet siphon (the well-known "hydraulic seal").

If the house sits empty for months and the water evaporates, the path is clear. Finding the toilet lid raised as well, the rodents comfortably accessed the entire house.

Once inside, the main evidence of their presence was the droppings and urine spread across several rooms. Unlike other vertebrate animals, rodents have no ability to hold themselves; they relieve themselves wherever they go and whenever the urge strikes.

In this case, the caretaker had already managed to catch one specimen with a trap before our arrival, confirming the seriousness of the situation.

The disinfection protocol: Safety against hantavirus

A rodent problem at home is not just a matter of aesthetics or bad smell. With hantavirus and other rodent-borne diseases very present in today's health awareness, we knew that the absolute priority was to guarantee the complete safety of the home.

This virus is transmitted precisely through inhalation or contact with the biological remains of mice and rats, so the protocol must be drastic. Our work in this Orihuela Coast property was divided into three critical phases:

Removal of contaminated material: We had to throw directly in the bin all clothing, towels and bed linen that had been in direct contact with the rat droppings and urine.

Deep vacuuming: We thoroughly vacuumed the entire living room, kitchen, bathrooms and main bedroom to remove any solid traces or contaminated dust.

Double professional disinfection: We carried out a first sanitising pass using concentrated bleach on the key surfaces. To ensure the elimination of any microscopic pathogen in the air and hard-to-reach areas, we completed the treatment by means of the directed spraying of a professional chemical disinfectant.

Preventing before closing the house again

Once we cut off the rats' access and left the property completely disinfected and safe, we gave the owner a key recommendation: immediately notify those responsible for her urbanisation.

It is essential that residents' communities do not neglect maintenance and carry out periodic rodent control treatment in the general sewage system of the area. If the public networks are under control, the risk of them seeking shelter in private pipes decreases drastically.

If you have a property in Orihuela Coast, Torrevieja, Cabo Roig, Playa Flamenca, La Zenia or the surrounding area, and you are going to be away for a season, remember these three basic tips:

• Lower the lids of all the toilets in the house without exception.
• Ask someone you trust to come in from time to time to flush the toilet to prevent the siphons from drying out.
• Put plugs in the kitchen sink and bathroom basins.

If it is already too late and you have detected signs of rodents, or you need an effective and reliable rodent control and pest management company working with guarantees in the area, get in touch with us.

We will take care of resolving the situation with complete discretion and professionalism so that you can enjoy your home again with absolute peace of mind.