Have you ever experienced ants in your bathroom? What was your reaction when you saw ants in your bathroom for the first time? Imagine you wake up one morning to have a cold bath then all of a sudden, you meet ants all over your bathroom.
That can change the entire agenda you had before. That desire to have a cold bath will change to finding a solution to remove the ants from the bathroom.
These tiny ants are very irritating and are also a nuisance. They can enter everywhere in the bathroom and even crawl on your items. Some ants can even crawl into your bathtub, which you must deal with.
Getting bug spray to spray the ants or calling exterminators is very tempting at that moment. But wait! Let’s explore a few ways you can free your bathroom from ants so that you can have your peace back.
This article will discuss five innovative ways to kill ants in the bathroom.
Keep reading if you are here to find information on getting rid of ants in the bathroom.
Why Are Ants In My Bathroom?
You have ants in your bathroom for three reasons, access to water, access to food, and a moist atmosphere. Ants like damp areas, but sometimes it does not matter how clean you keep your bathroom. You will still see ants in your bathroom.
Another reason why you have ants in your bathroom is because they want to build their nest in your bathroom. These ants have spotted a place conducive for them to make their nest.
What Causes Ants In The Bathroom?
There are so many items that can attract ants into the bathroom. Some of these things are the smell of soaps and perfumes, moist water, food, and damp areas.
The soap’s smell is one reason ants are attracted to your bathroom. Some species of ants like anything with a lovely fragrance.
It makes no difference if the smell is caused by food, soap, or perfume. These ants can trace the sweet aroma from outside into the bathroom.
- Water is another reason that causes ants in the bathroom. Like every living organism, ants need water to survive and quench their thirst.
So when the worker ants get water, they carry some of the water back to their nest for the queen ant and the larva. They also store some of the water in their nest for future use.
Ants also need water around their nest to build a conducive environment to thrive.
Even though ants need water, they do not need it in excess but the carpenter ants like more water. That is why you often find carpenter ants in the bathroom if you have leaky pipes or damp areas.
- Dirty dishes, toothpaste, pet food, and standing water attract ants to the bathroom.
Why Do Ants Suddenly Appear In The Bathroom
Imagine you have spent the whole day cleaning your bathroom. Then, after hours of cleaning, you come back to the bathroom, and you meet a colony of ants there. Now, your question will be, how do ants suddenly appear in my bathroom?
To see ants suddenly in your bathroom should not surprise you. It is a common thing that occurs most often.
- Ants can appear in your bathroom to search for water to keep them hydrated. So if you have leaky pipes or stagnant water in your bathroom, that will attract ants to your bathroom.
- Another reason ants can appear in your bathroom is to search for food and feed their queen.
- Some items like toothpaste, soaps, and other sugary substances attract ants. When you keep such things in your bathroom, it can attract ants to your bathroom.
You might not see these things as food, but for ants, these things do a lot for them.
Why Are There Ants In The Bathroom In The Winter
During winter, most ants are not very active because of the cold. If you start seeing ants in your bathroom during winter, that could be for some reason.
The temperature is the first reason you will see ants in your bathroom during winter. That is because, during the winter, the temperature in the bathroom is warmer than the temperature outside. That makes the bathroom more conducive for ants during winter.
So the warmth the bathroom generates attracts ants during winter.
Your bathroom can also provide water for ants during winter, especially if you have dripping faucets or leaky pipes.
Another reason you have ants in your bathroom in winter is because of an existing nest. If ants have a nest in the bathroom walls before winter, you will see them in your bathroom during winter. Also, because of the cold outside, ants will find ways to survive in your bathroom instead.
Why Are There Ants In The Bathroom Sink?
It is common to see ants around the kitchen or the bathroom sink because of water. Ants are attracted to the water and food particles around the bathroom or kitchen sink.
If you keep finding ants around your bathroom sink, then there is a need to do a proper investigation. Because that could mean there is a leakage somewhere around the bathroom sink. That is what is attracting the ants to the bathroom sink.
A blocked sink may also cause waste and water to collect underneath the sink. That is also capable of attracting ants to the bathroom sink.
If you keep your sink clean infrequently, it will keep attracting ants to your bathroom sink.
Why Are There Ants In The Bathroom Drain?
If you see ants coming from your bathroom drain, it is essential to know why they are in the gutters. The constant water flow in the bathroom drain is the first primary reason you see ants in the bathroom.
Also, if you have other pests like cockroaches and termites, you can find them in the bathroom drains. The dead bodies of these pests in the bathroom drain can attract ants to the bathroom drains. The availability of the dead bodies of other insects in the gutters serves as food for ants, and that can lead ants into the bathroom drains.
If you keep finding ants in your bathroom drain, that could mean they have a nest nearby or in the gutters or the walls.
Also, keep your bathroom drain clean, or else you will always find ants there. Common ants that you will see in the gutters are the black carpenter ants.
These ant species like dump areas and drains because of food, moisture, water, and shelter.
Why Are There Ants In The Bathtub?
The bathtub provides enough moisture for ants, which is why ants are in the bathtub. If you do not like cleaning your bathtub, the dirt can attract ants.
- Another reason why you will find ants in the bathtub is the use of certain soaps and shampoos. If you do not clean the residue well in the bathtub, it can attract ants to the bathtubs.
- Also, if the bathtub is designed in a way that does not allow the free flow of water, that can make water to be stagnant in the bathtub. That can be another reason for ants in the bathtub.
- If there are gaps in the bathroom walls near the bathtub, that can also attract ants to the bathtub. They will crawl through the cracks in the walls to the bathtub.
Why Are There Ants In The Bathroom Shower?
Another area in the bathroom where you can find ants is the bathroom shower. That is because of the regular supply of water.
- Also, some shampoo and soap get trapped in the bathroom shower after bathing.
- The smell of the soap and the shampoo in the bathroom shower can attract ants into the bathroom shower.
- Also, if other insects like roaches get trapped in the bathroom shower, that can attract ants.
- Aside from that, wall cracks around the bathroom shower can also encourage ants to crawl into the shower.
How Are Ants Getting Into My Bathroom
If you are still wondering how ants are getting into your bathroom, these are the answers you seek.
- The first way ants can enter your bathroom is through tiny cracks in the bathroom walls. We often have to pay attention to those little wall gaps.
We do not see those cracks as issues because we assumed ants or insects couldn’t pass through them.
But the reality is ants are very tiny. They can squeeze through the cracks you think are too small. The small openings on the walls are like supper highways for ants.
- Next is the bathroom drains. The bathroom drain is another way ants can pass through. If there is always water in the gutter, that can attract ants to the bathroom. They will crawl in the drains to the washroom.
- Also, ants can enter your bathroom through an electrical outlet, so if there are cracks around your bathroom electrical outlet, that can serve as an entry point for ants. Ants like the heat that is generated in the electrical outlet. So in the quest for that heat, they infest your electrical outlet. They also spread pheromones to invite other ants to the bathroom.
- The windows and the doors are other common ways ants can enter your bathroom.
When the doors and the windows are not closed, ants can pass through them to get to your bathroom. If there are also spaces and gaps around the doors or the windows, ants can pass through those gaps.
So these are some of the ways ants can get to your bathroom. Let’s now examine how to keep ants out of your bathroom.
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How To Prevent Ants In Your Bathroom
It is tough to keep ants away from your bathroom because even if you have the cleanest bathroom, you will still see ants there.
But that isn’t to suggest you shouldn’t do your part. You can take a few steps to discourage to prevent ants than spend more money exterminating them.
You can make the bathroom environment unwelcoming to ants.
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- Avoid sending food close to the bathroom to keep ants away. That is because food is the number one reason why you see ants in your bathroom. So keeping food items or sweets away from your bathrooms can keep ants away.
- Clean your bathroom often to keep ants away. Clean areas like your bathtubs, bathroom sink,s and bathroom showers. Sometimes some soap and shampoos can get trapped in these areas, and the smell can attract ants. So it is vital to do regular cleaning in such places in the bathrooms.
- Fix your faulty bathroom drains to keep ants away. Some bathroom drains do not allow the free flow of water. That can encourage ants to the outlets and crawl through the pipes to the bathrooms. So if your bathroom outlet is faulty, call a plumber to fix it.
- Since ants are attracted to moisture, fix all leaky pipes in the bathroom. The constant water flow in the bathrooms can attract some species of ants, like the black carpenter ants, to the bathroom. So to keep ants away from the bathrooms, you must let a plumber fix all the leaky pipes.
- Keep your bathroom dry to prevent ants in your bathrooms. After you finish bathing, you can open the head fun in the bathroom if there is any to dry up the water. In a bathroom with no head fun, you can always open the bathroom vent to keep there dry always.
- Seal all cracks and gaps in the bathroom walls. Ants can enter your bathrooms through the tinny cracks in the bathroom walls. So to keep ants away, there is the need to seal all the gaps in the walls. That can help block any possible entry point to the bathroom.
- Ants are attracted to the sugars in toothpaste and other substances. So there is the need to keep your toothpaste close after use to keep ants away. Also, avoid sending sugary substances to the bathroom.
How Do I Remove Ants In The Bathroom 5 Quick Things To Do
If you have an ants problem in your bathroom, the following are ways that you can use to clear ants in the bathroom.
Use Boric Acid To Remove Ants In The Bathroom
Boric acid is a common insecticide that can be used to kill insects. You can use it to kill ants, termites, spiders, cockroaches,s and other pests that disturb homeowners.
Boric acid acts as a poison to ants and other insects and kills them. Boric acid is not like other chemical sprays that can kill ants or other pests on the spot.
It is a natural pesticide that can kill pests slowly. Most often, when ants ingest boric acid, it takes about 7 to 10 days to cause their death.
Use Borax To Clear Ants In The Bathroom
Borax is a natural method to kill ants in the bathroom. You can mix borax with sugar and apply it to the area where the ants are coming from.
The sugar in the borax will attract the ants, and they will carry the borax back to their nest to eat.
They will all die when they eat the borax. Borax is like boric acid; it does not kill ants instantly. It will kill ants between 24 – 48 hours after they eat it.
Use Essential Oils To Clear Ants In The Bathroom
Another natural way to kill ants in the bathroom is to use essential oils. To kill ants, you can use essential oils like clove oil, peppermint, and citrus oil.
These oils contain a substance called limonene that act as a pesticide. Limonene is toxic to ants and other pests.
So when you see ants in your bathroom, you can use any essential oil to deter and kill them in the bathroom.
Use Bug Spray To Get Rid Of Ants In The Bathroom
If you do not want the natural method, you can use the chemical method to kill ants in the bathroom.
But before using any bug spray in your bathroom, read the label well.
It should be a spray that is safe to use indoors. You can also ask for expert recommendations before using the spray.
Call Pests Exterminators To Kill The Ants In Your Bathroom
It is time to call pest exterminators to kill ants in your bathroom if you cannot kill them yourself. You can invite pest control services to come and exterminate the ants if you do not have time for the natural method.
Also, if you have a high ants infestation in the bathroom, you must call pest control agencies to kill the ants.
That will spare you from dealing with these bugs’ stress for a long time.
Final Thoughts
If ants are in your bathrooms, you must first identify what attracts ants to that area.
Some things that attract ants to your bathrooms are soaps, toothpaste, water, moisture, and shelter.
Ants do not care how clean you keep your bathroom. They can pass anywhere to your bathroom. Ants can pass through the cracks in your wall. They can also pass through bathroom drains or vents to your bathroom.
If you want to repel ants from your bathrooms, do your part as a homeowner and leave the rest. Keep your bathroom clean always.
Keep your bathroom sink, bathtub, and drains clean.
You can also keep your bathroom dry to prevent water from getting stuck there.
Seal all cracks in the bathroom walls and gaps around the electrical outlet to prevent ants from the bathroom.
Some of these things can help you keep ants away from the bathroom
However, if you start to see ants in your bathroom, you can use either boric acid, borax, essential oil, or chemical spray to kill the ants.
But before you use any bug spray, ensure it is safe to use indoors or get a recommendation from an expert.
The natural method takes time. But if you are busy, you can call pest exterminators to kill the ants in your bathroom.
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