We spend a lot of time in the bathroom of our homes getting ourselves ready to start the day or even getting ready to go to sleep at night. However, sometimes we aren’t the only ones who are in the bathroom. Ants like the bathroom as well. How to get rid of ants in the bathroom? Figure out the entry points and why the ants are attracted to the bathroom. If there are cracks in the walls or fermenting hair in the sink or the trash can, you need to take care of it. Taking out the cause will help with the problem.
Let’s take a look at how to do this.
Common Household Nuisance
Ants are a common household nuisance as they search for food and water and like to come into the home through cracks and drains. They often move into the bathroom and kitchen so it is important to keep these areas clean.
Types of Ants
There are thousands of species of ants that are looking for food sources in the bathroom. Some of the most common in the home are:
Pharaoh ants – this type of ant has many queens and is able to move from place to place
Carpenter ants – they are found in the walls, dividers, and tiles and the moisture hides their nests.
Argentine ants – these ants are big and make nests in damp areas, especially near the toilet. They also really like sugary food.
Ghost ants– they do just like the name given to them – appear and disappear suddenly. They are white and like the bathroom because of the source of food available for them.
Moisture ants – these ants are yellow and like the high humidity areas. They often appear when there are plumbing leaks so make sure you get this checked out.
Ant Infestation
If you notice an ant infestation, it is important to take care of this quickly.
To do this,
- Find out where the ants are entering your bathroom and take care of this access point.
- Look for the trail – it is known that ants follow a pattern. By looking for this pattern, you can find out how they accessed the bathroom.
- Identify the attraction – as mentioned earlier, finding out what is attracting the ants is important.
- Eliminating the attraction – once you find the attraction, you need to eliminate it. If it is stagnant water, finding out why the water is sitting there is important. There may be a plumbing leak or other issue and you may need to call a professional.
Eliminating the Ants
Once you find out how they got in and what the attraction is, next you can eliminate them.
1. Clean Bathroom
A clean bathroom is always a great first step. In a dirty bathroom, ants can find food sources and be happy terrorizing you by making their nests. If it is a child’s bathroom, teach him/her how to keep it clean so ants and other bugs are not attracted to this room. Wiping down the counters is important and mopping tile floors behind the toilets are great areas to maintain and keep them clean.
2. Seal cracks
Ants like to get in through cracks in the walls. Taking time to seal cracks with caulk is a great idea and make sure any entryways are sealed as well.
3. Replace Tile That is Broken or Cracking
Broken or cracking tile can invite ants to create a nest in your home. The areas will be moist so the ants will like it. This means that you will need to replace it right away before a nest begins.
4. De-Humidify the Bathroom
The bathroom is very humid so it is essential to open a window after a shower or dry puddles that may form. Also, a good ventilation system will help with this.
5. Fix Plumbing and Get Rid of Stagnant Water
Believe it or not, stagnant water can be a breeding ground for ants. It is essential to wipe up puddles after a shower or bath and also to wash the bathroom mat often so ants don’t create a nest. Plumbing is also important to fix as mentioned earlier because the leaky faucets can create a breeding ground for ants.
6. Ensure Proper Drainage
Make sure that the shower drains correctly and it is clean from the hair. The hair that collects can become a place that the ants want to nest so to avoid this, make sure you clean the drain often.
Home Remedies
Before you call on a professional to help, there are some home remedies that you can try.
Vinegar and Water
The first thing to do when you see ants in the home is put together a solution of water and vinegar. You can wipe down the countertops, walls, and cupboards and this will keep them away. This can also go into a handy spray bottle and you can spray all the areas you think are entry points. However, if you have countertops that are marble, natural stone, quartz, or granite, you cannot use this solution and will need to look for something else.
- Borax – more than a product for your child’s slime, it is also can be combined with a few foods to help rid the home of the ants.
- Peanut butter – This can combine with peanut butter in a 1:3 ratio. Then, put it on the ant’s trails.
- Sugar – Mix borax and solid sugar in a 1: 3 ratio. You should apply it to the trails to determine ants at all stages of their lifecycle. This mixture is harmful to kids and pets, so be careful if you choose this option.
- Honey – A cup of honey mixed in a 1/4 cup of borax can be applied along the ant’s trails. This will kill insects in all development stages.
- Syrup or jelly – a mixing of equal parts of syrup or jelly with borax on a plate. Then, the plate is put near the passages.
- Sugar – Mix borax and solid sugar in a 1: 3 ratio. You should apply it to the trails to determine ants at all stages of their lifecycle. Keep in mind that this mixture is harmful to kids and pets, so be careful if you choose this option.
Essential Oils
Ants don’t like the strong scent of essential oils, as they are quite sensitive. The best combination of oils to keep ants away is peppermint and tea tree oil. In addition, they hate citrus as well as cinnamon and eucalyptus.
How do you use the oils? Either you can put the oil on a cotton ball and rub it on the ant’s path or spray it directly on the ant’s path. Make sure to repeat this after a few days. If you are finding there is a big infestation, you can :
- Mix peppermint oil, tea tree oil, water, and cayenne pepper powder.
2. Soak the cotton ball into this solution and place it on the ant’s paths.
Insecticides
A pest control company can spray an ant killer insecticide that will hopefully take care of the issue if the above suggestions do not.
Cost to Get Rid of Ants
Believe it or not, the cost of getting rid of ants in your bathroom can be rather pricey. Your best bet is to try some home remedies at first. The national average to exterminate ants from a bathroom ranges from $100 to $600. This all depends upon the extent of the ant infestation and if you have current pest control coverage.
Other Recommended Maintenance
While you are dealing with ants in your bathroom and searching for a solution, this might be a great time to ask yourself why pest control? Getting the answer to this question could save you a lot of time, money, and stress down the road.
Check to make sure you don’t have standing water in the yard. This is a place where you will find mosquitoes living and you will need to take care of them as well.
When adding mulch to the outside of your home, think about if it attracts termites? It will depend on the type of wood used so keep that in mind.
Lastly, when walking through your garage and home, you may notice silverfish. What are silverfish attracted to? Books, wallpaper, mulch, and yard waste to name a few.
When to Call a Professional
Calling on a professional the moment that you see a possible pest infestation is key. Waiting too long to treat any infestation, let alone an ant infestation, could become an expensive project. Get yourself a guide for some home remedies as you await your local pest and home inspection, team. They know the best way to handle an infestation, can offer the most cost-effective recommendations, and keep your home from being bug bombed.
Conclusion
Call out a professional team as soon as you have identified an infestation. First, reach out to your local home inspection company to conduct a home inspection as well as have them offer up their pests control services and recommendations. Doing this at the same time can save you a lot of money down the road. Atkinson Home Inspection is your best bet for pest inspections in Clermont, The Villages, and Orlando.
