Introduction
If you’ve noticed a trail of ants marching across your bathroom floor, you’re not alone. Ants are persistent pests that can be difficult to get rid of, especially in moisture-rich areas like bathrooms. The good news is that there are many effective solutions to resolve this problem. This article will provide you with natural remedies, insecticides, tips on cleanliness, and storing tips to keep your bathroom ant-free.
Natural Solutions
Vinegar Solution
Vinegar is a popular and effective solution to get rid of ants. You can mix vinegar and water in equal parts, and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to mask the pungent smell of vinegar. This mixture will disorient ants, making them lose their sense of smell and won’t return.
Be careful when spraying the mixture near painted areas or tiles. The vinegar may discolor the surfaces after prolonged exposure. But, the vinegar that seeps into the grout will help sterilize it and get rid of any bacteria lurking there.
Baking Soda Solution
Baking soda helps to disrupt the ant’s digestive system and is a benign way to get rid of them without harming surrounding animals or humans. You can combine equal parts of powdered sugar and baking soda in a cap then sprinkle it liberally around the areas of ant activity. The powdery barrier will shock and traumatize the ants as they walk across it.
Essential Oils Solution
Insect repelling and anti-microbial essential oils are toxic to ants. You can add about 10-15 drops of any one or a combination of essential oils such as peppermint, lemon, orange, tea tree or cedarwood to two cups of water and spray the mixture in areas of ant activity, taking special care to spray the floor and any wooden furniture.
Peppermint and lemon oils are believed to have stronger ant-repelling properties than others, but the other oils can also be used as a mild disinfectant and air freshener, keeping the bathroom smelling pleasant and fresh.
Insecticides
Sprays
There are many sprays available in stores to prevent ants. You should choose a spray that is suitable for indoor use. After choosing a spray, read the instructions carefully before use. It is essential to wear gloves, and safety goggles to avoid contact with your skin and in contact with your eyes.
You should avoid spraying areas that come into contact with food, such as the countertops, or any appliances that may be vulnerable to damage when sprayed their surfaces.
Baits
Baits are another option to get rid of ant colonies. Ant baits are made up of an insecticide inside a food source that attracts ants. When ants eat the bait and bring it back to their colony, it will spread the insecticide to the rest of the ants, and eventually, kill them.
However, you need to ensure bait traps are securely placed out of reach of pets and children and should be checked regularly.
Seal Gaps and Cracks
Importance of Sealing Entry Points
Ants, like other insects, can enter buildings through any gap or crack they can find. Check for any open spaces such as under doors, around baseboards, holes in tiles, pipes, and faucets as possible entry points. It is crucial to seal every potential entry point to prevent larger colonies from establishing themselves.
Identifying and Fixing Gaps and Cracks
To identify plumbing leaks, you should look for wet areas on the floor around pipes or stains on the ceiling below a bathroom on the next level of the building.
Fixing leaks is essential, as these provide water sources and moisture that many insects need to survive, including ants and silverfish. Usually, a broken tile or grout that has deteriorated is responsible for water penetrating the surface.
You can also apply sealants along the baseboards or around window and door frames to prevent ants from using these areas as entry points.
Benefits of Sealing Gaps and Cracks
Sealing gaps and cracks have several benefits. It helps you to reduce your water bill, fix damaged grout, strengthen the integrity of your home, support healthy indoor air quality, and keep away pests such as ants, roaches, and mice.
Cleanliness
The Link between Cleanliness and Ant Problems
Ant problems are often related to the level of cleanliness of a bathroom. Regular cleaning and maintenance will help to reduce their activity in your space.
A filthy bathroom, especially with leftover food thrown away, is an ant paradise. The food debris provides the protein and sugars that the ants need to maintain their colony. Besides, unlocked trash cans in the bathroom attract flies and other insects that ants prey on.
Suggestions for Maintaining Your Bathroom Clean
Cleaning surfaces, walls, and floors should be done using a household cleaner, bleach, or warm soapy water. You can also use a steam cleaner to sanitize your surfaces without the need for chemicals.
It is also essential to empty the trash can regularly, to prevent ants and other pests from being attracted to the waste. In case of leakage, you should also clean it immediately and dry the area thoroughly. A dry bathroom surface can make it challenging for ants to find food and water to nourish themselves.
Importance of Fixing Leaks and Drips
You should regularly check your bathroom drains for leaks, drips, and condensation. These can provide sources of water and moisture that ants and other pests need to survive and thrive. Repair any leaks or cracks immediately to avoid a potential ant infestation.
Call a Professional
When to Hire Professionals
If you’ve tried natural solutions and insecticides, but the ant colony in your bathroom is still active, it’s time to call a professional exterminator. They have specialized knowledge in determining an ant family’s main source, and can use both natural and inorganic methods of extermination to kill the colony completely.
A professional can not only treat the ant problem in your bathroom, but they can help remove ants living in your walls and outdoor areas that may be affecting your bathroom colonies.
How to Find a Reputable Exterminator
It is possible to find a reputable company that can help you control the ant population in your bathroom. Look for reviews, referrals, and ratings online as well as certified qualifications such as Copesan or NPMA when choosing an exterminator.
Benefits of Using a Professional Pest Control Service
Professional exterminators have a deeper understanding when it comes to identifying the species of pests in your home. They use scientific methods such as DNA testing, testing in the laboratory to discover how to prevent ant infestations. It is an excellent investment to engage a licensed professional to ensure that the ant problem is eradicated professionally.
Get Rid of Ant Trails
Explanation of Ant Phermone Trails
Ants use chemical pheromone trails to signal their colony where they found food or water. So even if you clean up the food mess, the ants will still follow the scent trail ants. To prevent further reoccurrence, you need to break that ant trail.
How to Break the Trail
Baking soda and vinegar wipe along the smeared ant trails will remove the trail by masking the scent of the ants with their chemical reactions. Additionally, you can dunk cotton balls into grapefruit juice or essential oils like lemon, peppermint, or lime and put them in the ants’ paths.
Other Effective Ways to Confuse Ants
You can use some surprising scents to discourage the ants in the bathroom. These include herbs like cinnamon, mint, and bay leaves you can grow or use essential oils. Ensure you put them on the shelves, on the counters, or any small baskets if you keep them on the floor.
Ant-Proof Storage
Importance of Storing Items in Ant-Proof Containers
Some ants are attracted to foods, specifically sweet or salty items in our bathrooms such as toothpaste, soap, or lotions. Therefore, you need to store all your toiletries and food items in ant-proof storage containers to avoid potential ant infestations.
Suggestions for Storing Items in the Bathroom
You can store small items such as cotton balls or swabs in an airtight plastic container. Bath salts, bath oils, and other oily substances should be placed inside amber glass jars or plastic jars with airtight lids. Toiletry bags should also be kept on hangars or in containers that are elevated off the ground.
Benefits of Using Ant-Proof Storage
Ant-proof storage containers will protect your items from the elements such as moisture, dust, and dirt. An ant-proof container will also prevent lizards, silverfish, and roaches from accessing your items. Therefore, you can keep your bathroom neat, organized, and ant-free.
Conclusion
Ants in the bathroom can be a frustrating problem that requires immediate attention, but it can be solved. By using natural and effective solutions such as vinegar and essential oils, and sealing entries, you can get rid of an ant colony in your bathroom safely and in a friendly manner. Furthermore, ensuring a clean bathroom and using ant-proof containers can also help prevent future infestations. If natural remedies and avoidance tips do not work, it is important to contact a professional pest control service to help you tackle the problem before it gets out of hand.
