7 Ways to Get Rid of Ants in the Bathroom

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An ant infestation can occur anywhere in the house, but the one in the bathroom is the most frustrating since the infestation is not easy to eliminate.

Your bathroom can be a perfect breeding ground for ants. While the ants may seem harmless, they can do more damage than you know.

Some ants, like the ghost or odorous house ants, are dirty and harbor harmful bacteria.

Here you will get to know some useful tips to get rid of ants in the bathroom.

You may have to try different methods mentioned in this post to get rid of the ant infestation in your bathroom for good.

Determine the Source of Ants in the Bathroom

The first step to eliminate an ant infestation is to identify where the ants are coming from. Most often, ants make a colony inside the bathroom.

However, sometimes the nest is outside, and the ants find their way in through the window or small crevices.

Inspect the bathroom to see if the little critters have made a nest. You should watch the ants and see if they lead you to their colony. Eliminating the ant infestation will be easy once you have identified the source.

Getting Rid of Ants in the Bathroom

While there are over 12,000 species of ants, only a few infest homes. You should identify the species to get rid of the ant infestation in your bathroom.

Identifying the ant species will help in selecting the right bait. Some ants like sugary food items, while others prefer protein.

Using Baits

You should select a bait based on the species of ants that have made a colony in your bathroom.

Sugar Ant Bait

Argentine and Sugar ants prefer sugary food items. You can eliminate these sweet loving ants using bait laced with their favorite food. Here is an effective bait to get rid of these nasty pests from the bathroom.

Ingredients

  • Granulated Sugar 1 tbsp
  • Borax 1 tsp

Mix granulated sugar and borax into a paste. Dip the end of a straw into the mixture. Cut the straw into have inch pieces and place the bait along the trails of the ant.

You can also use maple syrup instead of sugar. Leave the bait around the bathroom by placing them in small containers such as bottle caps. However, do not use this bait if there are pets or small children inside the house.

Moisture Ant Bait

Moisture ants are yellowish in color and are about 4 mm in length. These ants usually make their nest in moist areas.

If you have identified moisture ants inside your bathroom, there might be a water leak in the bathroom wall or floor. The wooden floor or foundation of the house may have moisture damage.

You should get the bathroom inspected for any leaks and get it repaired as soon as possible. Try to ensure that there are no water puddles inside the bathroom. If the shower area drain is clogged, you should get it repaired immediately.

Protein-Based Bait

To prepare a protein-based bait, you should use a mixture of peanut butter and borax. Mix about a tablespoon of butter and a teaspoon of borax.

Place the solution around the entry points and corners of the bathroom. The bait is effective against ants that prefer protein-based food.

Eliminate Ant in Drains

Ants may create a nest inside the drain. You can use soda and vinegar to get rid of the ant infestation in the drains.

Start by pouring vinegar and then baking powder down the drain. Keep the doors and windows open to ensure proper ventilation.

You should remove the dead ants after the mixture has finished bubbling up. Flush out the remaining baking soda using hot water.

Hair and fungus serve as a food source for ants in the drain. To prevent an ant infestation in the drain, you should thoroughly clean the drain once or twice a month.

This will hopefully prevent the ant from making a nest in the drain.

Natural Ant Repellent

You can create a natural ant repellant using essential oils to get rid of ants in the bathroom. The ant repellent will drive off tiny ants.

Tea tree oil contains a strong scent that can kill the ant. You can also add cayenne pepper to make it more effective. Alternatively, you can send the ants scurrying out of the bathroom using peppermint oil.

You can also create a natural ant repellent spray using essential oils. Just mix ten drops of essential oils in a cup of water.

Another option is to dip cotton balls in a mixture of essential oil and place them around the possible entry points inside the bathroom.

Besides using essential oils, you can also use vinegar and lemon spray to kill ants inside the bathroom. Add 2 tbsp of liquid dish soap and five drops of lemon oil in a cup of distilled white vinegar.

Spray the mixture in the bathroom once a day to eliminate the little pests from the bathroom.

Use Baby Powder

You may have heard of the various uses of baby powder, but most don’t know that the baby powder is also useful in getting rid of an ant infestation.

Sprinkle baby powder on the trails of the ants and possible entry points. The good thing about using baby powder is that they are not harmful to pets and children.

Sprinkle Condiments

Condiments like salt, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon spice up our food, but ants have an aversion to spices. Sprinkle these powders in corners, doorways, and window sills in the bathroom. You can also make a paste using these powders.

Using cayenne or cinnamon powder is particularly effective against carpenter ants. But be careful in using the powders around pets.

Citrus Fruit Peels

Citrus fruit peels are also effective in getting rid of ant infestations inside the bathroom. You should place leftover lemon or orange peels on entryways and cracks as a deterrent.

You can also use lemon juice to clean the floor. Apart from driving off the ants, the citrus fruit solution will leave your bathroom smelling nice.

Use Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is useful in getting rid of an ant infestation. The product can dry off the insect’s bodies, but make sure that you use food-grade DE if there are children and pets inside the house.

You can find one at your local pet or garden store.

Sprinkle the DE along with the entry points and trails of the ants. For carpenter ants that make a hole inside the wood, you should sprinkle the product close to the nest.

You can either spray a dilute solution of DE or inject the white powder inside the cracks using a medicine dropper.

DE is particularly effective against ant species that do not carry food back to the nest. Ant-baits don’t work in eliminating such ants. You can use DE powder to get rid of the pests from your bathroom.

Tips to Keep Ants Away from Your Bathroom

The best to keep ants away from your bathroom is to make sure these ants never come there in the first place.

Here are some tips to make sure the ants stay in your washroom.

Keep the Bathroom Clean

Ants can invade your bathroom if they find food in the trash can or medicine cabinet.

To eliminate an ant infestation, you should keep the cabinets clean at all times.

You can also move the medicines and trash can to another room until the ants stop coming to your bathroom.

Seal Cracks in Restroom

Cracks in the walls and floors create the ideal situation for the ants. Ants come inside through the cracks in the house foundation. The little creatures can easily infiltrate the bathroom through crevices and small holes.

Most cracks are also moist, which become the perfect breeding ground for ants. To prevent an ant from making a home in your bathroom, you need to seal the cracks.

Look for cracks in the floor, walls, and other places inside the bathroom. Seal all the cracks using caulk to prevent an ant infestation.

You should also look for broken tiles inside the bathroom. Replace or repair the broken tiles to prevent the ants from infesting your bathroom.

Also, you should ensure that there is adequate caulking in the area where the toilet meets the floor.

Final Remarks

An ant infestation in the bathroom is not just a pesky nuisance, it is also a health concern since the pests may harbor harmful bacteria.

If you only see one or two ants in the bathroom, it should not be a reason to worry. But if you find a large group of ants, you need to take immediate action.

You must determine the infestation source and the type of species to select the right method for getting rid of these pesky pests inside the bathroom.

Find out why the ants want to spend time in the restroom. Look at the ant trail to determine the source of the ant infestation. You can use this newfound information to eliminate the ants from your bathroom.

Consider keeping the bathroom clean at all times. You should wipe the floor using a disinfectant at least once a week.

Following the steps mentioned in this blog post will help eliminate the ant problem in the restroom.

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