There’s nothing more puzzling than doing your business in the bathroom only to find ants crawling around on the floor. Yuck! It makes sense for there to be ants in the kitchen because there is actual food there – crumbs on the counter and food caught in the sink and drain that can attract them, but in the bathroom? There is no food so why should there be ants crawling around on the floor? That’s a great question and fortunately there is both an answer as well as way to eliminate them for good. Let’s explore.
Prevention
One of the most important things you need to know is that ants are drawn to standing water – something your bathroom often has. If your drains aren’t draining properly or extremely slowly, this could be drawing the ants in. Clear the drains and make sure there is no freestanding water to be found in the bathroom.
Similar to drain flies, ants can also lay eggs in dirty drains. Hair that has become caught in the drain makes for perfect nesting for ants to lay eggs. To avoid this or if you suspect that this is where the ants are coming from – clean and clear your drains. Clean them monthly to avoid the buildup of hair and other gunk to prevent ants that make their way into your home from laying eggs.
Where there is an opening in your homes, ants will find it. Use a caulking gun to seal off any cracks in the walls or around the window. With the weather growing colder, ants will be drawn in by the warmth.
Elimination
Now you know how to keep ants from coming into your bathroom, but how do you eliminate the ants that are already in your bathroom? If you have pets or small children, for safety you want to avoid using any chemicals altogether. Although they appear to be a quick fix, they are extremely harmful if consumed or ingested. To avoid this altogether, opt for a natural solution that will eliminate your ant infestation problem.
Fill a small spray bottle about halfway full with water, then add about 20 drops of tea tree oil and 20 drops of peppermint oil. Fill the rest of the bottle up with water and spray directly on ants and the trails in which you’ve seen them moving. Be sure to spray along the cracks between the wall and floor. If you have a severe infestation of ants, add some cayenne pepper to the water solution. This safe, natural solution will kill the ants once they come into contact with it. The solution also prevents ants from finding the trail they used to make their way into your bathroom as well.
Need help keeping your drains clean and clear? Gillece is here to help!
