Tiny ants inside the bathroom is never a welcomed sight, but fortunately, it's generally a problem that you can quickly resolve. However, clearing up an infestation begins with identifying why it's happening in the first place. Learn about some of the common problems that often lead to an infestation.
1. Poor Ventilation
Each time you turn on the faucet, take a shower, or flush the toilet, you add moisture to the air inside the bathroom. A bathroom ventilation system should work aggressively to remove the excess moisture from the air.
Ants love this type of moist environment, so if you don't have a ventilation system in place, this issue could be the source of your problem. Turn the exhaust fan in your bathroom on each time you take a shower or bath. If you live in a newer home, you might even have a smart feature, which will force the fan to come on automatically at certain intervals. If you don't have a fan, at least open the nearest window.
2. Leaking Pipes
Given ants' attraction to moisture, it should come as no surprise that a leaking pipe can also lead to an infestation. If you notice ants in your bathroom, take a few moments to look in the cabinets under your sink to see if there is a leak, as well as checking out your faucets and the toilet.
Keep in mind that it doesn't have to be a large leak to attract ants. Even a small puddle of stagnant water is enough to attract these insects. Clogged drains can cause a similar problem, so go ahead and clear out your drains while you're looking for a leak.
3. Damaged Seals
Sometimes ants get inside the bathroom by default. For example, a worn and damaged window seal might leave an opening just large enough for ants to get inside, and if the bathroom has moisture issues — you'll soon have a large problem on your hands.
Check around the window seals to see if you notice any damage, and quickly caulk the gaps. If you've seen ants come from the window, but you can't see exactly where they are coming from, place your hand over the seal on a windy day to see where you feel the air or go ahead and caulk the entire seal.
Once you've discovered the cause of the problem, it's important to also treat the infestation to ensure it's eliminated. A pest control professional can assist with this step. Contact a pest control company to get more information about their ant control services.
Pest control is a complex topic. To really master the subject, you need to know about many different pests, how they all react to different control measures, and how to prevent pest infestations in the first place. It's really helpful to break this topic down into smaller chunks. That's what we aim to do on this website. We offer a wide range of articles on particular pest control subjects. No one article will teach you everything you need to know, but they all include bits and pieces of knowledge which, when added together, will teach you quite a lot. Start reading to learn more about pest control and pests.