Household Pests That Could Be Living In Your Bathroom
No matter how intensely you clean your bathroom to ensure it’s sparkling and as germ-free as possible, you may still end up dealing with pests. Certain household pests common to New York homes thrive in the warm, moist environment that your home’s bathroom provides.
So, whether you’ve noticed some pest activity in your home’s bathroom or want to know which pests to watch for while you’re scrubbing up, here’s the scoop on three of the most common bathroom pests in New York homes and how to knock them out.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are a nightmare. They can cause major damage to your home, they’re not picky eaters and they’re hard to get rid of. However, the question on many New York homeowners’ minds is “why do cockroaches like bathrooms?”
Cockroaches are naturally attracted to water.
Just like humans and the critters we’re more welcoming of in our homes like cats and dogs, cockroaches need water to survive!
A cockroach’s sense of smell is powerful.
Cockroaches have been known to detect odors from over 100 feet away. They’re attracted to the smell of food, garbage, moisture (especially in bathrooms), or even just dirty things like soap scum on tiles or moldy shower curtains.
Cockroaches prefer humid environments.
The higher the humidity, the more moisture there is in the air and thus more places for cockroaches to hide.
Cockroaches can crawl through small spaces, like between pipes or cracks in cabinets.
Cockroaches are small, and they can fit through really small spaces. They can crawl through cracks in the wall, gaps between pipes, and even holes under the floorboards.
If a cockroach has access to your bathroom it could mean that there are gaps in your home that need to be sealed up with putty or caulk.
Ants
Ants are insects, and like all other insects, they need water to survive. Bathrooms often offer them plenty of essential H2O.
Ants Are Opportunistic
Ants are attracted to food and water. They can get both in the bathroom, so it’s a prime location for an ant infestation. Ants are also good at keeping themselves hidden from humans, so if you don’t notice them right away and take care of the problem before it gets out of hand, an ant infestation could happen quickly.
Ants Are Attracted to Many Food and Water Sources in a Bathroom
Ant infestations occur when ants find moisture and food sources they like in your bathroom, such as soap scum or toothpaste residue around sinks or tubs, wet towels on floors, toothbrushes stored in glass jars near sinks, wrappers from lotion bottles left open on countertops, and piles of dirty clothes.
Ants Can Slip Through Small Cracks and Wall Voids
Due to their small size, it is easy for ants to take up shelter in wall voids. Using the bathroom fan to reduce moisture can help you avoid an ant infestation in your bathroom.
Silverfish
Silverfish are small, silver-colored insects that prefer to live in damp places. Like cockroaches and ants, you’ll generally find silverfish in your bathroom because they’re in search of convenient moisture and food sources.
Silverfish Will Burrow Into Toilet Paper Rolls
Silverfish are attracted to paper because of its starch content. They will eat the paper and then lay eggs in it, which will hatch into more silverfish. The silverfish then continue eating the bathroom items such as toilet paper rolls or paper towels, as well as other things like books or papers that have been left out overnight.
Like Cockroaches, Silverfish Can Be Found in Drains.
Silverfish can use the pipes as a bridge and get around your home. If you have silverfish in your house, they will be able to travel through drains into other rooms of your home. They are nocturnal creatures, so if you notice them during the daytime, it’s likely because they have been disturbed by something or someone (or maybe just because they’re hungry).
They prefer moist environments because it helps them survive in their natural habitat outdoors. A lot of times when we see insects like this coming out of our drains at night time it’s because there is no moisture left behind from running water during that period–so make sure not to let things sit too long before draining them!
Knock Out Bathroom Pests Fast
Are you dealing with a pest problem in your bathroom? If so, turn to the professionals here at Knockout Pest Control for help. Whether you’re in need of cockroach control, ant control, or help to prevent silverfish, our team will knock out your New York home’s pests and keep them down for the count!
Call 1-800-244-PEST to schedule an appointment.