Insects in the bathroom: causes of appearance, control methods and elimination options (100 photos)

Our home is a place where a person spends the main part of the day, when he wants special comfort and relaxation. Various factors can influence the appearance of insects in a human home.

That is why the appearance of uninvited “guests” can bring a lot of trouble. Particularly often insects infect two places in the apartment - the kitchen and the bathroom. The appearance of such living creatures often causes negative emotions and disgust in people; often these pests can be carriers of various infections.

The main difficulty in dealing with such pests is the fact that these insects are for the most part omnivores, which is why they are only happy to live with people under the same roof, where there is a huge amount of food.

Strange white creatures in the apartment

It would seem strange to see extra living creatures in the bathroom, since this part should always be clean, but for some, a large amount of water and a comfortable temperature play a major role.

White is a characteristic color for silverfish that have just molted. Usually these insects are up to 1 cm, they have an elongated body, silver or almost transparent color. Very be moving around.

Another species is woodlice. Not dangerous to human life and health.

Let's celebrate! Basically, these two species settle in the walls of the bathtub, since all the conditions for a comfortable life are provided for them. Unlike Prussians and other pests, they are not dangerous, do not carry disease, and do not bite.

Small white insects

This description characterizes woodlice. Such an inhabitant is not uncommon and can often be found in the vicinity of the bath. They have a light body, oblong shape with small scales. Woodlice move very quickly, so they are often very difficult to catch and even see.

Long white insects

Silverfish have a long white body. The main difference from other insects is the presence of a large number of legs on both sides.

Most are silver-black, some are brown. The main food for these insects is glue. In addition to typical inhabitants, the bathroom can be subject to attacks by cockroaches, midges and ants.

Preparing ant bait

Mosquitoes in the bathroom

You shouldn’t be surprised here, because it’s not at all difficult for mosquitoes to get into an apartment, but to find a better habitat, and even more so. Walking around the apartment in the evening or at night, they immediately feel where they can eat and where they can spend the night, and therefore, during the season of successful activity of these reptiles, there may be plenty of them in the bathroom.

Mosquitoes are interested in darkness and humidity - a place in which to hide. If you turn on the light and see a mosquito and scare it away, it will immediately disappear and hide somewhere under the bathroom. Now this is his new home. The rest of the bloodsuckers will do the same, going out to hunt at night and waking them up with their hateful squeaks.

Midge in the bathroom

Small midges, which are unclear where they come from and where they disappear, appear in the bathroom if there is some unsanitary conditions. Again, the best period for midges is warm summer, when there may be pieces of fruit or vegetables left somewhere.

Many may deny that the bathroom is not a place for products at all, but believe me, according to standard social surveys, more than 85% of people wash products in the bathroom, so we believe that this issue has been settled. Next, you just have to watch how a hated swarm gathers over a small cherry or a piece of tomato.

Centipedes in the bath

Well, here we come to the most constant guests of the bathroom - centipedes. Below we will look at woodlice and silverfish, which are the first competitors for this title, but that will come later. For now, let's remember what centipedes look like. Nasty, frightening, biting, in short, just disgusting creatures that bring not only visual discomfort, but can also cause some health problems.

Depending on the type of centipede, it can be completely harmless, but it can also cause skin irritation just from the touch of its many legs, just like a caterpillar in the garden. It is very easy for centipedes to settle in the bathroom - just create the proper microclimate for them and start neglecting sanitary standards, and you will definitely meet them.

Woodlice in the bathroom

No less vile insects are inhabitants of humid environments, which easily find a home under various room objects, in seams and joints, behind furniture and in vents, where they have a great time.

Fast-moving, medium-sized insects are gray-gray pests that cause discomfort only by their appearance. A small, convex creature, it is quite difficult to remove from the bathroom, but if you try, then these guests will quickly leave your house.

Silverfish in the bathroom

Silverfish are insects with an elongated body and short legs, quickly moving through them, the insect creates enough speed to run away from you while you are looking for slippers to commit lynching. It is believed that silverfish in the bathroom can be dangerous, although no evidence has been found for this. But, nevertheless, you should not feel sorry for unpleasant insects; they must be exterminated in time.

If you look for a nest of insects in the bathroom, having noticed one or several individuals, then you will have to try hard, because the silverfish in the bathroom can live anywhere, like every insect described before.

Why do small white insects appear in the bathroom?

The most important question that arises among residents of apartments is where insects have appeared, where and how they came from.

To begin with, we should highlight the main factors that attract uninvited “guests” to the house. The maximum level of humidity is comfortable for such bugs; it is in it that insects can lead a normal life, they have a habitat, food and the opportunity to reproduce. They always have plenty of water and food nearby.

A person spends a minimum of time in the bathroom, which means that extraneous sounds will practically not frighten the little inhabitants. Since this room is the least visited, it means that it is almost always dark, this is another important factor for such insects.

All these factors make it clear that the bathroom is a great place to live.

Having figured out what attracts bugs to a human home, it is important to understand where and how their appearance can be provoked:

1. Open basements and ventilation compartments, presence of insects among neighbors. This is how bugs often immigrate. The easiest way for them to penetrate is to the first and last floors.
2. Failure to keep the room clean.
3. High humidity.
4. Relatively high air temperature.

Let's celebrate! To avoid the appearance of such pests, it is recommended to carefully maintain the cleanliness of the bathroom.

Types of insects

The most common bugs belong to the class of arthropods, but other small parasites can also appear in a room with high humidity.

Listed below are the main types of insects that live in the bathroom and how to effectively combat them.

Silverfish

A small wingless insect of the bristletail order. It is considered one of the most ancient representatives of the group. It got its name from its outer shell, which is made up of microscopic silvery scales.

Three antennae extend from the back, and two from the head.

The pest lives in dark places, cracks and crevices, with air humidity of at least 70%, and absolutely cannot tolerate light. It feeds mainly on plant products containing sugar and starch.

For this reason, it often starts:

• in damp utility rooms;
• in storage rooms;
• in the toilet and bathroom.

For reproduction, silverfish prefer warm air temperatures. These pests are difficult to remove because they fall asleep in the cold and can survive without food for up to 10 months.

Studies have shown that bristletail (another name for silverfish) does not cause much harm to humans and is not a carrier of bacteria.

The main negative is its appearance and the very fact of its appearance in the toilet and bathroom, which should sparkle with cleanliness.

woodlouse

A beetle of an order of isopod crustaceans with an oval, convex body. It has two rows of antennae, the first of which is highly developed, the second is shortened.

Seven pairs of legs are well adapted for fast movement. In total there are more than two hundred species of this parasite.

Insects hide during the day and come out at night to search for food. The main condition for reproduction is a warm and humid room. The toilet is accessed through ventilation ducts.

Plants serve as food for them, but crustaceans do not disdain human waste, especially during the period of appearance of larvae and worms.

The main damage is caused to plants, which are often grown in bathrooms to create an interior and naturally purify the air. They pose a danger to people because they carry fungi.

If woodlice are found in the toilet, this is the first sign of poor ventilation and unscrupulous cleaning.

Centipedes

This is a class that unites several species of arthropods, but in the bathroom and toilet there are spongipods cutigers, one of the most unpleasant types of insects.

The flattened body of this pest is divided into several segments, with long thin legs along it.

On the head there are small faceted eyes and antennae reaching half the size of the body. Centipedes reach up to 60 mm in length; their shells are gray or light brown, covered with purple or blue stripes.

They live mainly in rotten leaves, but as the weather gets colder they seek refuge in warm and humid places, so they move to the toilet and bathroom for the winter.

Insects are active at any time of the day, develop rapid speed when moving and have good eyesight, which helps them hunt.

Their food consists of larvae, worms and flies, hence the popular name - flycatchers. Thanks to these qualities, scutigers are considered useful, especially since they do not feed on furniture, paper, wood or waste.

The danger to humans lies in the protective reaction of centipedes. The flycatcher is capable of biting through the skin, injecting strong poison.

As a result, the epithelium turns red, itching and swelling occur. This does not cause any particular harm to health, but it does make you wary. In addition, the scary appearance causes disgust.

Also interesting: Secret ways to clean PVC panels in the bathroom

Pipe makers

Thin fibrous worms of a pale pink or whitish hue, up to 50 mm long. They feed on decaying particles, live in stagnant water, and love warmth and dampness.

They live in huge colonies; small quantities enter the toilet from communications and ventilation shafts.

Worms are well known to people who breed fish, as they are the main food for aquarium inhabitants.

Since tubifex worms exist by ingesting substances containing anaerobic bacteria, they are considered a carrier of pathogenic flora.

In addition, the worm is capable of accumulating toxic elements in its body and spreading them across the surface. They are useful as fish food and can purify water.

But in places intended for hygiene procedures, they pose a danger.

Are white insects dangerous and harmful to humans?

• Silverfish are not harmful to humans; they do not harm domestic animals.
• These insects do not bite because they are small in size and have an unsuitable mouth for this.
• Such “residents” can cause a negative reaction in people, as they appear unexpectedly and can frighten or disgust.
• Despite their safety for humans, such creatures are still not pleasant, as they can cause damage to property. Being mostly omnivores, they can spoil food, cereals, sugar, even wallpaper and books, as well as leather products.

Reasons for appearance

Insects appear in the toilet and bathroom for 3 main, most often interrelated, reasons, including:

1. Temperature . Most beetles actively reproduce only at +22°C and above. In the bathroom, such conditions are created due to the heat emanating from the pipes and water. The lack of natural ventilation aggravates the situation: air masses cannot cool for a long time after using plumbing items.
2. Humidity . Wet floor towels, drops on the walls and ceiling and condensation on pipes create favorable conditions for the appearance of small centipedes, cockroaches and small white insects in the bathroom - silverfish. Humidity from dampness occurs not only due to non-compliance with hygiene standards, but also as a result of breakdowns. If a faucet or pipe is leaking, it will be difficult to achieve dryness.
3. Lack of air circulation . This factor supports the rest, helping to create a stable environment for the development of colonies of insects, fungi and bacteria in the bathroom, bathtub and toilet. If the room is not ventilated, residual moisture and heat are not removed from it.

In addition, for the development of families, food sources are needed. Since parasites most often feed on fabric, paper, epithelial particles, etc., this does not pose a problem. The first step is to eliminate the remaining causes of pests in the bathroom, otherwise they will return again in a few months.

How to get rid of insects in the bathroom?

Physical methods

First, you should carry out a complete sanitary cleaning of the apartment, since it makes no sense to poison pests in a contaminated room and will not lead to positive consequences.

First of all, people try to fight such insects manually, in the hope that due to their small size they will be easy to eliminate:

1. One of the main tools is a vacuum cleaner. With its help, people carry out general cleaning, trying to suck in the main habitats. This method is very labor-intensive, since it is impossible to kill one insect at a time, and using a vacuum cleaner does not provide a 100% guarantee. As a result of such treatment, you can easily miss a place with pests, and then this whole idea goes in vain. Even if you managed to remove some nests with a vacuum cleaner, this does not mean that there are no others left.
2. Another method is treatment with boiling water. Cleaning is also carried out and boiling water is poured onto the nests and holes. This causes the insects to flee to another location. This method also does not guarantee anything, since pests can easily escape to another secluded place in the apartment.
3. All living beings do not like cold. This leads to the next method - to lower the temperature in the room as much as possible.

Let's celebrate! These methods are very simple, but do not guarantee that the person has removed all the insects and that they will not return after a while.

Traps and bait

• Traps include the use of traditional methods. It is recommended to place wreaths of birch branches in the corners of the bathroom overnight. Bugs remain in the rods overnight. Such a wreath must be thrown away immediately, or better yet, burned.
• For the next trap, use a glass jar. Place paper or tape on the outside. Any sweet product, such as an apple or sugar, is placed inside the jar. The silverfish easily climbs up the jar, penetrates it, but cannot get back out. The next morning they get rid of insects in such jars.
• Another bait is a roll of paper. You need to moisten it overnight and leave it on. Insects cannot live without moisture, so they will not ignore such a roll. During the night, many pests crawl into such a “house”. In the morning, it is important to throw away such a roll, or burn it without unrolling it.

Chemicals

The most effective in fighting insects are chemicals; thanks to them, it is possible to get rid of pests for a while, along with their larvae.

There are a large number of drugs on the market today aimed at controlling household pests.

Copper and iron sulfate, as well as products containing chlorine, are considered the most effective. Among the assortment you can find sprays, aerosols, powders, gels and other types.

Some of the most popular and effective aerosols include the following:

• Raptor;
• Mosquitall;
• Combat;
• Antimol;
• Dichlorvos;
• Raid;
• Clean house;
• Armol;
• Extramit.

These preparations are suitable for long-term treatment; at first it is recommended to spray them indoors once a week.

When working with such drugs, it is important to follow the instructions, since such products have a pungent odor that negatively affects the human respiratory system.

Let's celebrate! Therefore, when using chemicals, it is advisable to use protective clothing, remove animals and children from the apartment during treatment, and ventilate the room.

Traditional methods

Folk remedies have been around for a long time; they are particularly effective, low cost and simple.

Such methods have existed for more than 100 years, so there is no point in doubting their effectiveness:

1. Regular sugar, as well as brown sugar, can be considered the main assistant. It is distributed into cracks and places where white bugs may appear.
2. Yeast can be decomposed in the same way. Such living creatures do not like the smell of cloves, so it is necessary to sprinkle this particular spice indoors.
3. You can also treat all surfaces with water with the addition of citrus or lavender oil.
4. The next assistant is boric acid. This product helps fight a large number of household pests. Balls should be made from a boiled egg and boric acid powder and placed in the habitats of living creatures.

The appearance of any harmful living creatures in an apartment is due to non-compliance with hygiene rules, both on the part of the owners and neighbors. When such a problem appears, it is important to solve it immediately, without delaying it, since then the insects will multiply and it will be much more difficult to remove them.

First of all, you need to find the source of the problem, if insects are fleeing from the basement, then block all kinds of entrances and exits for them; if the problem is with the neighbors, then you may have to deal with them, you may have to poison them not only in your apartment, but also in the neighboring one.

In any case, there is no need to panic and be afraid of these insects, because fear and panic will not help in any way in the fight against pests, thereby a person will only waste time.

Ways to combat woodlice and silverfish

Before treating the apartment with one or another insect repellent, it is necessary to restore order, clean the room, ventilate it well, wash the plumbing and pipelines, sewer pipes, floors, walls and furniture. You also need to seal all the cracks and gaps. Only after this can you begin to destroy parasites in the bathroom. There are several ways to do this.

1. Physical methods. After general cleaning, all objects in the room, including the walls and floor, must be treated with a chlorine-containing agent, and after drying, apply a solution of copper sulfate. You can also use various traps and baits. For example, leave wet birch brooms, a roll of paper or jars with a lump of sugar in the corner overnight, and throw them away in the morning. Insects will definitely come for something sweet and wet.
2. Chemicals. Aerosols (Raid, Raptor, Dichlorvos) for killing insects can destroy uninvited guests in one month if they are sprayed weekly throughout the apartment and especially in the bathroom. During the procedure, you need to wear protection on your hands and face - a mask and gloves, and after treatment, wash all objects that come into contact with your hands, as well as the bathtub and sink.
3. Folk remedies. To combat silverfish and woodlice, our grandmothers treated dark places with diatomaceous earth. Zest shavings and spices, especially cloves, are very disliked by crawling creatures. You can also wash furniture and plumbing with water and essential oils of lavender or citrus fruits; their smell will drive away pests. Boric acid should be applied to the pipeline, sink, and toilet.

To get rid of annoying insects in the bathroom forever, you need to take a whole range of different measures:

• remove excess moisture with a fireplace or heater;
• arrange good ventilation;
• regularly ventilate the bathroom;
• thoroughly wipe off dust even in hard-to-reach places;
• regularly sanitize the premises with a chlorine-containing product.

If you follow these measures, pests will definitely leave your home. Remember that a quick response to the appearance of the first bugs will effectively prevent further spread and reproduction of individuals.

Prevention of insects

Silverfish are sensitive to environmental factors. To prevent them from starting up in the bathroom or toilet, you need to take care to reduce the humidity in these rooms. Do not dry wet laundry here. It is recommended to install additional heating and ventilation systems.

After each bath in the shower or bath, you need to remove condensation from the walls . You should regularly dry damp corners with a fan heater. It is recommended to treat the room with a solution containing chlorine. Bathrooms and toilets need to be ventilated frequently.