Tiny Black Bugs in Bathroom: Here’s What You Need To Do

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Don’t you hate it when your supposedly clean and sanitized home becomes home to nasty pests, too? Such as those tiny black bugs that have colonized your bathroom? What are they, and what can you do to get rid of them?

There can be various types of tiny black bugs in your bathroom. Most of them live in the drain, so to get rid of it, you’ll have to keep the drains and pipes clean. Cleaning and sanitizing your bathroom regularly can also help get rid of these pests.

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How to Get Rid of Little Black Bugs in Bathroom: 8 Tested Techniques

Keeping your house clean and sanitized is the easiest way to deal with nasty pests. However, if they have already turned your bathroom into their home, you can get rid of them with the tested methods below.

Repair All Leaking Pipes

Almost all tiny black bugs in your bathroom have one reason for living there: the humid environment attracts them. Bathrooms are naturally wet, but the moisture from a shower or tub doesn’t explain an infestation.

If you’re dealing with a bug invasion, the culprit is most likely a leak. Since not all leaks are easy to spot (some pipes break and leak inside the wall or under the floor), you should check your plumbing system regularly and make sure it’s working properly.

You should also deal with all leaks promptly. Don’t let water accumulate under your floor or inside the walls, as the moisture can attract lots of nasty bugs.

Clean the Drain Regularly

Leaks aside, you should also learn how the bugs make their way inside your home. Generally, they get into your home through the drain pipes – although some of the tiny bugs that you can sometimes see in the bathroom actually live in the drain.

Thus, it is easy to understand that keeping the drains clean is paramount. Aside from snaking them regularly to remove grime, you should also use a gel drain cleaner at least twice a month (or at least once a week if you’re already fighting against tiny black bugs).

Some people may believe that disinfecting the drain with bleach should suffice, but the liquid cleaner goes down the drain too fast to actually have an impact on the problem.

If you don’t want to use a chemical cleaner, try a homemade remedy with baking soda and white vinegar. Pour a few tablespoons of baking soda into the drain and pour a cup of white vinegar over it. Let it sit overnight (the mixture will likely stop in the trap as long as you don’t turn on the water.

In the morning, pour a pot of hot water down the drain to clear them. The trick works on most drain bugs as it flushes out the bug eggs inside the drain.

Use White Vinegar

Not all bathroom bugs make their way into the bathroom through the drain. Some use the window to enter your home.

Something most bugs that you can find lurking in your bathroom don’t like is white vinegar. Thus, you could try to repel them by spraying vinegar on the window frame.

At the same time, you could use vinegar to combat the bugs that like vinegar, too. Simply mix some apple cider vinegar with a few drops of dishwashing liquid in a dish. Place the dish in the corner of your bathroom, or place two or more traps if you’re dealing with a large colony.

Those bugs that are attracted to vinegar will get straight into the dish, and the dishwashing liquid will prevent them from getting out of it.

Disinfect with Salty Water

There is nothing more annoying than tiny bugs turning the grout cracks and holes into a cozy home. While adult insects rarely live inside the grout, they could lay their eggs there.

An easy way to solve the problem is with salty water. You should literally mix salt with water to obtain an almost saturated solution. Spray the mixture all over the grout (or apply it with a brush if you don’t have a spray bottle).

Don’t rinse it out; the salt will kill bug larvae as they hatch from the eggs. Obviously, though, you should still solve the excessive moisture problem to stop attracting adult insects.

Create a Bug Trap

If you’re dealing with drain flies, there are many homemade traps that can help you get rid of pesky pests.

Much like fruit flies, drain flies are attracted by fruity, acidic odors. Aside from the apple cider vinegar trap we mentioned above, there are other solutions you could use.

For instance, you could mash a banana and place it in a bowl. Cover the container with cling film and poke a few holes into the wrap with a toothpick. The rotting scent of the banana will act as honey for the drain flies that will make their way to the food source through the tiny holes. Once inside the bowl, they will rarely be able to escape.

Working in a similar fashion, red wine can help you get rid of the nuisance. Leave a bit of red wine at the bottom of a bottle and smear the inside of the bottle’s neck with dishwashing liquid. Place it in the corner of your bathroom to trap the flies.

Use Diatomaceous Earth

If you’re dealing with creepy crawlers instead of flies, deter them with diatomaceous earth. This off-white powder is obtained from crushed siliceous sedimentary rock and acts as a sponge for moisture.

Not only can it absorb moisture from the environment, but it can also cause the insects to dry out by absorbing the oils and fats from their exoskeleton. Simply sprinkle the powder around the drain, under the sink, and in any other places you suspect to act as an entryway for the bugs.

As the crawlers make their way into your bathroom through the diatomaceous earth, the powder will cause them to dry, eventually killing them. In the same way, diatomaceous earth can deter the larvae as soon as they hatch from the eggs.

Use Cedar Shavings

Silverfish are some of the most common bugs infesting bathrooms, and even if they aren’t technically black, they often look black against a white or light-colored backdrop.

An easy way to get rid of these bugs is to sprinkle cedar shavings around the floor drain. You could also place cedar sachets around your bathroom if you’re not sure from where they get in.

Sanitize All Surfaces Regularly

Lastly, keep in mind that a clean bathroom is less likely to attract bugs. Clean the room thoroughly at least once a week, and wipe clean the most frequently used surfaces every day.

The best product you can use for sanitizing the surfaces is bleach. You should dilute it (about a quarter cup of bleach to a gallon of water, or as instructed on the package) and use the solution to mop the floors and wipe your fixtures.

Undiluted bleach may be used to clean the toilet bowl and other ceramic fixtures, such as the shower pan or sink.

Although pouring bleach down the drain will unlikely kill the bugs, it can wash down some dirt and grime. Thus, you should disinfect the pipes with bleach every time you deep-clean the bathroom.

How Are Black Bugs Getting In The Bathroom?

There are various ways black bugs can get into your bathroom. Some of them get in through the window, cracks in the walls, and any other crevices they can find. Others may make their way into your bathroom through crevices on the floor, whereas some bugs get in through the drain pipes.

What Are The Tiny Black Bugs In My Bathroom?

You may think that getting rid of tiny black bugs in the bathroom is easy, but the truth is that there are various types of bugs that could live in your space. Since there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution when trying to get rid of them, identifying the species might help. Here are the most common types found in your bathroom.

Drain

Drain flies

Drain flies are the most common tiny bugs found in a bathroom. As their name suggests, they live in drains, but you can also see them flying around the bathroom or resting on the floors, walls, and even windows.

Drain flies thrive in humid environments that are rich in organic material they can feed on. The drains provide both the environment and the food, but drain flies can also live outdoors in birdbaths, small ponds, and other places with stagnant water.

The easiest way to get rid of them is by pouring gel drain cleaner down the drains at least a few times a week until the invasion ceases.

Drain mites

Drain mites are often mistaken for drain flies, but they don’t actually have wings. These tiny black crawlers aren’t harmful, but they could cause allergic reactions in sensitive people. You can deal with them in the same way you would with drain flies.

Cockroaches

We all know cockroaches are big, nasty bugs, but not all cockroaches are large. Some of them are tiny and black, and they live inside the drain and sewage pipes. These resilient creatures are almost impossible to kill, so you should call in a pest control expert.

Floor

Springtails

Springtail bugs usually live outdoors, but they could make their way into your home when the cold season approaches. While they aren’t harmful, they aren’t lovely to keep in your bathroom either. Diatomaceous earth is generally the best way to get rid of them.

Silverfish

Unlike springtail bugs, silverfish aren’t exactly black. They don’t live outdoors, but prefer the wet environment in your bathroom.

Silverfish usually live inside the floor or wall crevices. While these bugs don’t carry diseases and are not harmful to human health, they could make their way from the bathroom to the pantry and the rest of your house, feeding on pretty much any organic material they can find, including the food in your pantry, but also books, clothing, upholstery, and more.

Windows

Carpenter ants

As their name suggests, these ants eat their way through wood materials, including your window sills and the frames of your windows, wooden cabinets, but also wall studs if they make their way into the walls. The damper the wood, the more they will love it; that’s why you’ll likely find these bugs in your bathroom if you have a poor venting system or a leak.

Gnats

Gnats are a species of tiny flies that don’t normally live in the bathroom but that can get into your home through an open window (even if it’s screened).

Gnats are as annoying as mosquitoes since they tend to feed on human blood. The result is tiny, red bumps that are incredibly itchy. In some people, the bites could cause severe allergic reactions.

The easiest way to get rid of them is with apple cider vinegar or a fruit trap, prepared as explained above.

Walls

Fungus beetles

The term covers a variety of beetles, most of which feed on mold and mildew. Some of them are black, others dark brown, and you can spot them on your bathroom walls, especially in moldy corners. Disinfecting your bathroom and getting rid of the mold is the quickest way to deal with these pests.

6 Other Commonly Found Bugs in Bathroom

Tiny black bugs aside, your bathroom could attract other pests as well. Let’s have a look at the bugs that could live in your bathroom.

Booklice

Much like the fungus beetles, booklice feed on mold, mildew, and other starchy substances. They are found in most homes, regardless of how clean you keep your interior. The bugs have a light brown color and are fairly tiny. Getting rid of them involves fixing the humidity and mold issue.

Spiders

Like most creatures, spiders need water to survive and are attracted by your bathroom, especially during summer. Most species of spiders in the USA aren’t harmful to humans, but some can’t stomach having them in their homes. You could either use a trap to catch the spider and set it free in nature or kill it.

House Centipedes

Yellowish-brown in color, house centipedes may look disgusting but could actually help you get rid of other bugs in your bathroom, such as drain flies, silverfish, termites, and even cockroaches. Since they feed on other pests, deal with their food source to get rid of them.

Ants

Ants may also invade your bathroom during the arid months, mainly because the environment is cooler and wetter. You can use a mix of borax and sugar or diatomaceous earth to get rid of them.

Termites

Unlike ants, termites can actually damage the structure of your home. Use direct chemicals to kill them or call in a professional.

Never Again: 3 Ways to Prevent Black Bugs

Do you want to get rid of black bugs for good? Here are three ways to prevent them from getting back into your home.

Clean the Pipes and Sinks

Most tiny black bugs get into your house through the drain. Thus, it is essential to keep your pipes clean. Snake the tubes regularly and use a gel drain cleaner to wash out the bug eggs and larvae.

Clean the Bathroom

Alongside your pipes and sink, also keep your bathroom clean and dry. Wipe the fixtures daily with sanitary wipes or a solution of bleach. Mop your floors regularly and deep-clean the bathroom at least once a week.

Use a Trap

Natural or chemical traps can help you get rid of a bug invasion but also help you prevent one by catching the adult insects making their way into your home before they can lay the eggs.

DIY: Natural Bug Repellent

1. Gather the necessary supplies

Natural bug spray acts as a repellent, and you can use it to prevent bugs from getting into any area of your home. You’ll need:

Lavender essential oil
Lemon eucalyptus oil
Citronella essential oil
White vinegar
Distilled water
Spray bottle

2. Prepare the repellent

In a spray bottle, mix about 20 drops of each oil with two ounces of distilled water and two ounces of white vinegar. Close the tap and shake vigorously.

3. Use the repellent

Spray the mixture on all possible entry points, including the window frame and screen, around the drain, and around any crevices in the walls or floor. You should reapply the product about once a week in winter and two-three times a week in summer.

To End

Identifying the tiny black bugs that annoy you can help you figure out the best way to get rid of them. However, you should prevent rather than treat. Keep your bathroom clean and dry, and check your plumbing system constantly. In this way, you won’t have to worry about a future invasion.