Pests—like other creatures—need water to survive. In fact, many pests are attracted to moisture for this very reason. This explains why you might find so many bugs in your bathroom!
Here’s a look at the most common pests you might find when you step out of the shower—and what you can do to get rid of them.
Common Bathroom Pests
Cockroaches
Cockroaches have been nicknamed “water bugs” for a reason: they are attracted to moisture and are often found in bathrooms, drains and sewers. However, they can also be found in basements, crawl spaces, kitchens, pantries and other areas of the home.
This pest is oval-shaped, with two long antennae and six legs. Some species of cockroaches have wings, while others do not. The average cockroach is 1-1.5 inches long and can be anywhere from reddish-brown to nearly black in color (depending on the species). The Oriental cockroach, which is most often called a “waterbug,” is a shiny dark brown or black.
Cockroaches are both destructive and dangerous to your health: they eat just about any organic matter, which means they can contaminate your food. They also spread disease and can trigger allergic and asthmatic reactions in some people.
Cockroaches are nocturnal, hiding during the day. They’re also fast, making them hard to catch and identify.
Silverfish
Silverfish love warm, moist spaces. This makes the bathroom the perfect place for them (especially in the winter, when we all tend to take long, hot showers). That said, they can also be found in basements, garages and crawl spaces and near fireplaces, hot water pipes and furnaces.
Silverfish are about 1/2-3/4 of an inch in length and are grayish in color (hence the name, “silverfish”). They have a very unusual appearance: a teardrop or carrot-shaped body, six legs, two long antennae in front and three “bristles” (these look like antennae) on the end.
Silverfish feed on cellulose, and as a result they often ruin papers, clothing and wallpaper.
This pest is nocturnal, which means it may take a while to notice a problem.
Centipedes
Centipedes often come into a house through its drains and sump pumps, meaning you’re likely to find them in the bathroom.
House centipedes are flat and long—about 3-4 inches when including their antennae and legs. They are brownish-yellow in color, with approximately 15 pairs of striped legs.
Like silverfish and cockroaches, centipedes are nocturnal. They’re also very fast. Both of these facts mean that they’re hard to spot. If you do see them, it’s a good idea to do a thorough pest inspection of your home. Why? Centipedes are actually predators, feeding on silverfish, cockroaches, spiders and other pests! This means that if you see a lot of centipedes, the odds are good that you have another pest problem.
Spiders
You are likely to find spiders in the bathroom for the same reason you find centipedes: the spiders are hunting other pests.
Spiders come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors, but they all have those distinctive eight legs. Most species of spiders are harmless to humans, but you do want to watch out for black widows and brown recluse spiders, both of which are poisonous and can be found in Ohio.
Like centipedes, a large number of spiders is often an indicator of another pest problem. (After all, the spiders have to be eating something to survive!)
How to Keep Bugs Out of Your Bathroom
Your bathroom is meant to be a nice, relaxing place—not a room where you cringe at the thought of encountering another pest.
The good news is that there are a few things you can do to help keep your bathroom pest-free. Here are some useful tips:
- Fix leaky and dripping pipes and faucets.
- Reduce humidity in bathrooms, basements, kitchens and other moist areas in your home with a dehumidifier. Also, always use your bathroom fan when showering.
- Keep bathrooms—especially shower stalls—as clean and dry as possible.
- Clean your home routinely, cleaning up crumbs and spills whenever they happen.
- Reduce clutter to remove food sources and hiding places for pests.
- Keep food in containers with lids, particularly in your pantry.
- Place metal screens in drains where possible.
- Patch holes and gaps around pipes.
These tips will help ensure your bathroom is a less hospitable place for moisture-loving pests; however, if you already have an infestation, more needs to be done to get rid of them.
Call Us Today
If you’ve spotted a bug in your bathroom (or the rest of your home) and need help getting rid of it, we’d be happy to help.
ScherZinger Pest Control, a trusted pest control company in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas, including Dayton and now Columbus. We’ve been pioneers who have engineered new standards for ways of eliminating and controlling bugs and pests. Contact us by phone at 1-877-943-9466 or through our website, Facebook, or Twitter.