For many people, just hearing the word “gnats” is enough to send a shiver up their spine. Common types of gnats include dreaded drain flies (also called moth flies), fungus gnats, and fruit flies. Not only are these tiny insects distracting, but they can also spread disease in your home.
And there’s nothing more frustrating than discovering lots of gnats congregating in your bathroom, especially in your sinks, shower drains, and pipes. It feels as though these nuisance pests invade your personal space while putting your health at risk.
Looking for how to get rid of gnats in the bathroom? You’re in luck! Fortunately, there are several ways to eliminate gnats and keep them away from your bathroom for good. Today, we’ll list the most effective ways to get rid of gnats so you can keep your bathroom clean and pest-free again.
Why Do Gnats Like Lurking in the Bathroom?
Gnats are insanely attracted to areas with lots of moisture, making bathrooms one of their favorite spots in any home. They love bathrooms that are humid and have poor ventilation because these rooms are always damp. That makes it the perfect breeding ground for them.
Some popular gnat breeding sites in a bathroom include toilets that aren’t used often and shower drains, especially those that are in basements and buildings.
Another reason why gnats are typically found in bathrooms is because they feed on organic matter. This includes fungi, strands of hair, skin cells, and scum from soap left on bathroom surfaces and floors. And where do they all go? Down the drain, of course—a gnat’s favorite spot in a bathroom.
The first sign of a gnat infestation in the bathroom is a group of gnats crawling or flying right outside of a shower or bathtub drain. Sometimes, this can also happen in your sink. As soon as you spot something like this, you must make an effort to get rid of them right away.
Gnats are notorious for carrying pathogens and bacteria that can make you sick. Allowing them to fester in your bathroom also gives them a chance to breed more, which can only make the infestation harder to control later. So, it’s important to solve the issue right away.
7 Ways to Get Rid of Gnats in Your Bathroom
When you notice that there are always gnats in your bathroom drains, you must take immediate action. It’s important to nip the issue in the bud before the gnats spread to other areas of your home and create a severe infestation, putting your health and safety at risk.
Plus, if these gnats lay eggs that grow into larvae in your sinks and drains, they can end up clogging them, causing bigger issues for you down the line. If that’s the case, it will be hard to unclog these drains without the help of a professional plumber.
To give yourself and everyone in your home some peace of mind, act right away and create a game plan to get rid of the pesky gnats in your bathroom. Here are seven ways we recommend you eliminate them from the area once and for all:
1. Set up a gnat trap
The fastest way to kill gnats in your bathroom is by setting up a vinegar trap. Not only is it cost-efficient, but it’s also super easy to make.
Start with half a cup of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in a bowl. Add a tablespoon of sugar or honey along with 5-10 drops of dish soap and stir your concoction. Then, set the bowl near your drain where the gnats usually fly out.
The gnats will be attracted to the vinegar and the sugar or honey. As soon as they jump into the bowl, the dishwashing soap will trap them in the mixture, where they’ll drown.
Check the trap every so often to see how many gnats you’ve killed. Remember to dispose of the waste properly so that it doesn’t attract any other pests into your home.
2. Regularly clean your bathroom
Always keep your bathroom clean so that the gnats aren’t as attracted to it. Clean the surfaces and counters in your sink, as well as the toilet, mirrors, and floors. When you’re done cleaning your bathroom, air it out. Remember—gnats love dampness, so you want your floors to be dry.
Take out your trash from the bathroom every couple of days, especially if there’s organic waste in it. You don’t want your garbage to keep attracting gnats to your bathroom.
If you want to make sure that the gnats don’t travel from your bathroom to other parts of the house, keep your home clean, too. Always put dirty dishes away and keep fruits and other food in the refrigerator so as not to attract gnats.
3. Clean your drain with bleach
Bleach is an awesome cleaning agent and disinfectant. But did you know that it contains compounds that can kill bacteria and organic matter, too? Bleach contains sodium hypochlorite, which is known to kill fungi, microorganisms, and other germs.
Since sewer gnats are attracted to the organic matter in your bathroom drains, killing and cleaning the drains with bleach may help deter gnats from staying there.
You’ll want to dilute your bleach with equal parts water before pouring the mixture down your drain. If you have a long-handled pipe brush, scrub the insides of the drain to disinfect the area even more. Finally, flush the drain with hot water to wash out the bleach and gunk you just scrubbed out.
4. Fix leaky sinks
If your bathroom faucet or sink is leaky, it’s time to fix it. Gnats are attracted to stagnant, standing water. To keep them out, make sure none of your pipes are leaking. By eliminating the moisture from these areas, you remove their breeding sites, making your bathroom less attractive to them.
Fixing your leaky sink can also reduce the amount of organic matter in your bathroom. A leak allows organic debris like food particles and skin cells to drip and accumulate on the floor. Hungry gnats will love this organic matter. Keep them at bay by calling in a plumber to fix the leaks.
5. Spray your bathroom with insecticide
If you see gnats swarming near your drain, you can grab your trusty insecticide and spray it all over them to kill them instantly. You can also use insecticide as a preventive measure by spraying it over the areas you anticipate adult drain flies to show up, like in your sink and shower drain.
Just try not to apply too much insecticide in your bathroom. And after spraying it in the bathroom, open the window to make sure the area is well-ventilated.
6. Don’t water your bathroom plants too often
If you’re one of those decorative homeowners and have a few potted houseplants in your bathroom, try not to overwater them. If you water them too much, the soil stays damp for longer. This is a very attractive breeding site for gnats since it’s dirty and damp.
Only water your bathroom plants when necessary. If it’s possible, you might even consider moving your potted plants to a different area of your home altogether.
7. Enlist the help of a professional pest control service
If none of the above methods work for you, it’s time to call a professional exterminator. Pest control experts will assess the gnat situation in your bathroom and craft a detailed treatment plan for your home. They’ll even coach you with preventive measures you should take so the gnats don’t return.
Hiring pest control to fix your gnat infestation is awesome because it saves you time from doing trial-and-error on what methods will work for your bathroom. Their expert solutions are targeted and designed specifically for your unique case, so you can rest assured they’re guaranteed to work.
Conclusion
Bathroom gnats can be a huge headache, especially when they’re super stubborn and seem like they won’t leave your home any time soon. These pests love staying near areas with moisture and organic matter, and bathrooms are one of the best places for those.
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to get rid of gnats once they’ve made a home in your bathroom. You can set up gnat traps to kill them overnight, spray the entire bathroom with insecticide, and even pour bleach down the drain to ensure you kill every single gnat in the area.
That said, prevention is always better than cure. Always keep your bathroom clean by staying on top of the garbage disposal and cleaning the toilet bowl and drains often. Fix leaky sinks and avoid watering any plants you have in the bathroom as well.
If you keep all our tips in mind, you’ll be rewarded with a gnat-free bathroom soon. Good luck with your journey to get rid of the nasty gnats in your home!