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Identify Tiny Bugs in Bathroom And Get Rid Of Them For Good

Identify Tiny Bugs in Bathroom And Get Rid Of Them For Good

We’re here to help you identify and get rid of these annoying pests.

If you spot tiny bugs in the bathroom, you’re likely on the hunt for a solution that will last.

Not only is spotting recurring bugs in the bathroom bothersome, but some of these pests can also carry diseases or pose a health risk to humans.

There are several different kinds of bugs you may spot in the bathroom, from drain flies to cockroaches, gnats, ants, and silverfish.

Whatever pest problem you’re dealing with, there’s a solution around the corner.

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Most Common Tiny Bugs in Bathroom

The most common types of tiny bugs you’ll find in the bathroom include:

  • Roaches: The classic cockroach, which can be small or large and has a dark brown to black color, can carry disease with them
  • Silverfish: small, long, silvery, flat bugs that tend to congregate near sinks, toilets, wet spaces, or spaces with paper
  • Drain flies are Small, fuzzy-looking flies that flock to shower and sink drains
  • Gnats are Tiny black flying bugs that often travel in groups

How They Get Into the Bathroom

Image of a house bug (spider) sitting next to a toothbrush on a shelf

Rhjphotoandilustration/Shutterstock

Next, you need to consider how these bugs have gotten into your bathroom.

Are they coming in through the drain of your shower or sink?

Are they creeping in through an open window that doesn’t shut all the way?

What about cracks in the baseboards or tiles?

Being able to identify where they’re coming from will help you cut off this entryway as a possibility and prevent more bugs from coming in this same way.

You may need to clean a drain, patch a hole, and re-grout some time, but they’re all pretty quick and easy fixes.

10 Most Common Bathroom Bugs

Having bugs in your bathroom is a stressful experience.

From experiencing the usual horror to identifying the nature of the bug, it’s hardly a pleasant process.

But bathroom bug identification can make your job a lot easier—knowing why a bug is in your bathroom can give you essential clues about issues within your home.

While having one or two bugs in your bathroom is normal, you should take action if you find multiple insects of the same kind.

Different insects can suggest other problems at work in your bathroom, so you’ll want to work to resolve those issues as soon as possible.

Use this guide to the ten most common bathroom bugs to identify the insects in your home and address the underlying issues causing a potential infestation.

Ants

Featured image for a piece on ants in bathroom featuring ants crawling all over a white square toilet

dhtgip/Shutterstock

Ants are the most common type of insect to enter a home.

They are often found in moist places or where food can be found, such as in a pantry or cupboard.

Ants crawl up through pipes, cracks in foundations, and open windows, and because they are pretty small, they can find their way anywhere!

How to Spot Them

Ants are typically several millimeters long—very small—and they often travel in groups. They are generally brown, black, or banded, and their bodies are segmented into three parts.

The most common types of ants found in bathrooms are:

  • Pavement ants
  • House ants
  • Pharaoh ants
  • Carpenter ants

What They Mean

If you see an ant in your bathroom, it means that they are fetching water to drink. Ants often look for water wherever they can find it, and your bathroom may be the best place for them to find moisture in your home!

If you see many ants, consider looking around your bathroom for something spilled or sweet that emits a smell.

Lastly, you can call an exterminator.

Roaches

A Tiny Bug in Bathroom (a roach) crawls on the counter

Poravute Siriphiroon/Shutterstock

Roaches are typical in homes. They typically crawl up pipes, come up from drains, and fly through windows—yes, they can fly.

Roaches instantly gravitate to the bathroom because they prefer moist places, so you’ll have to look out for these creatures!

How to Spot Them

Roaches are typically brown or red. They have segmented bodies and are half an inch to an inch long.

They might also have wings, though they typically crawl. You might be able to smell a faint, vinegar-like smell if there are many roaches.

What They Mean

Having one or two roaches in your bathroom is average.

However, if you have many roaches, consider plugging any holes in the wall, cleaning your pipes, or calling an exterminator.

Roaches also need food to live, so clean out any food that is out or decaying.

Silverfish

For a piece titled Tiny Bugs in Bathroom, a silverfish crawls on a vanity top

Eleonimages/Shutterstock

Silverfish are among the most common types of bathroom bugs.

Although they are harmless, silverfish can bite you and cause allergic reactions. Look out for these pesky insects, and remember to take proper precautions!

How to Spot Them

Silverfish are silver or dark brown and are a third of an inch to an inch long.

They typically come up from drains, and they have long antennae on the front and back of their bodies.

What They Mean

Silverfish are attracted to damp conditions and love dandruff, shampoo, conditioner, and laminate glue. For this reason, they might live in your magazine rack or inside your drain.

Silverfish can attract one another, so if you see one, it’s best to get rid of it. Keep shampoo and other substances off your floors, and clean frequently.

Centipedes

Close-up image of a house centipede crawling in a sink by a drain

Jon Osumi/Shutterstock

Centipedes are most commonly found in homes during the wintertime.

Centipedes love cool, dark places, so they naturally gravitate to your bathroom, leaving a scary sight in the middle of the night.

How to Spot Them

Centipedes are several inches long.

Contrary to popular belief, they only have fifteen pairs of legs rather than a hundred.

Centipedes are fast and have a long antenna that can trigger an allergic reaction in those prone to allergies.

What They Mean

Centipedes typically gravitate toward bathrooms because they feed on mold and other insects. They also prefer cool, moist places where they can gather food.

You can get rid of a centipede by cleaning your bathroom regularly and ensuring there are no other insects. You can also remove them manually.

Mosquitoes

Close up of a mosquito landing on a person's hand and inserting its beak into the skin

Sauko Andrei/Shutterstock

Mosquitoes are everyone’s least favorite bugs. They bite, they itch, and they make a terrible buzzing noise.

For this reason, getting rid of mosquitoes in your home is essential.

How to Spot Them

Mosquitoes are typically relatively small and have four legs. They fly and make a faint, whining, or buzzing sound.

Although male mosquitoes do not drink human blood, female mosquitoes do, and they are likely to bite you, leaving behind a painful or itchy welt.

What They Mean

Mosquitoes are common in the summer and other warm months of the year. They will enter your bathroom to seek moisture and standing water, where they can lay their eggs.

If you see mosquitoes in the bathroom, get rid of any standing water and dry off wet spots before they sit for too long.

Earwigs

Earwigs in Bathroom

MikeHurricaneHolmes/GettyImages

Earwigs are less common in bathrooms, but you might still see one.

They are typically easy to spot and relatively easy to get rid of, but you’ll have to take certain precautions.

How to Spot Them

Earwigs are typically a quarter of an inch to an inch long and have a segmented body separated into three parts.

They are often brown with red or black markings, and they have antennae, a large set of pincers, and a pair of wings. They rarely fly, so expect to see them on the ground.

What They Mean

Earwigs aren’t dangerous, and they rarely bite. If they do bite, it will only trigger a reaction if you are prone to them. However, they emit a disgusting smell that can permeate your bathroom.

You can clean up any residue and moisture in your bathroom to get rid of earwigs. Consider calling an exterminator if you can’t get rid of them.

Springtails

Springtail crawling in bathroom

Image Source: publicsource.org

Springtails, called snow fleas, are tiny bugs that can crawl through your drains. They typically live in pipes and love dark, cool places.

Having one springtail is normal, but many may signal a problem.

How to Spot Them

Snow fleas are less than one-sixteenth of an inch in size and are gray and purple.

They have segmented bodies, antennae, and a white-tipped backside.

They love water, mold, and organic plant matter and typically come in through cracks in walls and foundations.

What They Mean

Springtails aren’t toxic, but they do carry diseases.

Because they are so small, they can be hard to spot and get rid of efficiently. If you suspect you have springtails, you can try to plug any holes in your wall or call an exterminator.

Drain Flies

Tiny bugs in bathroom sink (drain flies) for a piece on how to get rid of them

Chakapong/Shutterstock

Drain flies are common in bathrooms and kitchens, and much like fruit flies, they reproduce very quickly, producing more enormous colonies.

Drain flies aren’t harmful, but they can carry dangerous diseases and molds on their legs.

How to Spot Them

Drain flies are typically small and brown or gray.

They live in your drain and are about the size of fleas or fruit flies.

Their larvae are called black worms, and they can quickly start to appear in your bathroom or toilet bowl.

What They Mean

If you see a drain fly, you’ve likely got a problem with your pipes.

Drain flies build their nests in clogged pipes, requiring backed-up drains to reproduce. If they are in your bathroom, you’ll need to clear the soapy sludge in your lines.

Termites

Image of termites, a common house bug, eating wood

Plew Koonyosying/Shutterstock

Termites are every homeowner’s worst nightmare.

They eat wood so that they can destroy your home. For this reason, it’s essential to learn to spot termites before they can cause additional damage.

How to Spot Them

Termites are typically larger than ants, at a quarter to half an inch long.

They have brown or light brown bodies, but younger termites might be white or translucent.

They have antennae and large pincers and are swarm insects, so you’ll see many of them at once.

What They Mean

Termites gravitate to your bathroom for water and food.

They feast on wood, so you’ll need to look out for wood fixtures and furnishings. They also love hollow ceramic tiles, so you’ll want to remove them as soon as possible.

If you see termites, call an exterminator.

Bed Bugs

Picture of a bed bug crawling on a piece of wood

RealityImages/Shutterstock

Bed bugs are a dreaded curse that can ruin a home.

These tiny critters are barely visible to the naked eye, but they can cause a lot of heartache and damage. Although they typically appear in the bathroom, they can also occur in bathrooms looking for water.

How to Spot Them

Bed bugs are the size and shape of an apple seed. They are brown with black markings in the middle.

They are typically darker when they have recently consumed blood, and they have multi-segmented bodies. Their droppings are tiny and black, like poppy seeds.

What They Mean

Bedbugs are swarm insects, and one bedbug typically means many.

If you suspect you have bedbugs, you should call an exterminator or try to resolve the problem by using an insecticide and washing all your items in hot water.

How to Get Rid of Tiny Bugs in the Bathroom

If you’re looking to get rid of tiny bugs in the bathroom, you should set up a bug trap or bait as soon as possible and try to fill in any open cracks or crevices to keep new bugs from coming in.

You should also aim to keep your bathroom a bit more clean, as tiny bugs like to thrive in damp, dark places.

If you’re looking to prevent tiny bugs from taking over your bathroom in the first place, make sure you keep your drain and sink clean and keep your bathroom moisture level low, which can attract pests.

Depending on the type of bug, level of the infestation, and location where you’ve found them, there are a few different ways you can troubleshoot the issue of tiny bugs infesting your bathroom.

Use these troubleshooting tips to solve the problem and keep them from coming back again.

1. Keep Your Pipes and Sinks Clean

Faceless person showing us how to remove sink stopper by pulling out the plunger and pulling up the stopper that's full of hair and gunk

Jason Patrick Ross/Shutterstock

The first thing you should do to create an environment that is hostile to tiny bugs in the bathroom is clean out your pipes and sinks. 

Both shower and sink pipes, as well as the sink itself, are hot spots for holding onto sticky and gross things like spit, toothpaste, products, and mold.

Bugs are attracted to the smell and will often flock to the shower or tub drain or the bottom of the sink. If you’re seeing bugs around these areas, it may also mean that they are coming in through these pipes.

If possible, turn your water off, take out your sink plumbing, and give it a good clean-out. 

You may also want to clean out your shower drain by snaking it with an old wire hanger or drain unclogging tool, as bugs may be coming up and inside through here.

2. Deep Clean Once a Month

Another strategy to get bugs out and keep them out of the bathroom is to deep clean the space at least once a month.

It’s easy to get into a basic cleaning routine and neglect some of the more hidden parts of the bathroom, but these areas can be exactly where the bugs thrive.

In addition to your basic bathroom clean, you should also wipe down all surfaces from ceiling to floor, including the corners and crevices where moisture and bathroom products tend to accumulate, like the base of the sink, grout lines in the tile, and even baseboards.

You may also want to incorporate a monthly pipe cleaning if the bugs are a recurring issue. Deep cleaning will also allow you to find any bugs (or dead bugs) that might be hiding out, so you can slowly eliminate their presence.

3. Use a Bug Trap

If you’re having trouble catching the bugs that are in your bathroom currently, save your energy and time and get a high-quality bug trap that can do the work for you while you handle your other tasks. 

You may want to get a few, depending on the size of your bathroom. Place them near the areas where you think the bugs are getting in as well as near where they are congregating for the best results.

4. Empty the Trash Regularly

Bugs thrive on dirt, and many, like silverfish, also like to eat paper. Keeping your trash cleaned out is a good way to prevent them from making a home in your trash or near it in your bathroom.

Don’t put any wet items in the trash can, either, as this extra humidity is the perfect way to attract more pests and give them a comfortable place to hide.

5. Reduce Bathroom Moisture

Ants in bathroom crawling on a toothbrush and on the sink and counter depicted in a close-up image

RhjPhtotoandilustration/Shutterstock

Reducing the overall moisture in your bathroom can be an effective tool to eliminate bugs from your bathroom, as they thrive in wet, damp spaces.

You can get a dehumidifier as a good start, or add a fan to your bathroom if you don’t already have one.

6. Fill in Cracks and Crevices

If you have any open cracks, crevices, or gaps in your bathroom, these could be the sneaky locations where these tiny bugs are hiding or even how they’re getting in.

Eliminate these areas as possible entryways by filing them with grout or sealer, and you’ll never have to worry about them sneaking back in this way again.

Things to Consider

Before you get to your pest control, there are a few things you should consider to understand what kinds of bugs you’re dealing with and how they got there in the first place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about how to deal with tiny bugs in the bathroom through frequently asked questions.

How do you know if you have tiny black bugs in the bathroom?

You’ll know you have tiny black bugs in the bathroom because you’ll either see them or their dead bodies lying around your bathroom, often in areas close to the bath or shower drain as well as the sink.

What are the most common tiny black bugs in the bathroom?

The most common tiny black bugs you may find in the bathroom include roaches, like German cockroaches, who are much smaller than the typical cockroach. You may also see drain flies, which are extremely small and flock to sink and shower drains. You may also see gnats or ants.

Is there a natural way to get tiny black bugs out of the bathroom?

While bait traps and pest control sprays can be effective, simply removing the bugs, eliminating their path of entry, and making the bathroom a hostile environment for them by keeping it clean and removing humidity is the best way to get rid of tiny black bugs in the bathroom naturally.

What are the risks of tiny bugs in the bathroom?

There are some associated risks with the presence of these tiny bugs in the bathroom. Cockroaches, for example, are known to carry diseases with them, such as giardia, typhoid fever, cholera, staphylococcus, as well as other bacterias, funguses, molds, viruses, amoebas, and parasites. 

If not removed from the area and you come into contact with one of these bugs or touch an area where the roach has been, there’s a risk of contracting these diseases and illnesses.

Silverfish can also cause allergic reactions among many, so you want to keep these pesky bugs out of your bathroom entirely if possible. While the risks from these bugs aren’t high, it’s still there, and the best way to eliminate the risk is to eliminate the presence of the bugs.

Where do tiny bugs in the bathroom hide?

Another thing to consider is where these bugs are hiding out in your bathroom. Finding bugs in the trash with toilet paper and other paper products, for example, might help you to identify the bugs as silverfish since these bugs like to eat paper.

Knowing where they hide also gives you more opportunity to kill them or remove them from the bathroom as you see them since you’ll always know where to look.

When to Call a Pro

Get a Quote
Find Local Pest Control

We partnered with Networx to help you find local pest control techs. Click to below to get a FREE quote.

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We may earn a commission when you click this link, at no extra cost to you.

If you’ve tried the troubleshooting tips listed above and the bugs keep coming back, save the frustration and call a pro to come out and take a look.

You don’t have to mess with any potentially dangerous chemicals, and they’ll be better able to identify your problem and suggest some solutions that will provide longer-lasting results.

Closing Thoughts

The best way to solve the problem of tiny bugs in the bathroom is to kill them on site, clean out your drains, keep them dry, and eliminate points of re-entry for them.

By turning the bathroom into a place that bugs don’t want to be and making it impossible for them to get in, you’ll be able to enjoy a bug-free bathroom.