Bathrooms are some of the favorite hiding spots of cockroaches. They are dark and quiet and full of resources. So, it’s not surprising that you often see cockroaches in your bathroom at night. But what can you do to get rid of them and prevent them from coming back?
Why you have cockroaches in your bathroom at night
First, it’s important to understand why cockroaches like your bathroom so much. This way, you will be able to take away the cockroach attractors in your bathroom.
- They see food and water sources. Bathrooms may not look like good food and water sources for humans, but they are for cockroaches. Cockroaches are not very picky on what they eat. Anything organic will do, and there is plenty of that in bathrooms – from soap debris to strands of hair. As small creatures, small spills and puddles of water are also enough to sustain their hydration needs.
- They enjoy the darkness and quietness. Cockroaches prefer to be left alone. This is why they like places that are dark and quiet, and that’s exactly what your bathroom is at night. You won’t have the lights on throughout the night and you won’t be there frequently to make noise.
- They enter through a passageway. Sure, your bathroom is attractive to cockroaches at night because it is dark, quiet, and full of resources. But how do these pests get there in the first place? There are a lot of passageways. They can enter through the cracks on your bathroom wall, go up drains and sinks, or squeeze through the gaps on your bathroom door.
What to do if you have cockroaches in your bathroom at Night
Cockroaches are disgusting. They live in the most unsanitary places and visit your home to spread disease-causing bacteria. Thankfully, you don’t have to suffer from the dangers of these pests. Here are some things you can do to prevent cockroaches in your bathroom at night.
1. Keep your bathroom free of debris, spills, and stains
Debris, spills, and stains are food and water sources for cockroaches. Here are some of them:
- Food wrappers and bottles in garbage cans
- Shampoo spills
- Skin products like creams
- Soap debris
- Strands of hair
- Toilet paper, clean or otherwise
- Toothpaste drops
- Used hygiene items like ear swabs and feminine products
Keep your bathroom clean and free of these to avoid attracting such pests. If you can’t throw these away, the least you can do is to put them in a container where they can’t easily be accessed.
2. Keep your bathroom dry
Remember that cockroaches are small creatures. They won’t need a lot of water to survive. Even the smallest spills and puddles of water are enough for them. This is why it’s important to keep your bathroom dry, no matter how hard that seems to be. Here are some things you can do:
- Consider installing a bathroom fan
- Fix leaks
- Hang bathroom mats when they are damp
- Use a humidifier
- Use a divider or shower curtain to avoid splashes from shower areas
- Wipe excess moisture in drains, sinks, shower areas, walls, and the floor
- Wipe shelves and the products inside them
Keeping your bathroom dry is easier said than done. But it’s easier to dry your bathroom at night before you go to bed to avoid attracting cockroaches.
3. Cover drains and sinks
Drains and sinks are connected to sewer systems, and we all know how sewer systems can be home to a variety of pests, such as cockroaches. These pests may go up your drains and sinks to enjoy the darkness, quietness, and fullness of your bathroom at night.
Cover these passageways with drain covers, stoppers, or screens. Sure, cockroaches are very flexible, and they can squeeze through the smallest of gaps. But if your bathroom is clear of resources and inaccessible, you are reducing the chances of having these unwanted visitors.
4. Pour boiling water down drains and sinks
Another way to keep cockroaches away from your bathroom drains and sinks is by pouring boiling water. You may see articles online advising you to use other products like bleach, insecticide, or vinegar. But these are not ideal products you pour down drains and sinks.
Bleach can damage your piping system. Insecticides are mostly used as sprays. They are also toxic, causing more harm than good in sewage systems, water sources, and the ground. Vinegar may work, but it’s not very effective. It’s best to stick to boiling water. It’s enough to kill cockroaches on contact.
5. Clear garbage cans regularly
Most people have garbage cans in their bathrooms. This is understandable. Where are you going to put the used hygiene products, right? But unfortunately, garbage cans are a haven for cockroaches. They are full of food and water sources.
If you can’t completely remove garbage cans from your bathroom, at least clear them regularly to avoid garbage build-up. You don’t want garbage to be overflowing from them. You want them to keep their lids down.
6. Seal all cracks, gaps, and holes
Sure, garbage cans are cockroach attractors. But take note that dirt is not the reason why these pests like garbage cans so much. It’s the food and water. This is the reason why clean homes can still have cockroaches. As long as your home is accessible and full of resources, you will be vulnerable to pest infestations.
Make your bathroom inaccessible by sealing all cracks, gaps, and holes you can find, not just in your walls, but also in your doors, windows, tiles, or anywhere else.
7. Fix piping issues
Your bathroom has a lot of connections to sewer systems. The drains in bathtubs, shower areas, and sinks, and toilets are the most common ones. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that these connections serve as passageways to cockroaches.
If these connections have issues, such as when they have cracks and holes where cockroaches can come and go as they please through the pipes, you will be more vulnerable to cockroach visits at night. Fix these issues as soon as you can. Call a professional plumber if necessary.
Get rid of the cockroaches in your bathroom at night
You see cockroaches in your bathroom at night because it is the perfect place for them. It is dark, quiet, and full of resources. But you can make your bathroom cockroach-free by taking these resources away and making your bathroom inaccessible.