3 Reasons You Have Ants in Your Bathroom—and How to Get Rid of Them Fast

If you’ve discovered an assembly line of ants trekking across your bathroom counters, it can be infuriating for a number of reasons. Where are they coming from? Why are they here? And most importantly, how do you get rid of them?

Just like humans, ants need food and water to survive, both of which can be found relatively quickly and easily in bathrooms. Fortunately, there are effective methods for removing ants in your bathroom, all of which begin with identifying the root cause of their arrival.

We spoke to a cleaning expert and pest control professional to identify the primary reasons there may be ants in your bathroom and, more importantly, how to get rid of them fast.

Water and Moisture

Many of us aren’t surprised to find ants congregating in our kitchens, crowding around our cookies and chips. However, if you’re noticing ants in the bathroom, forgotten snacks aren’t likely the incentive.

“I’ve been in pest control for over a decade, and when people ask why they have ants in their bathroom, the answer is almost always moisture,” says Brad Guerrera, owner of Expert Pest Control. “Ants need water just as much as food. If you have leaky pipes, standing water, or high humidity, you’re giving them exactly what they want.”

To address this common cause of ants in your home, start at the source. Lower the moisture level in your home by repairing cracked pipes, cleaning up sitting water, and so on.

Additionally, Guerrera recommends using natural repellents like vinegar and baking soda.

“Wipe down surfaces with vinegar and water to erase their scent trails,” Guerrera says. “Sprinkle baking soda or diatomaceous earth along baseboards and entry points to dry them out.”

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Toiletries and Fragrant Products

Ants also need food to survive. We know these food sources include tasty treats like candy and breadcrumbs, but ants are also tempted by fragrances from toiletries in bathrooms, like toothpaste and hair products.

Ants are especially drawn to sugar, so the sweet smells of soaps and even perfumes in your bathroom can be particularly enticing, even from great distances.

Fortunately, the very ingredient that compels ants can also help you get rid of them. Marla Mock, the president of Molly Maid, recommends mixing one tablespoon of boric acid with a teaspoon of sugar and half a cup of water to use as bait.

“Soak cotton balls in the solution and place them where the ants are active,” she says. “The sugar attracts them, and the boric acid attacks their bodies and other ants that come into contact with it.”

Dirt and Dust

In addition to soap scum and toothpaste residue, ants also feed on hair and dead skins cells, both of which can be especially prevalent in bathrooms. So if your bathroom is generally a little untidy and dirty, ants will interpret the mess as an open dinner invitation.

If you really want to keep ants out of your bathroom, and home, for the long hall, Mock and Guerrera both agree that maintaining a clean home is essential.

Mock suggests wiping surfaces, sweeping and mopping regularly, and wiping down baseboards and walls.

Guerrera recommends a simple DIY ant killer which can double as an all-purpose cleaner.

“Mix dish soap, water, and a few drops of peppermint oil and spray directly on the ants and their trails,” he says. “This stops them in their tracks and prevents more from following.”

Additionally, Mock suggests using baking soda to erase ant scent trails followed by vinegar, cinnamon, or chili powder along entry points to deter the ants from coming back.

Keep in mind the effectiveness of these methods may vary, so our experts say some trial and error may be needed. If you’ve tried several ideas for getting rid of ants that haven’t solved the problem, it may be time to contact a pest control professional.