OT - now why are there ants in my bathroom?!

poet_kelly
on 3/8/12 3:05 am - OH
I've been having a serious ant problem in my kitchen and I would call an exterminater but I really can't afford it right now.  I've been managing the problem in the kitchen mostly by making sure I don't leave the ants anything to eat.  No dirty dishes get left in the sink at all, the counters get wiped down with vinegar and water every day, the floor gets swept after I feed the cats every night, etc.  I still see an ant or two sometimes but it's significantly better than it was.  I was hoping they'd leave if they had nothing to eat and it seems to be working.

Except now they are in my bathroom.  There is no food in there.  I mean, they don't eat soap, do they?  They are on the floor and on the counter.  This morning they were all over my partner's toothbrush for heaven's sake (not mine for some reason, thank goodness).  He went in there with bug spray and was spraying everything, including his toothbrush.  I'm like, "You cannot put that thing in your mouth after you spray it with bug spray.  Are you nuts?"  Of course, I would not want to put it in my mouth after it had ants on it, either.... but I digress.

Why are they in my bathroom and how can I get rid of them?

View more of my photos at ObesityHelp.com          Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR.  If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor.  Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me.  If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her.    Check out my blog.

 

happy_baker
on 3/8/12 3:09 am
RNY on 02/15/12
I used to get ants in my bathroom. They're attracted to anything sweet or sweet-smelling. Toothpaste, perfumes, lotions, etc.

Make sure you rinse your toothbrushes really well and seal them 9with your toothpaste) in a ziplock baggie. Rinse the sink and any drawers where anything might have spilled, and set out a few ant-traps where they might be getting in (behind the toilet, under the sink, window seals)

Sprinkling a little ground chalk in front of those entry points will help as well. Good luck!
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Check out my video blog!  www.youtube.com/user/HappilyShrinking/videos
Highest weight: 269.  Surgery weight: 233.  Goal weight: 144, and then we'll see.. 
_Donna_
on 3/8/12 3:14 am
When we first moved to this house our landlord warned us of the ant problem. There were disgusting ant traps all over this place. I picked them all up and threw them away! I got Raid Bug Barrier spray and sprayed one time inside and outside. I haven't seen a single ant (or any bug) in 8 months.

RNY 5-5-2011

Kim S.
on 3/8/12 3:22 am - Helena, AL
We often have that issue.  The exterminator said they are looking for water.....

The remedy at my house....every Spring we buy a large bag of ant/flea/bug killer and we use a spreader to cover a 4 foot perimeter around the entire house....if they do get in, I use those ant traps....they always fix the issue and are safe around pets.  I get them cheap at Big Lots.
             
     
Dee.spunk
on 3/8/12 3:35 am - Sacramento, CA
We bomb our house whenever we have a bug problem. You can buy them at home depot for like 6 bucks a can, which I think cover 1,000 square feet, so 3 of them work for our house. You just need to make sure all your dishes, food, toiletries are put away and if you have pets, they need to be out too. I usually leave for the day.

Height:5'1.5 RNY:11/30/11 HW:307 SW:234 CW:136 GW:140 (LOST 73 Lbs. PRE-OP)

 


 

grmadeb01
on 3/8/12 4:39 am - FL
my neighbor would bug bomb her house once a year...was alot of work but she swears she does not have bugs....we use the torro liquid type of gel, the ants eat it and take it back to next and kills the nest...but in the bathroom not sure..perhaps looking for water...perhaps vaccum out the screens between windows...thats where we have problems too....sorry cant be of anyother help...besides the borax, i read to use that, they dont like the borax..
debby
Oxford Comma Hag
on 3/8/12 7:16 am
They will come in anywhere they can. We too had an ant problem, which we finally solved with ant spray--most of it outside of the house.

I have a natural ant remedy that I will PM you once I get home that may be helpful. It's cheap, too.
lanagirl
on 3/8/12 8:24 am
The best thing I have ever used for ants is cucumber peelings. Just leave large peels all over the place for a week or so, they'll shrival up and look weird but I swear they are like magic! And a lot safer than bug spray on your toothbrush......
     
          
missjann
on 3/8/12 10:34 am
Ants change what they eat from time to time throughout the year. You may
find them attracted largely to sweet things at one time of year and then
meats and proteins at another time. I imagine your bathroom attracts them
because of the water, but then you would assume they would be attracted
there year round. That's the mystery of ants. The Raid type sprays are
really quite toxic even though they say they're safe to use indoors. They're
also not all that effective for getting rid of the ants. You may have to try
several things since what you're seeing is a miniscule part of an ant colony
that likely numbers into the many thousands.  It's pretty near impossible to
actually wipe out a colony of ants, but with Terro, cloves, cinnamon spray
and mint spray, I've managed to keep them at bay. I see a very occasional
scout ant now and again while my neighbors have them swarming their
kitchen year round.  Good luck with the little beasties!
    Jan

                        
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