Why Are There Gnats In My Bathroom? {How To Remove & Prevent}

Do you have gnats in your bathroom and you are wondering why?

The good news is you don’t have to spend to much time or money to get rid of them.  

Sounds good, right?

Recommended : Try hafer sticky traps (Available on Amazon) in your bathroom as these have worked very well for me in the past.

Why There Are Gnats in My Bathroom?

In your bathroom, they get the perfect environment for breeding and to increase their population.

Gnats require moisture & damp areas to breed.

They get attracted to the moisture and dampness, and they find them in places like a bathroom.

Fungus Gnats in Bathtub

Now What?

  • Find dampness: Check the different places in your bathroom for damp areas like around the bathtubs, buckets, or underneath them. These places can be the optimum place for their breeding, and you can find gnats in the bathtub.
  • Shower Curtains: You may find them on the shower curtains if they stay wet for a few days. Some people have seen gnats in the shower.
  • Drain Pipes: Look around drain pipes, you can find the moisture and gnats.

How to Get Rid of Gnats in Bathroom

There are many methods that you can use to get rid of gnats in your bathroom. I have listed the most effective methods bellow.

1. Use Moisture Absorber to Get Rid of Gnats

Moisture & dampness attracts gnats in the bathroom.

Bathrooms are for bathing, so, it’s common sense, you’ll find moisture.

Get Rid of Gnats from Bathroom

But, think for a second!

If you decrease the moisture, overall you’ll be able to decrease the gnat activity.

So, I suggest, you use a moisture absorber in your bathroom.

They decrease the moisture & humidity of the room, and also make the air fresh & remove the smell.

The good thing is, they’re not costly, and you can use them for up to 2 years.

If you want to give it a try, then you can check the details of Vacplus Moisture Absorber Packets for the Bathroom.

2. Bleach + Hot Water (To Kill Gnat Eggs)

In the bathroom, the best place where you can find gnats is the drainage system. Therefore, using gnat bug spray is not a very effective way to deal with them.

Bleach is able to kill them as well as their eggs.

killing gnats in bathroom with bleach

But, it’s not necessary that bleach will eliminate all of them along with their eggs because maybe they’re breeding deep inside the drainage system.

Pour the bleach into the drains, and allow it to settle. After 30 minutes, pour boiling water into the drains to wash the bleach & to kill the remaining gnats & eggs.

You can also dilute the bleach by adding some water to it.

Some people also got success using Ammonia instead of bleach.

When using these liquids make sure you wear gloves & mask for your protection.

Warning: Don’t mix Ammonia and bleach. Mixing them will the toxic fumes can be hazardous to health.

So, you can use bleach to kill their eggs in the drainage system, but only bleach can’t eliminate all the fungus gnats in the bathroom. For killing all the flying gnats in your bathroom, you’ll also need these methods given below.

3. Use GLOUE Bug Zapper

Generally, these sticky traps are used near plants to avoid bugs.

But, they can help you to fight gnats.

You just have to place these strips, and it’ll attract these bugs.

You can use these strips wherever you’ve gnat infestation.

The adhesive used on them is non-toxic and ECO-friendly.

You’re facing gnats in your bathroom, but still, if you’ve to use it outdoor, then its UV Resistant adhesive will not dry out quickly.

In one box you’ll get 15 sticky strips.

5. Homemade Vinegar Trap

It’s one of the most effective homemade techniques for getting rid of these small bathroom gnats.

To make this trap, you’ll need the few things given below.

  • Apple Cider Vinegar – 2 tablespoon
  • Dish Soap – A few drops
  • Sugar – 1 tablespoon
  • Water – 1 liter
  • Container – 1

Mix all the ingredients in a container, and place it in your bathroom.

The smell of apple cider vinegar will attract the gnats. And, when they get into the contact of the mixture, they’ll face their death because of the soap present in the mixture.

6. Baking Soda Paste

Get Rid of Gnats in Bathroom Tub

For making the gnat killing baking soda paste, you’ll need only three things.

  • Baking Soda
  • Water
  • Bowl

Put the baking soda in the bowl, and add a small amount of water into it because we don’t want to make a solution, we need a paste.

Mix them properly.

Before killing gnats in your bathroom, wear your gloves.

Now, apply this paste on the bathtub.

Let it be there for around 5 to 10 minutes. After that, wash your tub using a simple rubbing brush. For washing, use hot water because it’ll also kill any remaining gnat eggs.

How to Prevent Gnats in Shower

A big reason why you are seeing gnats in your shower is because there is:

  • stagnant water
  • attractive scents that invite them to stay

Stagnant Water

You must ameliorate this effect by running shower water all over the contained area and draining it out.

If you have a shower that is barely ever used, go there and use the shower head for a few seconds to let it flow through the drain. Add salt, vinegar, baking soda to the drain and wash it all down with shower water

Gnats Love Sweets Scents

You may have to think twice about some items in the shower or bathroom that are sweet smelling or appealing to gnats such as:

  • fruity soap
  • houseplants
  • garbage
  • food residue

How to Remove Dead Gnats in Bathtub

Have your trapped an killed gnats in or near your bathtub. If you are left with plenty of dead gnat in your bathtub, you can safely wash them down the drain or wipe them up with a disposable cloth. 

Attracting gnats to the bathtub is as easy as filling bowls with sugar, water and vinegar. The added bonus is the dish soap which will not let gnats escape. They will suffocate and die. 

Remove dead gnats from your drain by using vinegar, water and baking soda to wash them down. Vinegar and baking soda will bubble up rapidly and the water will help it flow through the drain. This is also helpful to reducing clogs and burning through trapped hair. 

Why Do I Have Gnats in My Bathroom?

Gnats are attracted to moisture and damp spaces. The bathroom is a perfect breeding ground for gnats. The area is warm, moist and may even contain attractive scents coming from fruity soaps, garbage and even houseplants.

They will come out from vents and drains where they enjoy reproducing in such a moist setting. Leaky pipes and condensation around the windows are also appealing areas for gnats to dwell and breed.

You can dehumidify your bathroom and spray the area with vinegar after your shower or bath. Gnats also get trapped in bowls filled with water, sugar and dish soap. Leave 1-3 bowls in the bathroom to lure them in. 

How to Get Rid of Fungus Gnats in Bathroom

Your bathroom is where gnats congregate because its:

  • warm
  • moist
  • damp
  • filled with appealing aromas

If you want to get of gnats in your bathroom you can:

  • keep the bathroom dry
  • spray with vinegar
  • set up traps
  1. You can use a dehumidifier, open windows or increase the amount of air conditioning through the vents to dry the room up. 
  2. Alternatively, you can fill bowls with sugar, vinegar and dish soap to trap gnats in without any hope of getting out.
  3. A final note is to get rid of fruity soaps, houseplants and anything in the garbage can that could be drawing gnats with their appealing scents.

A popular option is a vinegar trap, which is simple and cost-effective to create.

Simply place a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, a few drops of dish soap, and a tablespoon of sugar in a bowl and stir. Set your bowl in an area where gnats are prevalent, such as your kitchen or bathroom.

Why Have I Got Gnats Around Toilet?

Toilets carry bacteria and remnants of food that we don’t wish to think of or see anymore. Unfortunately, gnats smell, see or become attracted the decomposing food or any foul remainders that may linger in and around the toilet.

The toilet bowl itself is also stagnant water if not flushed recently. Use bleach, toilet bowl cleaner, vinegar or dish soap to get rid of gnats who are lingering in this space.

The inside of a toilet must be a clean place that we regularly soil and flush away. The space around the toilet needs to be dry and cleaned with soap, vinegar or bleach. 

How to Get Rid of Gnats in Bathroom Drain

Gnats and other insects may find their way in your bathroom drain. This is a breeding ground and highway for tiny pests that may enter or exit your home.

They may also wish to lay eggs in crevices located near or within the drain:

  1. Sprinkle salt and baking soda
  2. Spray with vinegar
  3. Drop in a tablespoon of dish soap
  4. Let the drain sit with this solution for up to 5 minutes
  5. Begin to allow the water to flow it all down. 

Do this once a month or more often when you see gnats in your drain. Also remember that if you aren’t using this drain for quite some time, gnats are more likely to gather there.

This means you should use the shower head for a few seconds per week to allow some water to flow down the drain. 

Final Words

I suggest that you use bleach for the treatment of the drainage system. Along with that, for killing the adult flying gnats, you can use the Hafer Sticky Trap, Apple Cider Vinegar Trap, or the GLOUE Bug Zapper.

Thanks for visiting ThePestManagement.com for the best information to help you to make the pest control process easy, safe & affordable. 

Jason Barrett

Hello, I'm Jason. I have 11 years of experience in dealing with pests. I try to provide you the best information that'll help you to make the pest control process easy & affordable