What to do if there are wood lice in the bathroom

Woodlice in the toilet or bathroom is a fairly common occurrence that spoils all the pleasure of taking water procedures. No, the insect itself is completely safe for humans, but its disgusting appearance spoils the mood and sets one in a warlike mood. The latter calms down a little after many months of struggle with the unwanted neighborhood, and that’s all, because these creatures are very worthy opponents, capable of surviving and adapting. It turns out that without specific knowledge on how to deal with wood lice in the bathroom, victory will clearly not be yours.

Reasons for the appearance of woodlice in an apartment

Woodlice are representatives of crustaceans. They have an intimidating appearance. They have a small oval body, 7 pairs of small legs, as shown in the photo. They come in marble grey, black and white. On top of the body is a shell consisting of 8 segments. The insect has two eyes, partially hidden under the shell, and a pair of antennae. Their appearance disgusts many.

Insects are attracted to food and moisture. They enter the room through ventilation, cracks, and plumbing. You can notice their colonies where daylight rarely penetrates:

bath;
bathroom;
bin;
linoleum;
skirting boards;
spaces between tiles if there is damage;
drain hose from the washing machine;
thresholds;
stands for pots with indoor flowers.

The insect can live between the folds of wet rags that have been left unattended for a long time.

Crustaceans feed on wet paper, skin particles, garbage, dust, lichen, and mold. White woodlice in the bathroom often live on damp towels.

Appearance and description

Despite the fact that almost all people call woodlice insects, they are not. Woodlice belong to arthropods and are included in the class of higher crayfish, for which they can safely be called crustaceans.

Woodlice are characterized by a rather specific appearance: they have an oval body shape, the upper part of which is slightly convex. There are two pairs of whiskers, the first pair is not fully developed, as a result of which the antennae are very small, the second pair is well developed. The eyes of woodlice are located on the left and right of the head. Also presented crustaceans are characterized by the presence of 6 pairs of abdominal legs.

Chemicals

The surest way to combat woodlice in the bathroom and toilet is with chemicals. You can buy them at a hardware store. The following will help you get rid of insects in your bathroom and apartment:

"Tetrix". An expensive but effective remedy that will destroy them in 2-3 days.
"Varan" is an aerosol. The woodlice repellent in the bathroom acts almost instantly upon direct contact. The remaining insects die within 1-2 days.
"Gett." After treatment, the small woodlice in the apartment die within a couple of days. Very toxic and dangerous for fish. Therefore, before processing it is necessary to isolate access to aquariums.

To get rid of insects, you can call a special service that will carry out complete disinfection.

What if they reappeared due to dampness?

If woodlice reappears in your home, you need to check whether all preventive measures have been followed. If all the measures have been followed, then you should contact professional exterminators; they will definitely destroy the wood lice forever. If not all measures were followed, then it is necessary to eliminate the cause that provoked the reappearance of woodlice and destroy them by any effective method.

If you carefully monitor the cleanliness of the bathroom and toilet, and do not allow the humidity level to increase, then woodlice will definitely not settle in your home.

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Prevention

To avoid the question of where the small crustaceans came from and how to get rid of them, it is important to carry out prevention. The following recommendations will help significantly reduce the risk of their occurrence:

Maintain normal humidity levels. The room must be ventilated regularly. After taking a shower, open the window. Open the door at night to allow excess moisture to escape.
After washing dishes, wipe the sink dry.
Perform general cleaning weekly. Throughout the apartment and bathroom, wipe the floors with bleach.
In the kitchen, remove crumbs and do not leave cans of cereals open.
Pour a small amount of boric acid mixed with chalk 1:4 under the furniture. This will repel pests. You can use aromatic plants - wormwood, lavender, rosemary.
Carry out cosmetic repairs to the premises. Seal all the cracks where insects come from, repair the taps, eliminate leaks.

When carrying out regular cleaning, use products that will not harm humans, but will help repel insects. Wipe floors and surfaces with soap and soda solution or use chlorine products.

What to do if you get re-infected?

In the case where woodlice live in the bathroom and do not respond to all your attempts, it’s time to call disinfectants. These could be employees of the city sanitary and epidemiological station, or employees of a private organization. Usually, it is in the hands of the latter that all the most relevant, effective and most harmless drugs and devices for humans end up.

You know what woodlice eat in the bathroom, and now you have to find out that they can do this at the same time in yours and in your neighbor’s bathroom. This means that you will have to work together to fight against the pest: check hoods and meshes, chimneys and other communications. It is better to contact disinfectants with the whole house, because individually you will have to fight pests forever.

To prevent a re-infestation, eliminate everything that insects love in the bath: from dampness to darkness and dirt. Remember that pests will be with you until the bathroom is perfectly hygienic, dry, light and warm. Keep your home clean, ventilate it often, let sunlight in, and don't skimp on artificial lighting. Thanks to all this, you will be able to protect your home from the invasion of disgusting creatures, prevent the creation of an unfavorable epidemiological situation, and simply enjoy daily water procedures.

What's the harm?

Woodlice in the bathroom and kitchen is an unpleasant fact. They are not dangerous for humans. The pest does not bite or sting. They scare away only by their appearance and their ability to gather in colonies. When the light turns on, they begin to scatter, which affects the nervous system.

They do not affect food or household utensils, but only plants. Crustaceans' favorite delicacy is live, rotten plants. The question of whether they are capable of carrying various infections and why they are dangerous to humans remains unexplored. There is no evidence that the pest carries the infection.

Crustaceans pose a danger to indoor plants. They eat fresh leaves, damage roots, and compact the soil. The flower quickly dies.

There are a lot of ways to get woodlice out of the bathroom. To get the best results, it is recommended to use several methods at once, especially when there are large numbers of pests.

What do they eat and how do they live?

Woodlice prefer to be nocturnal and during the daytime it is almost impossible to see them in the bathroom or toilet. The presented crustaceans live in the darkest corners, can hide under tiles or wet towels, and are placed under damp rubber mats. Therefore, if you need to determine whether wood lice are present in the room, it is first recommended to inspect the listed places.

As for the food of the presented crustaceans, it consists of particles of accumulated dirt, small pieces of soggy paper and soggy soap residues. If the kitchen is not cleared out for a long time, then the woodlice will move from the bathroom to the kitchen and feed on leftover human food.

Ways to combat woodlice

When choosing the most optimal method for expelling and destroying woodlice, each housewife takes into account a number of points: the size of a particular apartment, the number of woodlice and the reasons for their appearance, habitat, etc. Also, each of them understands that it is unlikely that it will be possible to get rid of woodlice easily and quickly. Here you need to be patient and act comprehensively , gradually moving towards the complete extermination of pests:

Create conditions that are completely unsuitable for the existence of crustaceans.
Block all possible paths and loopholes that could lead woodlice into the house.
Get rid of all the creatures that have occupied the apartment in the most effective ways (you can use several - active and preventive or enhancing, as well as prolonging the effect of the first).
Be sure to try to destroy pests in the very heart of their colony, their breeding places (usually in the basement or attic).

How to get rid of it using folk remedies?

Table salt should be poured into the dark, damp corners of the bathroom, behind the pipes, under the bathtub. The second option: make a strong water-salt solution and spray it in the desired areas.
Throw 3 grams of soda, red pepper and tobacco into 1 liter of water, stir and spray.
Dissolve 100 g of dry bread kvass in 0.5 liters of boiling water. Apply in the same way as previous solutions.
Dilute 10 g of dry boric acid in a small amount of water, for example, 120 ml, sprinkle.
At night, place birch brooms or damp rags in damp corners. In the morning there will be a lot of woodlice in such a simple trap. They need to be shaken out into a bucket or basin and poured boiling water over them to kill them.

We invite you to watch a video on how to get rid of woodlice using folk remedies:

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the description and classification of woodlice, as well as harm and types.

Preventive measures

Timely cleaning is the norm for any housewife. But a few simple tips will help you restore order and cleanliness in your apartment so that wood lice will avoid it as much as possible.

Moreover, in reality everything is not as complicated as it seems, all you need is:

Ventilate the room regularly.
Make sure there is good air ventilation in the rooms. For this you can use a fan or install an air conditioner.
It is better to dry things on the balcony.
Do not leave floor cloths wet, make sure they dry completely.
Monitor the shelf life of fruits and vegetables and prevent them from rotting.
Do not leave dirty dishes with food leftovers in the sink.
Take out the trash promptly and keep the trash can clean.
Periodically treat indoor plants for prevention.
Carry out a preventive inspection of plumbing and fix problems immediately, without putting it off “for later.”
Spend sufficient time checking hoods and ventilation.
Eliminate cracks in the floor and walls.

Store-bought woodlice repellents

Chemicals that are sold in stores and are intended to combat various insects are called insecticides. A distinctive feature of such new generation substances is that they are practically harmless to people if the rules for their use are followed.

The most effective store-bought remedies against woodlice include the following:

Many household stores offer a Dutch drug called Tetrix. This drug is sold in liquid form and has fractions from small volumes (200 ml) to larger ones (5 l).

It is strictly prohibited to use it in its pure form, so it must be diluted in water in the ratio of 1 liter of water to 10 ml of active substance

After that, spray the area with strict adherence to safety precautions. Namely, the presence of gloves, a respirator and goggles, cleaning of all edibles, personal hygiene products, personal belongings

After the procedure, thoroughly wash your hands and tools, as the drug is very toxic, but highly effective.

What is the best way to fight it – with the help of professional pest control or on your own?

Disinsection is the destruction of insects. Although wood lice are crustaceans, pest control agents destroy them too. In most cases, you can cope on your own, especially if there are not very many animals.

There are two types of self-disinfestation: folk remedies and chemical ones. The first option involves preparing a solution or mixture at home. Chemicals for treating premises are sold in stores.

The advantage of self-disinfestation is its low cost, especially if you use folk remedies. The disadvantage is the lack of a guaranteed result. True, the effectiveness of disinfestation with chemicals is higher than the destruction of wood lice using traditional methods.

The advantage of professional pest control is guaranteed efficiency. The disadvantage is the high cost of processing the premises.

Silverfish

But silverfish will not cause any harm to people, but it is dangerous for wallpaper. The insect lives in damp and dark places. Its nutrition consists of plant substances that contain starch and polysaccharides.

The silverfish ventures outside its home in order to obtain food for itself. And she looks for it in places that are similar in microclimate to her home.

It is not difficult to recognize the named white insect in the bathroom. What does it look like? Its body is elongated and white; it has long front and rear forked antennae. But, by the way, silverfish become white after the third molt. Before that it was dark.

No. 17. Heat treatment

This method is often used when colonies of woodlice are clearly visible visually and are at an accessible distance. The fact is that crustaceans die at temperatures above 70°C or when exposed to steam. Therefore, if possible, a steam cleaner or hair dryer is quite suitable.

As for indoor plants, very often the only way to save them is replanting. Before transplanting the flower into another pot, you need to rinse its roots well. If everything is very sad, you should lower the plant for 15 minutes in a container with warm water. Destroy any woodlice that float to the surface

A method suitable for a basement, cellar or garage

In the garden, individuals quickly eat vegetable crops, but in the basement they can spoil the harvest stored there.
The reason for the appearance of woodlice is high humidity. Therefore, people often find insects in the basement, cellar or garage, or other non-residential premises.

In the garden, individuals quickly eat vegetable crops, but in the basement they can spoil the harvest stored there.

A good solution to the problem is to use quicklime (calcium oxide). The composition is used only in non-residential premises.

When small particles of lime enter the air, they cause irritation of the mucous membranes, sneezing and coughing, therefore special attention is paid to safety precautions when working with calcium oxide:

Use a respirator, a tight bandage, and special glasses.
Protect the skin of your hands with rubber gloves.
Provide natural ventilation.

Types of woodlice

In general, there are several thousand species of woodlice (3500-5000 according to various sources).

Typically found in a home:

Common woodlouse-armadillo (Armadillidium vulgare). It is easily recognized by its high, dark-colored shell. Crustaceans prefer damp cellars and basements, so they are not very often found in houses and apartments, but anything can happen. If there is a possible threat, the creature instantly curls up into a ball.
Woodlouse (Porsellio scaber). This is a fairly famous “traveler” of apartments. Characteristic features of representatives of this species:

The shell has a reddish tint.
7 pairs of legs allow tiny creatures to move very quickly.
They don't know how to roll up into a ball.

Woodlice should not be confused with silverfish (a silver-gray insect with a flat body that tapers towards the tail) and with flycatchers (they have a huge number of legs). Woodlice have a larger body (up to 20 mm), thick, oval, consisting of segments

It’s interesting that crustaceans get into the apartment:

Together with soil collected from the park for replanting indoor flora.
With soil-contaminated root vegetables purchased at the market.
From attics or basements.
From sewer pipes.
Along the ventilation ducts.
From neighbors who are so comfortable that small pests have multiplied in huge numbers and decided to develop new territories.

Woodlice are not picky eaters. They will happily eat rotten vegetables, leaves of indoor plants, can get to the roots, and will not disdain leftover food sent to the trash can, crumbs, leftovers on plates in the sink, animal food, etc. If food is really tight, crustaceans will be happy about mold spores that appeared in the bathroom due to high humidity

Features of woodlice

The nimble little woodlice are sometimes called miniature brontosaurs and compared to tiny armadillos. The crustaceans have a 7-plate chitinous shell, they have 2 pairs of whiskers and 7 pairs of limbs, and also:

These are the only representatives of crustaceans that did not completely abandon the water element, but chose a land existence.
When living conditions worsen, they can hibernate, and the duration of such suspended animation is up to 9 months.
Reproduction occurs not only through fertilization, but also “without a dad” - parthenogenetically.
Land crustaceans have breathing sacs and so-called land gills. Arthropods absorb oxygen from the thin film of moisture that wets these gills.
Since they are not insects, the use of insecticides is not always advisable , because the effect of the active substance is very limited. Therefore, it is necessary to use either very strong drugs, or supplement them with other agents, or carry out the treatment several times.

If at least one woodlice appears in the apartment, you must immediately begin to act:

Make sure there are no leaks in the water supply and sewerage systems.
Try to reduce high humidity to a minimum by all possible means.
Promptly seal existing gaps and cracks in the walls and ceiling, remove gaps around the risers of communication pipes (spray foam can help).

Dryness will help solve the problem

The first step in solving the problem is to minimize the number of damp places in your home, since woodlice live and breed in damp conditions.

If the apartment is located on the ground floor, and the basement in the house is damp, you need to ask the housing department to repair it or replace the water pipes. The condition of the water supply system should also be checked for leaks in the spaces between floors.

About folk methods of struggle

Previously, woodlice were most often found in bathhouses. It really was always damp and dark there. Therefore, people already began to invent means to combat these pests.

Thanks to this method, you can simply remove animals from the premises without causing any harm to them. It is enough to take brooms to expel arthropods. They need to be wetted overnight and then placed in the darkest and most humid places. In the morning you can simply collect the brooms and then take them outside. Brooms can simply be thrown into trash containers. It is permissible to burn them if there is a possibility that the insects could find their way back to the house.

There are also more modern recipes. Take red pepper, salt and tobacco, a pinch each. And add a liter of liquid to them. All that remains is to mix everything and leave the mixture indoors at night. The next morning, just wash everything off.

Mold and dampness in the bathroom - the likelihood of wood lice

There are many other folk recipes. Woodlice can escape if their path in dubious places is blocked by the most common salt. An excellent remedy is dry kvass diluted with boiling water in a ratio of one to five. All surfaces of the room must be treated with this composition. But it is imperative to follow the items from the previous list, because this is the only way to completely protect yourself from the repeated visit of insects. Otherwise, they may return, even if you try to exterminate them from time to time.

How to kill woodlice: store-bought products

Disinsection can be carried out independently, without the involvement of specialists. Chemicals available freely on store shelves will help destroy parasites.

Insecticidal aerosols

The advantage of this category of products is convenience and speed of use. In order to treat the surface from annoying insects, you do not need to prepare a solution or special mixture.

When applied, the insecticide almost immediately causes the death of woodlice. After spraying, the particles of the substance deposited on the surface will be carried by the remaining individuals throughout the room.

Popular aerosols include:

Get is an insecticide with low toxicity and a high degree of destruction. The active substance remains on the paws of woodlice, which independently spread the poison throughout their habitat.
Delicia is an effective aerosol that is safe to use for humans and pets. The product quickly destroys insects, and the remaining odor prevents the further appearance of the woodlice population.
"Raptor" for crawling insects - professional protection against woodlice. The effectiveness of the drug is confirmed by the manufacturer's tests. The fresh mint scented aerosol is safe for use in residential areas.
"Combat Superspray" effectively destroys woodlice. When treating a room, it is recommended to use a respirator to avoid contact of product vapors with mucous membranes. The aerosol includes substances that kill not only insect pests, but also fungi and other pathogenic microorganisms.

Concentrated sprays

These products are used by many pest control services. Thanks to the active ingredients, it becomes possible to treat large areas of insect habitat.

The most popular products are "Delta Zone" and "Taran". "Delta Zone" is a modern insecticide that destroys insects. Its advantage is the complete absence of odor, which allows the treatment of residential premises.

Insecticidal powders

Such products are intended for dry treatment of premises. The effectiveness of the powder is low, since not all individuals move on a horizontal surface.

Therefore, powders are used as an additional pest control measure. "Tarax" is recommended for the destruction of several types of insects, one of which is woodlice. The product is sold in small sachets and diluted with water before use. The resulting solution is sprayed or the room is treated with a damp sponge.

Crayons

Woodlice move on the floor surface, along walls, ceilings, and pipes. Chalks are used for processing vertical surfaces.

Together with powders, the products allow you to achieve high results in pest control. The most popular chalk among consumers is Mashenka.

Sticky insect traps

The advantages of such products are a low degree of toxicity, ease of use and the absence of danger for children and beloved pets. Devices are used only in easily accessible areas. Global and Argus traps are effective.

No. 26. Help from professionals

When all means have been tried, but there is no desired result, there is always a backup option - the help of specialized specialists. Today, many companies and SES provide services for the destruction of indoor pests. What are the advantages of such cooperation?

The correct medications will be selected (effective against wood lice and safe for people).
The professionals will accurately calculate the required amount and concentration of funds.
When working, special equipment is used that allows you to process the most inaccessible places.
A guarantee is provided against the return of arthropods within a certain period of time.

What are the reasons if these insects are infested in the bathroom and home toilet?

In human habitats, woodlice comes to damp and dark rooms. This is why it appears:

pipes or faucet are leaking;
after swimming there are puddles on the floor;
while taking a shower, water flows into the joint between the bathtub and the wall;
constant dampness in the room due to the fact that the neighbors above are flooded or the roof is leaking;
a pipe under the house burst;
the room is poorly heated or the ventilation system does not work.