Cockroaches in Bathroom: Where Do They Come From?

Cockroaches can spread to bathrooms or they may nest in bathrooms. These are ideal locations providing warmth and humidity that roaches love.

The bathroom is just as popular as the kitchen when it comes to the areas of the house roaches love. Small crawlers like roaches get inside bathrooms through any type of opening or crack and they can use it as a nest, especially if left undisturbed or if the bathroom is dirty.

Cockroaches are attracted to the high humidity specific to bathrooms. They use gaps under doors or cracks in walls or around windows to get inside bathrooms. On occasion, roaches can also enter bathrooms by crawling through small spaces that aren’t immediately visible such as gaps around pipes.

Almost all species of roaches are attracted to warmth, humidity, and food when it comes to invading a home or a particular area of a home.

Cockroaches are rarely interested in a cold attic where there’s no humidity or food. They choose kitchens, bathrooms, and basements to breed, eat and sleep.

Getting rid of cockroaches in the bathroom typically implies getting rid of all things which attract them to the bathroom. Simply physically removing them doesn’t guarantee roaches won’t come back within days.

4 reasons why cockroaches love bathrooms

Roaches are some of the dirtiest pests around the home. They carry bacteria and they can spread out to the entire house quickly. The following serve as magnets for all types of roaches in the US.

1.       High humidity

High humidity is the main reason roaches love bathrooms. It’s important to note that high humidity is preferred by cockroaches but lowering it to normal standards doesn’t guarantee they will leave the house.

The German cockroach prefers very high humidity of at least 90%. However, it may still thrive inside the house if the home is warm and if there’s sufficient around.

2.       Water

Roaches need water to survive. The amount of water they need varies from species to species. It’s believed the American cockroach needs the most water.

It can be difficult to find water on the floor around the house elsewhere than inside the bathroom. From the water from the shower that’s often still puddling on the floor to leaky pipes from the shower, the toilet, or the sink, there’s sufficient water for roaches to thrive here.

3.       Heat

High heat is something many roaches prefer. While a warm home is always inviting, not all rooms might be as warm as the bathroom.

Many roaches prefer a temperature between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Bathrooms are typically warmer as showers heat them quickly.

4.       Food

Roaches need food to remain inside the bathroom. But roaches see food here differently from people. They can eat almost anything they find from toilet paper to soap bars.

Roaches are known to like to eat fingernails, hairs, and even human skin. From nail clippings to hairs on the floor, bathrooms provide all of them for cockroaches.

Where do roaches in the bathroom hide?

Many people imagine a very large invasion of roaches in the bathroom before taking action. However, tens and even hundreds of roaches might hide in some bathrooms or they might come and go from the bathroom at night.

Under cabinets

The first place to look for roaches is under cabinets. Water leaks as well as plenty of potential food such as soap bars might be stored in bathroom cabinets and other furniture.

It’s best to check all cabinets using a flashlight to ensure you don’t miss any small roaches.

Under bathtubs

Roaches routinely hide under the bathtub. They like to crawl under different objects as they’re typically afraid of people.

Furthermore, the crawl space under the bathtub can be a place of barely visible water leaks which roaches love.

Under sinks

An area of the bathroom that attracts roaches in the sink and the space under the sink. Sometimes wet through water leaks and always known for emitting a specific odor, the sink and the piping connected to the sink attract roaches.

The sink itself is often used to store other goods roaches see as food. Toothpaste and soap are among them.

Behind the toilet

The space behind the toilet is known to collect bacteria. This area might even smell like sewers, a smell many roaches love.

It’s best to check this area for a potential roach nest.

How do cockroaches get into bathrooms?

Cockroaches can easily enter bathrooms. They do not simply appear there as they come from other roach colonies which enter homes.

Cockroaches crawl through the space around piping

Piping can represent a pathway for roaches to get into bathrooms. These pipes can come from any nearby room or space.

Pipes from the basement – these pipes are the most likely to serve as pathways for roaches. All cockroaches love the basement where they find high moisture. It’s easy for them to move up to the bathroom by crawling along the pipes and making use of the smallest gaps around the pipes.

Pipes from the hallway – pipes connecting bathrooms to the hallway might also serve as pathways for roaches.

Pipes from the kitchen – all bathrooms next to the kitchen are bound to attract roaches. Cockroaches can move towards the bathroom if the kitchen is directly connected to it without properly sealed gaps around the pipes roaches.

Open windows

Open windows are often an invitation for cockroaches to the bathroom. Windows are left open all the time after taking a shower to allow steam to dissipate.

Cracks in walls and window frames

Cracks in walls are common reasons why roaches make their way to the bathroom. They are very good at finding out small entry points as they can sense high humidity through their antennae.

Crawling under doors

Most homeowners don’t know the small space under doors is sufficient for cockroaches to crawl through. Scientists show that roaches can crawl through an opening as small as 2 stacked coins.

It’s best to seal the door to the bathroom properly, especially at ground level as most roaches crawl on the floor towards the bathroom.

What to do to keep roaches out of the bathroom

Simply removing the roaches by hand or by using a vacuum cleaner isn’t sufficient when it comes to dealing with roaches in the bathroom.

Homeowners need to remove the food and humidity that roaches love in the bathroom or deal with possible leaky pipes that attract the crawlers.

Improve ventilation

Poor ventilation in the bathroom is one of the main reasons roaches love the space so much. The less fresh air gets inside the more time steam and humidity will be trapped in the bathroom.

One of the first steps to consider is to add a window to your bathroom if it doesn’t have one. Updating to a larger window might help ventilate the space after taking a bath or a shower.

Using a bathroom dehumidifier can help permanently lower humidity levels. Dehumidifiers are especially recommended for bathrooms without windows.

Fans can also help air circulation. Poor airflow inside the bathroom favors high humidity.

Seal all gaps regardless of their size

Gaps around pipes or behind walls are spaces for roaches to crawl through. A thorough inspection might be needed to find the place that needs to be sealed.

The advantage of sealing all entry points is that the measure stops cockroaches from appearing in the bathroom even if the humidity or leaks issues haven’t been fixed.

Reduce the temperature

Roaches don’t like temperatures below 40°F. They stop feeding and reproducing at cooler temperatures. This is why the heating in the bathroom can be turned down if roaches keep reappearing.

Controlling the heat in the bathroom might be difficult when taking a shower. However, it’s best to heat the bathroom before taking a shower if you want to drive roaches out.

Fix gaps under doors

Gaps under doors are the easiest crawling spaces for roaches to take when moving rooms in a house. Proper sealing might need to be added to doors to eliminate even the smallest crawl spaces.

Eliminate garbage cans

Garbage cans in the bathroom are known to attract roaches and insects. They need to be emptied at cleaned at least once per week. It’s best to keep these out of the bathroom altogether if the house has a roach problem.

Keep the light on

Roaches love dark warm places. Turning the lights on at night often makes them disperse. Roaches hide under cabinets and behind the bathtub whenever you turn on the lights in the bathroom at night.

Ambient lights can be left on in the bathroom all night so that roaches won’t consider these ideal hiding and breeding locations of a house.

Use traps

Sticky traps are ideal for roaches in the bathroom. They can be placed in areas you don’t walk on such as under the bathtub or behind the toilet. Roaches cannot escape once trapped in a sticky trap.

Hide edibles roaches love

Roaches can eat many things other pests won’t. This includes paper and cardboard. While eliminating all personal hygiene objects in the bathroom isn’t recommended, you can try to hide these in boxes or cabinets.

• Toilet paper

Roaches like to eat toilet paper. You can store toilet paper in sealed plastic containers to keep them away from the reach of these pests.

• Toothpaste

Toothpaste is often consumed by roaches. It should also be stored in an area roaches can’t access it easily.

• Soap bars

Soap bars can be replaced with liquid soap dispensers. Roaches have been shown to eat through entire soap bars in case of a bathroom invasion.

Consider homemade pest repellents

Using homemade pest repellents is an alternative to the use of insecticides. Preventive use is recommended to keep roaches away as many homemade pest repellents are the most efficient when it comes to keeping roaches out rather than driving them out after an invasion.

Use essential oils peppermint, cedarwood, and cypress

Some essential oils have been shown to keep roaches away while others have no effect. Peppermint and cedarwood essential oils can be used to keep roaches out of the bathroom.

These essential oils are diluted in water and then sprayed around the bathroom. They are sprayed on tile, around the sink, toilet, and shower frequently. The strong scent of essential oils keeps roaches away.

Vinegar and baking soda

Pipes have a specific odor that attracts roaches. While some people recommend using bleach, it can damage the pipes.

It’s best to look for a homemade alternative such as a foamy mix of baking soda and vinegar. The mix eliminates all odors in the drain.

Epsom salt

Unlike regular salt, Epsom salt can keep roaches away. Once ingested, this salt dehydrates and kills even the most stubborn large cockroaches. Epsom salt is used similarly to essential oils.

Epsom salt dilutes when mixed with water. It can then be sprayed around the bathroom to create an invisible barrier against roaches.

Can cockroaches enter bathrooms through toilets?

Cockroaches can’t enter bathrooms through toilets with water. Most toilets are made with a water trap that essentially prevents roaches from making their way inside the tank from the sewer line.

Dead roaches are often found in toilets. These are roaches that got into the bathroom and tried to crawl into the toilet and eventually fell into the water. Roaches die within minutes if they cannot escape the water.

Can cockroaches nest in the bathroom?

Cockroaches prefer a nest location that’s warm and humid. The bathroom is the ideal location for nesting for almost all types of invasive roach species together with the kitchen.

Roaches might stay in the bathroom as they can use personal hygiene items such as soap and toilet paper as food.

Summary

Cockroaches aren’t found in the bathroom by accident. They love the warmth and high humidity they find here. Cockroaches also feel invited by the quiet nature of bathrooms where there are no humming large appliances for them to worry about.

Bathrooms also provide multiple crawl spaces they can nest. Roaches are large and undisturbed under the bathtub or behind the toilet where they can breed successfully.