Gnats in the Bathroom? Send Pests a Permanent Eviction Notice

Most people have experienced gnats at some point. They’re tiny, annoying bugs that find their way into spaces in your home like bathrooms and kitchens, then quickly grow in number. While gnats in the bathroom or kitchen are a relatively common issue (and they're certainly not the worst pest or plumbing problem in your rentals), they’re not one you as a landlord or property manager should ignore in your rental units.

We’re here to help you understand gnat infestations so you can prevent them by giving you tips on finding, getting rid of, and preventing gnat infestations in your rental units, especially in the bathrooms, so potential tenants can live in a clean, well-maintained home.

Are Gnats a Landlord or Tenant Responsibility?

Before you as a property owner take action against gnat infestations, it’s important to know whether you or your tenant are responsible for paying the costs of getting rid of the infestation. Whose job is it to be the exterminator in a pest situation? The laws on pest control vary by state, so be sure to research any legislation specific to your area, but generally, here’s where responsibility lies:

The tenant is responsible if…

Tenants are generally responsible for costs of gnat infestations if they attracted the bugs by being unclean and creating an environment that causes pests to take root in the home. This includes not cleaning drains, leaving old food out, or leaving stagnant water somewhere in the property.

The landlord is responsible if…

The landlord, however, can be legally responsible if the issue started before the tenant moved in or if they aren’t taking care of pest control on the property and their actions caused the infestation. Landlords are usually held to an implied warranty of habitability, and if the severity of the gnats is no fault of the tenants and is lowering the property value or are keeping tenants from being able to live on the premises, it’s up to the landlord to fix the issue.

It's important to include pest information in the lease, specifying which party is responsible for taking care of bugs and who should cover the costs, that way you can have proper documentation and hold your tenants accountable if they cause a massive gnat (or other pest) issue and attempt to assign blame to you for it.

Understanding the Basics of Gnats

If you’re looking to identify gnats and the best way to eradicate them in your rental properties, you’ll first need to learn about what gnats are and the types that are commonly found in the home.

Gnats are tiny pests that can quickly turn into an infestation in your home, especially in places like kitchen sinks or bathroom drains. These little insects can be confused with small flies, but they operate differently and are attracted for different reasons.

The most common types of gnats you may encounter in your units include fruit flies, fungus gnats, and drain flies. Gnats are usually attracted to damp environments and organic matter like fruits and fungi, so if you’ve been wondering, “Why are there gnats in my bathroom?” it’s likely because the environment checks off both of these criteria.

Finding Gnat Infestations

So, let’s say the unfortunate happens, and you suspect there may be gnats in bathroom drains in your rentals. How can you find and confirm their presence in order to take the correct steps in getting rid of them?

As previously mentioned, gnats are attracted to things such as organic matter and damp or moist environments. If you’ve seen a few little bugs floating by in your rentals, be sure to check places like:

• In the bathroom or kitchen, as there could be gnats in sink drains where fungi and other organic matter may be hiding.
• Anywhere fruit may be stored, since rotting fruit or other food is attractive to fruit flies.
• Near overwatered house plants where stagnant water may be sitting.
• Inside trash cans since any variety of old food could be sitting for an extended period of time.
• The inside of your garbage disposal, since any bits of food that get caught could be stuck in the drain.

If you check areas around the rental like these and discover tiny gnats floating on top of or near them, it’s safe to say you’ve identified the source of the moisture or decaying matter causing your gnat infestation.

How to Get Rid of Gnats in Bathroom

So, you’ve found the source of the problem, but now what? Next, you’ll want to read along for some tips on how to get rid of gnats in the bathroom so you can quickly and thoroughly eradicate the problem.

1. Eliminate breeding grounds.

If gnats are taking root in your rental units, something on the property must be attracting them. By taking away their food source and home, you can begin the process of removing the gnats from your unit and preventing adult gnats from breeding.

Depending on the type of gnats and where they are in the home, this could mean different things, but good places to start include taking out any trash, throwing out rotting food and fruits, cleaning up spills or other messes, and removing standing water from plant trays or overwatered plants themselves.

2. Use chemicals, cleaners, and traps.

If you’ve cleaned up around the rental unit and the gnats are still there, it’s time to move to using chemicals, cleaners, and traps to get them off the premises. There are a wide range of methods for gnat removal, but here are a few common ones to consider:

Traps. Making homemade traps to catch and gnats is simple and only takes a few ingredients. One of the most common traps uses a bowl or cup full of apple cider vinegar and dish soap, which is then covered in plastic wrap with holes poked in it, to attract and trap gnats and make them sink in the mixture. Just set it near the source of the gnats and wait!

Chemicals. Especially if your gnat problem is in a bathroom or kitchen, it’s a good idea to use chemicals and boiling water to completely clean your drains and remove any built-up grime that gnats could lay eggs in and live on. Consider repeatedly pouring boiling water in the drain to clear them and eliminate drain flies, along with drain cleaning chemicals designed to wash away drain buildup.

Cleaners and insecticides. Using an insecticide to get rid of gnats in your rental shouldn’t be your first resort, but it’s an available option if you can’t seem to get rid of them. You must be extremely cautious when using insecticides indoors, so it’s vital to check the labels before you purchase or use an insecticide. Following the instructions, spray it near the infested areas (potentially multiple times on a schedule) to kill off the remaining gnat population on the property.

3. Hire a professional.

If the infestation is past the point of DIY methods and would be considered a habitability issue, consider hiring a professional to come to the property and resolve the issue for you. They’ll be knowledgeable about the best methods for gnat removal, and while they’ll be an extra expense, if the tenant is responsible for the problem, the money won’t come out of your pocket.

How to Prevent Future Gnat Issues

Getting rid of a gnat infestation doesn’t mean your work ends there—it means you need to take preventative measures to ensure the problem won’t come back again. There are many strategies you can use to stop gnats from getting into your rentals and causing an infestation, so let’s look at some of the best ways to prevent future gnat issues that you (or your tenants) can practice.

• Watering plants correctly: Being sure not to overwater your plants is a great way to prevent gnats since there won’t be stagnant water sitting on top of the soil or in plant trays for them to begin breeding in. The soil should be able to dry out a bit and breathe before you water it again.
• Regularly cleaning out drains: Periodically using boiling water and/or drain cleaner in your bathroom drains can prevent any buildup from beginning, leaving no place in your sinks or showers for a drain fly infestation to occur.
• Correct usage of garbage disposal: Garbage disposals shouldn’t be considered a catch-all for leftover food. By using the garbage disposal properly and not putting food in it such as pasta, rice, or onion layers that will get stuck, you can ensure your garbage disposal continues to work and won’t harbor old food for gnats to snack on.
• Keeping a clean environment free of rotting food or spills: While cleaning comes with using a property, it’s important to note that leaving out rotting fruit or other foods can attract gnats (as well as other pests that are more difficult to remove). Always properly dispose of trash to keep a clean, dry environment.
• Store fruit in refrigerator: Along with disposing of old fruit, it can be helpful to store fruit in the refrigerator to keep it fresher longer and to stop bugs from being able to access it as easily.
• Memorize trash schedule: If trash isn’t taken out consistently, it can pile up and rot in a unit for much longer than it should, attracting all kinds of bugs and pests. Be sure to memorize or write down the trash schedule and take trash out on a consistent basis to ensure it’s properly disposed of.
• Seal entry points: If even the tiniest holes or access points are left open by windows or doors in the home, bugs like gnats can find their way in and quickly grow in number. One way to combat this is by sealing (or resealing) cracks or holes in entry points in the apartment to keep unwanted pests out.

Conclusion

While gnats can be a costly and annoying issue for landlords, taking care of gnat infestations is still an important responsibility. By learning strategies for gnat prevention on your rental properties, you can ensure that your units will be pest-free for tenants at every turn.