How to Get Rid of Weevils in the Bathroom

Imagine stepping into your bathroom for a relaxing shower, only to be greeted by a swarm of tiny weevils. While they might not bite or pose a significant health risk, their presence is certainly unpleasant and unsettling.

These insects can quickly multiply and spread, making the situation feel overwhelming.

But fear not! There are effective solutions to this bathroom weevil infestation. This guide will equip you with the knowledge to:

• Identify the types of weevils commonly found in bathrooms.
• Understand how these pests gained access to your restroom.
• Eliminate the weevils using various methods like deterrents, traps, and pesticides.

By following these steps, you can reclaim your bathroom and enjoy a pest-free haven once again.

What Should You Know About Weevils?

Weevils are bear-like beetles with more than 1,000 species, ranging in body shapes and colors.

Most weevil species, however, have an oval-shaped and slender body.

They can range in size between 3-mm to 10-mm in length, depending on the species.

Many weevils have dark colors, ranging from dark brown to black or sometimes reddish.

One of the most noteworthy physical characteristics of weevils is their head shape.

Some adult weevils will have an elongated head that looks like a snout, where their mouth is located.

For example, the Curculionidae family has an elongated snout that can grow as long as their body.

However, in the Bruchidae family, cowpea weevils have slightly different features.

They lack the elongated nose you can find in most weevil species.

Typically, they will find their way inside your bathroom during the fall season, where they can hide all winter season and come out once spring starts.

Some weevils invade your bath areas during the summer as they find shelter when the weather outside starts turning hot.

Weevils aren’t known to carry or transmit parasites and diseases.

But they can be a nuisance once a weevil infestation happens.

Once weevils turn into adults, the first thing they are going to do is breed.

Adult weevils only have two to three months lifespan.

But during this time, female weevils will lay an average of four eggs per day or at least 240 eggs in their lifetime.

Common Weevil Types You May Find in Your Bathroom

Some of the common weevil types that can find their way into your restroom include:

1. Strawberry Root Weevil

This weevil type is one of the most common bathroom-invading pests.

Strawberry root weevils can grow up to 0.25 inches long and have dark brown to black bodies with rows of pits at the back.

This weevil species does not fly but is attracted to moist bathroom spaces like the shower, drain, and sinks.

2. Black Vine Weevil

This plant-eating weevil can start its perennial onslaught on your bathroom plants as soon as the chilly nights of October arrive.

It will find solace in your warm bathroom during the winter season and eat almost any plant you have.

3. Stored Product Weevils (Rice Weevil, Grain Weevil, Cowpea Weevil, Flour Weevil)

This type of weevil attacks stored seeds, grains, and powders.

They can range from reddish-brown to brownish-black color.

Rice weevil has a faint red or yellow patterns on their wings while cowpea weevils have a signature black marking on their abdomen.

These weevil types will feed through grain-containing products like homemade bathroom cleaners.

4. Asiatic Oak Weevil

Asiatic oak weevil is a broadnosed species with a signature greenish-gray coloring.

They can grow up to ⅓-inch long and usually invade your toilet around June to early fall as they prepare to lay eggs and hibernate.

Why Are There Weevils in My Bathroom?

Some weevil species can become structural pests and would infest your restroom in great numbers.

There are four main reasons why your toilet, bathroom furniture, cabinets, or tub can become an attractive spot for weevils.

1. Moist Environment

Some weevil types, like the Strawberry root weevil, are attracted to moisture. You can easily spot many of them in water basins, bathtubs, bathroom sinks, and similar places.

2. Bathroom Plants

Ornamental plants in your bathroom can also be an attractive food source for weevil species like vine weevils. They feed on the leaves of more than 100 annual and perennial plants and vines.

3. Bathroom Lights

Some weevil species like the Asiatic oak weevil invade your toilet because they are drawn to light. You may see them clustered around your bathroom’s light fixtures or the windowsills.

4. Flour or Grain-Containing Products

Bathroom cleaning products and cosmetic items may contain flour or powders that attract weevils in your washroom. For example, homemade toilet cleaners may have white flour.

Suppose you have oatmeal-containing beauty products in the bathroom vanity, like facial scrubs and masks. In that case, weevils will get attracted to them too.

Adult weevils are curious creatures, and while some of them don’t fly, those who do can easily accidentally intrude in your bathroom.

They may be out looking for a mate or looking for a place to lay eggs.

How Do Weevils Get Into the Bathroom?

Weevil infestation often starts from the outside but may invade indoors to find shelter and sustenance.

They often gather around the outdoor walls and enter through cracks in your bathroom wall, gaps in windows and doors, or spaces next to sewer pipes.

Some weevils may even crawl through light fixture openings to enter your bathroom from the attic or enter through bathroom vents and broken screens.

The bathroom makes the best breeding ground for weevils as they grow and prefer damp and humid conditions.

When adult female weevils are ready to lay their eggs, you can find them at the bottom of the shower, under the bathroom sink, drains, in bathtubs.

Behind the insulation inside the bathroom walls make a good hiding spot for weevils too.

How to Get Rid of Weevils in the Bathroom

Now that you know what weevils look like and how they can cause chaos in the bathroom, here’s a breakdown of how to get rid of them.

How to Get Rid of Weevils Naturally

1. Clean Your Bathroom

For accidental weevil infestation in bathrooms, thorough cleaning and vacuuming the space is often enough to eliminate them.

Vacuuming is a quick way to get rid of weevils from your bathroom walls and furniture.

But make sure to empty the bin outside where the weevils can’t reinfest your toilet.

Also, get rid of anything that might be attractive to weevils in restrooms, like grain crumbs or weevil-infested plants.

2. Spray Weevils with Soapy Water

A simple soapy solution with dish soap and warm water can kill adult weevils.

You can also use insecticidal soap to kill the weevils much faster.

Spray the soapy mixture directly on the weevils in your bathroom.

Make sure to soak them thoroughly and wait until it’s time to clean after them.

3. Use a Vinegar Solution

Vinegar is a natural disinfectant, and a simple vinegar and water solution makes an effective natural deterrent for weevils.

Use this solution to clean your bathroom, and make sure to wipe along all crevices and nooks.

If you don’t like the vinegar smell, you can add a few drops of eucalyptus or tea tree oil, which are also great for getting rid of weevils.

How to Get Rid of Weevils Using Chemicals

1. Set Up Pheromone Traps

Glue traps or pheromone traps effectively attract pests like weevils and stop an infestation.

You can set up these traps where weevils hide, like under the sink and drain, and wait for a while.

Products like Dr. Killigan’s Pantry Moth Traps can help monitor and reduce weevils population in your bathroom.

Change the traps once they are full until you’re confident that you’ve gotten rid of all the weevils in your toilet.

2. Use Pesticides

If you need a quick solution to get rid of weevils in the bathroom, you can apply insecticides in locations you’ve seen weevils.

They are not resistant to pesticides and will die soon after you spray them.

But note that only use pesticides after you’ve located where the weevils are hanging out.

3. Sprinkle Some Diatomaceous Earth

Weevil deterrents like Diatomaceous Earth can kill existing weevils in your bathroom and prevent any infestation from happening again.

Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around your bathroom, including under the sink, toilet bowl, shower floor, bathroom carpet, and under cabinets.

Let the powder sit for several days before vacuuming your entire bathroom.

This solution can kill and deter weevils that are invading your bathroom.

How to Prevent Weevils From Coming Back to My Bathroom

So, you’ve gotten rid of weevils in your bathroom, but how can you prevent them from coming back?

There are two simple ways to keep weevils from returning to your bathroom.

1. Get Rid of Any Possible Entryway 

Weevils are inside because they found a way to enter your bathroom, so the first step to keep them from coming back is to close any possible entryway.

Check any crack or hole in the bathroom wall, ceiling, vents, doors, and windows where weevils can enter.

Look around and patch up any damaged weather stripping, missing caulk, and torn screens.

2. Use Weevil Deterrents

Placing weevil deterrents in your bathroom makes it less welcoming to weevils, preventing them from coming back inside.

Some of the effective weevil deterrents include essential oil sprays like peppermint and sweet orange.

Herbal sachets with bay leaves, rosemary, cloves, and peppercorns can also keep weevils away.