Have you ever sat on the toilet and reached out for some toilet paper only to realize it has holes? Upon closer inspection, you may notice various minute specks moving across each ply. This is a telltale sign that your toilet paper is infested with bugs!
Let’s talk about these toilet paper bugs and discover a handful of ways in which you can get rid of them.
Let’s Have a Chat About Booklice
Also known as Psocoptera, booklice might be the culprits responsible for the holes and frayed appearance of your toilet paper.
Appearance
These are minuscule insects whose appearance depends on which sub-species they belong to. Most of them vaguely resemble termites with their two pairs of legs, the rear pair being longer than the front ones.
They normally appear in shades of light brown, pale white or grey and have either two or four wings depending on their specie.
They typically measure up to anywhere between 1.5 to 4 mm. Psocoptera can be found everywhere, outside and inside your house. They don’t cause substantial harm but are definitely a nuisance in large numbers.
Why Do Booklice Love Toilet Paper?
Like a myriad of other insects, booklice love toilet paper quite a bit. They primarily eat fungi, mold, insect fragments, and, most popularly, old books, hence their name. So, be wary of them chewing up the pages of your school or library books!
Their love for toilet paper could be accredited to the softness and perceived edibility of the material. This is especially the case when it’s damp, as this is usually the ideal environment for booklice and many other insects to thrive.
Would you like to learn about some of the best things you can do in the event of a booklice infestation on your toilet paper?
Once you finish reading this article, you should be able to ensure a bug-free life for yourself. So in advance, thank me later!
Ways to Prevent These Pests From Getting To Your Toilet Paper
You might think that keeping your toilet paper in your bathroom is a good idea, and it is. But when you have a booklice infestation afoot, it’s best if you take the precautions necessary to deal with it.
Here are a few of the steps you can take to keep your paper safe from the ravenous tendencies of booklice.
Store Your Paper in a Bright Place
When it comes to using a toilet paper box, booklice can easily find it and navigate its way inside. The best course of action here is to buy rolls of toilet paper instead. This keeps it visible and exposed to light.
Since booklice are not particularly fond of such conditions, they won’t deem it worthy to reach for the tissues and stay away from it.
Try Diatomaceous Powder
Since these insects are absolutely smitten with the idea of making their way to your supply of toilet paper, you could use this against them.
Sprinkle Diatomaceous Powder all around the area. If they don’t suspect any foul play, they’ll make their way into the vicinity of the powder, which, if ingested, will dehydrate them to death.
Dehumidify Your Area
It’s worth mentioning that, like most insects, booklice love and appreciate dark and damp places. This is why it’s crucial to buy and install a dehumidifier every time you finish showering.
Taking care of the humidity levels in your home is probably the most important thing you could do as far as insects are concerned.
Moreover, don’t forget to turn it off once you’re done. Letting it run for too long can overdry your room and result in a wastage of electricity.
Clean Your Home Regularly
It goes without saying that living in a clean home is of utmost importance. The best thing about this, apart from the aspect of ensured hygiene, is the fact that this is the cheapest and most practical method to keep bugs uninterested in your place.
Apart from books and tissue papers, booklice love to feed on fungi and mold. So, in order to keep your bathroom free from these enticing morsels of food, it’s imperative that you get rid of them.
Make sure to wash your bathroom walls and floors thoroughly with good quality cleaners and disinfectants. Don’t forget to reach every single corner, edge, and crevice and clean up any clumps of hair that might be clogging the drain.
Drain Out Any Water
Everyone needs water to survive, including booklice. That is why an integral part of keeping them at bay is to drain out the standing water in your bathroom.
After you have a bath, use a wiper and push all of the water towards the drain. Once you’re done, grab a dry mop and start absorbing all the moisture you can see on the bathroom floor.
Ensure Proper Storage For Your Toilet Paper
If you’re having trouble keeping bugs away from your toilet paper storage facility, it’s probably time to choose a new one.
To choose the right place, consider areas of your home that bugs don’t normally frequent. This could be a well-lit, wall-mounted cabinet or pantry or any other similar place.
Maybe you could choose unconventional items like tightly sealed containers and PVC pipes. These are sure to guarantee you a safe and snug place for your trusty old toilet paper.
Call in the Professionals
If all else fails and the booklice are refusing to leave, you should know that your bug issue has escalated to great heights. In this case, the final option that’s available to you is calling in the experts.
Pest control professionals should be able to help you with any and every insect-related problem you may have since they’re equipped with a wide range of tools and a lot of expertise.
Assuming you’re someone who’s skeptical about these methods, my advice to you is to simply take my word for it. These comparatively cheap ways to sort out your bug problem will eventually give you the results you desire.
Trust me, those pesky little critters will soon leave your life and regret ever coming to your bathroom.
Don’t Second Guess It, & Start Working Towards a Bug-Free Living Experience
So, that’s all we have to offer. I hope you’ve gotten a better understanding of how you can resolve toilet paper bug issues and take precautionary measures to keep them at bay. Though they’re microscopic in size, groups of these pests can pose a really big problem. They can absolutely devastate your toilet paper and, thus, waste the money you’d spent on it.
Besides, you don’t need to give the problem too much attention. Just execute your plan, lean back, and watch these unwelcome guests leave your space. That’s why you should make sure to follow these tips and earn yourself a cleaner, insect-free environment.
