A mother from New South Wales, Australia, was shocked when she came home from a vacation. The trip lasted only five days but was enough time for a strange black “dust” to accumulate in the woman’s bathroom. Now, Vicki, the Australian mom with the black dust problem, had come forward to share how the rejuvenation she felt during her holiday was all whipped away when she came home to find the black “dust” inside her bathroom piled up in a mound.
Vicki thought the dirty display was a big enough problem, but when she learned what had caused the black dust, she realized that her problems were only getting started. The mound of black dust that had accumulated in her bathroom was due to an infestation of ants that had taken over her house while she was away from it.
“[We’ve] been away from home for five days and came back to this in our bathroom,” she shared in a popular Facebook group for moms.
The image of her bathroom showed how a black mound of dust had accumulated. The dust had fallen onto a mantle that was connected to the ledge that was holding up Vicki’s tub in her bathroom.
“We had noticed a couple of little spots before we left, so sprayed with surface spray, but it’s had no effect,” the Australian mom added. “We have no idea what it is or how to get rid of it. It’s below the bathroom window and has fallen onto the top of the row of tiles and on the bath surround.”
In conclusion to her Facebook group post, Vicki asked other moms in the group if they could help her. She was eager for people to inform her about the ant infestation and explain to her what she could do to solve the annoying problem that had appeared while she was out of the home during a vacation for five days.
People flooded Vicki’s post with comments. It came down to one of two possible things.
“There are most likely ants in your windowsill,” said one mom in the Facebook group. “Get in touch with pest control immediately – there might be termites! Just check that around the window doesn’t sound hollow.”
However, the group soon seemed to reach a consensus that the black dust was most likely caused by an ant colony that had moved into Vicki’s home while she and her family were away.
“It’s ant dust – there’s an ant nest behind the wall,” one person wrote. “I had the same happen to me last week – you need a solution that will kill the Queen; otherwise, they will just come back.”
Fortunately, Vicki’s husband was able to do some more investigating.
“My husband investigated further – and he found a tiny hole in the bottom corner of the architrave around the window,” Vicki said. “He watched some tiny black ants come in and out – we have bought some Ant Rid bait strips from the supermarket and have placed them near the tiny hole! Fingers crossed, it works!”
Facebook saved the day.
She wrote, “Thank you to everyone who has commented and made some useful suggestions.”