Tiny Jumping Specks in the Sink? Those Are Springtails.
See jumping grey specks in your pool or sink? It's not fleas. It's Springtails. Learn why they invade damp areas and how to dry them out.
I get this call every summer. "My pool is covered in grey dust that jumps!" or "My bathroom sink is full of jumping pepper!"
Those aren't fleas. They are Springtails.
What are they?
They are microscopic hexapods (primitive insects). They have a spring-loaded tail (furcula) tucked under their belly. When they get scared, they release it and launch into the air.
Why they are invading
Springtails eat mold and fungus. They need 100% humidity.
- In the Pool: They fall in and get stuck on the surface tension. They aren't living in the water; they are drowning in it.
- In the Sink: They are living in the overflow drain (that little hole near the rim) or coming from damp mulch outside and squeezing through the window seal.
Can they bite?
No. They have no biting mouthparts. They don't spread disease. They are purely a nuisance. A very annoying, numerous nuisance.
How to kill them
Spraying Raid is useless. There are too many of them.
The Solution is Dryness. 1. Outside: If they are coming in the window, check the mulch. Is it piled too high? Rake it back. Let the soil dry out. 2. Inside: Pour vinegar or an enzyme cleaner down the sink overflow drain. Run a fan in the bathroom.
Once the moisture is gone, they dehydrate and die in hours.