Table Of Content

The best way to prevent flies from making your home theirs is to eliminate their feeding and breeding grounds. Flies are attracted to rotting fruits, food, uncovered drinks, feces, and garbage cans. So, the first step to eliminating flies is to maintain general cleanliness. Using essential oils, such as lemongrass and lavender, for cleaning can also deter flies. These oils have natural repellent properties that flies find unpleasant. Mixing a few drops of essential oil with water and using it to wipe down surfaces can help deter flies from entering your home.
How to Deal with a Housefly Infestation
When flies (or other winged insects) check it out, they get stuck to the paper. Fourthly, ensure that your trash is properly sealed and taken out regularly to prevent flies from being attracted to the odor of decaying waste. Thirdly, regularly check rooms for dirty dishes or leftover food. Flies are attracted to the smell of rotting food, so it is important to wash dishes promptly and dispose of any leftover food scraps. Firstly, wash and refrigerate fruits instead of leaving them exposed on countertops.
fly swatters
Also, consider using yellow bug lights to repel house flies, Irenicus says. In this guide, experts weigh in with their best tips to stave off these pesky insects. You can implement many natural fly remedies by using items around your house. And if you have a severe problem and the home remedies don’t work, we’ve included chemical solution options too. Additionally, inspect your windows for any broken seals or gaps that may allow flies to enter your home.

What smell will keep flies away?
You can even create a spray with alcohol and water to spritz on plants, or use dish soap and vinegar to trap and drown them in a mason jar or bottle. Some of these ideas work overnight and can even kill fruit flies on the spot. To create this homemade fly trap, start by cutting off the top third of the milk jug or bottle. Next, pour some apple cider vinegar into the bottom of the container, about halfway full. The scent of the vinegar will attract the flies, while the dish soap will prevent them from staying on the surface and drowning. In addition to its ability to annoy, the common housefly can transmit diseases.
When is it time to call in professionals to get rid flies in the house?
Another way to keep flies out of the house, the same as keeping mosquitoes away, is to cover open doors or windows. If you don't have plants indoors but have a patch of mint or basil in the garden, pull a bunch of leaves and pop them in a glass to act as a vase and pop that by the window instead. "You can also plant them in your garden to keep insects even further away," adds Kameliya.
9 Insects That May Be Those Little Black Bugs in The Kitchen—And How To Get Rid of Them
How to get rid of fruit flies and stop them coming back - Which? News - Which?
How to get rid of fruit flies and stop them coming back - Which? News.
Posted: Wed, 24 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Flies are particularly attracted to liquids that contain high levels of sweetness or fermentation. Therefore, substances such as sugar, honey, syrup, or even rotting fruits are highly effective in catching the attention of flies. For instance, a simple homemade fly trap can be made by mixing a bit of sugar in water. Alternatively, other liquids like apple cider vinegar, old wine, or decomposing foods like fish or shrimp also serve as potent attractants for flies. According to Zevo, the trap uses blue and UV light to attract and capture flying insects, like houseflies, fruit flies and gnats.
What Are Gnats?
Knowing how to get rid of flies can help you keep these pests out of your home for good. While they are great environmentally, flies are a nuisance when they invade your kitchen and home since they can carry bacteria and diseases. Getting rid of flies can seem like a never-ending task, especially in the summer, but this guide will teach you how to get rid of house flies and prevent them from returning. The term gnats refers to small flying insects that may or may not bite. You can rest easy knowing that most indoor gnats are not the biting kind nor are they prone to spreading disease.
Alternatively, you can use a commercial drain cleaner to produce the same results. DIY traps and homemade sprays to kill these kitchen and drain pests for good. Houseflies typically enter from the outside but will sometimes breed indoors. Breeding sites inside are more common in buildings with interior garbage rooms and compactors.

Whether you're catching flies for food, or just wanting to get rid of them, there are several effective methods you can try. Since using the trap that summer, I’ve bought two more and continue to use them in my home year-round. You’d be surprised (and probably grossed out) to discover how many flies are in your home in the winter, too. My mom is the one who suggested I try the Zevo Flying Insect Trap; she’d seen an ad for it on TV.
The strong smell of citrus is one that flies dislike, evident from the success of using citronella coils and candles to keep flies away. Flies also don't like the smell of basil so consider popping a basil plant in your kitchen to help deter them from coming into the house. This is a strategy most often employed in regions where malaria-carrying mosquitoes are common, and it is not a good method for controlling nuisance houseflies.
According to Natran Green Pest Control, the bugs are known to dislike scents like cayenne pepper, lavender, bay leaves, rosemary, cloves, and lemongrass. You can try using an essential oil or sprinkling some of the herbs in problem areas to see if that helps. Whether a fly followed you in as you walk through the door, got in through a vent or through a hole in a screen, one is all you need for a full-on pest problem. House flies may only live days, but can lay hundreds of eggs in that time. Here's how you can get rid of house flies without having to spend your days with a swatter. It is worth mentioning that flies are often mistaken for or identified along with gnats.
For this reason, you will often see flies swarming around trash cans, outdoor restrooms and outdoor animal enclosures. Flies will also be attracted to kitchen drains that have built-up food residue, bird feeders and animal carcasses. If all else fails, or you’re not interested in making a DIY solution, try placing a store-bought fly trap such as flypaper, cards, or ribbons near where gnats gather.