Natural Ways to Get Rid of Flies in your Home
The last thing you want to see when you come home is a swarm of flies buzzing around your house. Flies are often attracted to decaying organic matter, so it’s important to keep your compost pile away from the house. If you notice an infestation in the home, there are natural ways that can help get rid of these pesky insects once and for all!
So, how do you naturally get rid of flies in your home? There are some natural ways that can help get rid of flies depending on where they’re coming from. Some of the best natural solutions for flies in your home include:
- Dish Soap and Water
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Borax and Sugar
- Vinegar and Dish Soap
- Essential Oils
- Citrus Oil Mix
- Garlic and Onion
- Cayenne Pepper
In this blog post, we will discuss how to naturally get rid of flies in your home as well as some other factors that attract these insects into our homes.
What Attracts Flies in Your Home?
Flies are usually attracted to decaying organic matter, so it’s important to keep the compost pile away from your house. If you notice that there is a buildup of fruit flies or gnats near windowsills or doors, chances are they’re coming from outside.
If you notice a buildup of flies around your garbage can or cabinets, chances are that they’re coming from inside the house as there is some decaying organic matter somewhere in those areas.
Flies will also lay their larvae near wet surfaces with high levels of nitrogen such as dirty diapers and dog food bowls.
How to Know If You Have a Fly Infestation in Your Home?
If you notice a buildup of flies inside or outside your home, chances are that there is an infestation. One simple way to check for fly larvae around the house is by setting up yellow sticky traps near windows and doors where they’re most likely coming from. The best time to do this is early morning before sunrise when these insects tend to be more active.
When conducting the aforementioned inspection, keep track of where the majority of pests have been found so it will be easier to put all clues together later on during treatment procedures once we know what attracts them into our homes!
Natural Remedies for Getting Rid of Flies
With natural remedies being safer for children and pets, here’s how you can naturally get rid of flies in your home:
Dish Soap and Water
If you notice a buildup of gnats or fruit flies near windowsills, chances are they’re coming from outside the house. To get rid of these pesky insects without using harsh chemicals, mix two parts dish soap to one part water in a spray bottle and shake well before each use.
Simply take this mixture and spritz it directly onto the fly infestation area! The best time to do this is early morning when there’s still dew on vegetation for maximum effect as humidity can also be an issue that causes these pests into our homes.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Using organic apple cider vinegar will kill off any larvae that may have been laid by adults who were killed by the dish soap/water mixture. Simply pour the vinegar into a dish and place it on the ground near where the flies are coming from to get rid of them for good!
Borax and Sugar
Using borax with sugar will kill off larvae that may have been laid by adults who were killed by the dish soap/water mixture.
To make this natural remedy, simply mix one tablespoon of Borax along with two tablespoons of plain white sugar inside a small jar or container.
Next, shake well before each use as you do not want these ingredients to settle at the bottom. To kill off fly larvae using this homemade solution, take some cotton balls (about 20) which you’ve soaked in water beforehand and roll them generously in your borax/sugar mixture.
Place the cotton balls near where flies are coming from and keep an eye on their progress in a few days! You can also place these cotton balls inside your garbage cabinet or along your window sills to get rid of any larvae that may have been laid by adults which you have killed off using dish soap/water mixtures.
Vinegar and Dish Soap
Using vinegar with dish soap will kill off fly eggs that may have already hatched into little maggots due to drier weather conditions when they’re most active. To make this solution, simply mix one cup of apple cider vinegar with two tablespoons of dish soap in a spray bottle before shaking well.
Next, spritz this homemade solution directly onto the fly infestation area and watch as they die off within a few minutes.
Essential Oils
Using essential oils around your home is one of the best ways to naturally get rid of flies as they contain natural ingredients that are effective yet safe for every member of your household.
For example, you can use clove oil which will keep them away from areas where it has been applied or peppermint oil which smells very pleasant but keeps these pests out by creating an environment that’s not ideal for fly eggs and larvae to grow into adults!
Apply either solution inside garbage bins before closing their lids tightly each time since this area tends to be a favorite among egg-laying female adult flies if there haven’t already been any successful treatments done previously using other homemade remedies mentioned above!
Citrus Oil Mix
Mixing citrus oil with water will also kill any larvae that may have been laid by adults who were killed by dish soap/vinegar mixtures. To make this solution, simply mix one cup of orange peels cut into small pieces along with four cups of warm water inside a blender or food processor before straining it to separate the pulp from the juice.
Finally, pour your homemade mixture through a cheesecloth for maximum filtration! Once you’re left with only liquid inside your container after straining, use cotton balls (about 20) which you’ve soaked in some of this liquid beforehand, and place them near where flies are coming from.
Insects can’t stand the smell of citrus oil. They will immediately go away as soon as they come into contact with this natural remedy!
Garlic and Onion
Using garlic and onion is another way to naturally get rid of flies. They contain sulfur which these pests can’t stand. Simply cut up some cloves of garlic along with an onion before placing them in a bowl where you want the flies gone!
They will immediately go away once they come into contact with this natural mixture, so sit back and enjoy your fly-free environment as a result!
Cayenne Pepper
Using cayenne pepper is one more option for getting rid of pesky insects that have been bugging you. To make use of this solution, simply sprinkle some dried cayenne pepper on windowsills or areas around garbage bins where there might be larvae or eggs laid by adults who were killed using dish soap/vinegar mixtures.
The capsaicin in the cayenne pepper will irritate these pests. It will cause them to leave your home as soon as they come into contact with this natural powder!
Do’s and Don’ts of Getting Rid Of Flies Naturally
– Do not use any fly traps near your garbage bins. Their glue can easily stick on its surfaces which means you’ll have a bigger problem to deal with later!
– Keep an eye on where flies are coming from. If you do so, you will know exactly what needs to be done for successful treatment results.
– Make sure there aren’t any open food items sitting out around your house.
– Do make sure you clean up any messes or spills immediately after they happen so that you don’t attract to these areas where you drop food.
– Learn how to identify adult fly species through online identification guides or by asking an exterminator about their exact appearance. This is extremely important since knowing their exact species is the only way to know which ingredients will be effective for treatment purposes.
– Don’t use dish soap or vinegar mixtures near areas where there might be larvae or eggs laid by adults due to the risk of making them worse instead of better. They can stick onto those surfaces later on when these chemicals are no longer present!
– Do keep in mind that some solutions may take a few days before you notice results. Especially if it’s been hot outside recently and flies have had more time to lay eggs on your surfaces!
– Don’t ignore any signs that tell you how serious this problem has become such as seeing hundreds of dead adult insects around windowsills after just a week because then you’ll never get rid of them and you’ll be stuck with a bigger problem than before!
In Conclusion
It is important to remember that many natural remedies for flies take several days to have an effect. Be patient while working to eliminate the flies in your home. If you feel like your fly infestation is beyond your control, reach out to a local expert in pest control.