Figuring out how to get rid of house flies can be challenging. Flies can spread food poisoning, E. coli, dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, and a host of other allergens by contaminating your water and food. So how do you get rid of them and protect your home and family?
You could try a pesticide spray or other chemical formula to get rid of flies, but typical pesticide ingredients can be pretty harmful to your home and family. Fortunately, there are many non-toxic alternatives, so you can learn how to repel flies without using harsh commercial products. Keep reading to find more about the variety of natural remedies you can use to rid your home of flies this summer.
How to Get Rid of Flies in the House Quickly
Your regular run-of-the-mill houseflies are generally attracted to places where they can lay their eggs. Yeah, that’s pretty gross and that generally means areas with lots of wood waste, garbage, animal feces, and decaying or rotting material are free real estate.
So to limit the availability of these fly-friendly spaces, you’ll need to make your home less attractive to flies and limit access to their preferred areas. Here are a few suggestions and starting points for making sure your home stays fly-free:
- Make sure the screens, windows, doors, and house vents around your home are well-sealed and free from holes, gaps, or tears.
- Switch to using garbage cans with tight-fitting lids and take the trash out as soon as it’s full so that flies aren’t attracted to the stinky garbage.
- Be sure to store leftover food in airtight containers, especially when hanging around or grilling outside.
- Don’t leave any dirty dishes or glasses out on the kitchen counter or other areas outside the kitchen.
- Don’t leave freshly cut grass clippings or piles of leaves near your house.
- Turn off outdoor lights at night when they’re not necessary.
- Avoid using any poison traps to kill rodents around your home, because the carcasses can attract flies.
- Clean up any animal feces, such as in your cat’s litter box, right away.
If you have any large garbage bins in your home, it might be time to switch to smaller ones, at least during fly season. This will mean you’ll have to take out the trash more frequently which will also minimize the number of flies attracted to the trash. If you find that your home has a heavy fly infestation around your kitchen or laundry room, you might want to move your garbage bins outside entirely during fly season.
How to Get Rid of Flies Inside
Cloves
You can poke about 20 whole cloves into a ripe apple or a piece of citrus fruit like a lemon or orange, and place it on a plate. The flies will start to disappear in and around your home as these fragrant pomanders work to keep the flies at bay and create sweet aromas for weeks.
Lavender
Lavender is one of the easiest and more popular ways to get rid of houseflies because it is widely available in so many forms. Growing lavender plants outside, putting a bouquet of fresh lavender in a vase, and burning lavender oil near entryways and windows helps keep flies out of your house. Plus, lavender is one of the best smelling remedies and can help your home feel more relaxing and peaceful.
Citrus
A lot of commercial fly repellents contain orange or lemon extracts, and that’s not just because of the scent, but also because citrus oil is an effective natural fly repellent. You can place citrus peels in areas where the flies are buzzing the most to keep them under control. We suggest putting the peels in a small damp cloth on a dish to keep them moist and rubbing the peels every once in a while to keep the scent fresh.
Basil
Basil is a popular and versatile herb that can be grown in gardens, flowerbeds and indoor pots. Planting basil near the window or entryway can actually help to keep flies out of your house or plant it around your gardens or in planters to keep the flies away when you’re outside.
Pine
Did you know that pine oil is also a strong natural fly repellent AND sanitizer? You can dab a few drops of the oil on a cheesecloth and place it wherever you see flies and watch them scatter. You can also soak a few cotton balls in pine oil and place them in a bowl wherever you see flies for the same results.
Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is more than a spicy addition to your favorite foods, its also an excellent natural fly repellent and can also deter many other insects. Just mix one cup of water and one teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a misting spray bottle and spray it around your home’s entryways and wherever else you see flies.
Apple Cider Vinegar & Dish Soap
You can mix a few drops of dish soap in about an inch of apple cider vinegar in a tall glass and then cover the glass with plastic wrap, secure it with a rubber band and poke small holes in the top. Flies will be very attracted to the smelly vinegar in the glass and will fly through the tiny holes, but the film of dish soap will cause the flies to sink into the liquid instead of being able to land on the vinegar.
Venus Flytrap
Venus flytraps are carnivorous plants that attract, trap, and eat insects. So, as creepy and gross as you might find them, if you plant them outside they can naturally get rid of flies, however they aren’t quite as effective inside. When a fly lands on the plant’s trigger points, the plant closes around the fly and traps it before producing a digestive fluid to dissolve the fly. Gross, but effective!
Light Trap
Light traps are boxes with a light in the back that continuously attracts flies, so when the flies try to get to the light, they’ll either be killed with an electric zap or trapped. You can place and mount light traps about five feet off the ground and far away from any entrances and windows where flies may get inside your home.
Sticky Traps
Sticky traps are pretty self-explanatory as they are literally strips of sticky paper that can be hung or laid down throughout your house to catch pests. They are covered with a very sticky substance that actually attracts flies, gnats, and most other pests and traps them for good. We will warn you to be careful when using them inside because they tend to stick to everything that touches them.
How to Get Rid of Flies Outside
Outdoor Fan
Flies might be quick little pests, but luckily they’re not very strong. You can set up or mount oscillating fans on your deck or patio to blow air away from your space. So when flies fly into your “air space,” they will naturally have to fly away to avoid fighting the strong breeze. We suggest placing the fans near your grill, picnic table, and anywhere else you want to be pest-free while you’re outside.
Patio Flytrap
Mix a quarter cup of sugar and one cup of water in a mason jar, then roll a stiff piece of paper or cardstock into a cone, cut off the point, and position it in the jar where the tapered end is just above the sugar water. Tape the larger end of the paper cone to the jar’s mouth so there are no openings between the paper and the jar and that’s it! The flies won’t be able to resist the sweet sugary water but won’t be able to get out of the jar.
Citronella Candle
Citronella smells lovely to most of us, but it stinks to flies. These popular pest deterrents come in different sizes, so it’s easy to find the best candles for your needs. Light several and place them around your patio or use a large Citronella candle on your patio table. You get the ambiance of firelight and citrus aromas while the annoying flies get a “no-fly zone!” Malaria Journal.
Homemade Fly Strips
Natural fly repellants that use essential oils that flies can’t stand are pretty simple and easy to make. Start by cutting a piece of cloth into strips about a foot long and an inch wide. Apply ten drops of clove, lavender, lemon, or mint essential oil to each strip and hang them in strategic areas. Hang one near entryways and windows, tie one to your patio umbrella, or staple them to the ends of your picnic table. Just remember to place these high and away from any curious pets as essential oils can actually be harmful to your furry friends.
Standing Water Around the Yard
Here are a few tips for limiting the amount of standing water and reducing the amount of flies around your yard:
- Refresh birdbaths frequently
- Remove anything that could collect rainwater
- Fill in sunken areas in your yard that pool with water
- If you have an outdoor pool and aren’t running a pump frequently, either cover the pool or drain it.
Remember to check out other EPA-registered insect repellents and to also protect yourself and your family from those nasty pests all summer. Want more homemade fly spray recipes? Check out this natural DIY fly spray that’s safe for your pets and farm buddies!
If you’re looking for an affordable cleaning service to get your home looking its best just in time for your next summer BBQ, check out our available services and contact us today to find out how we can help!
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