With the cooler weather, we tend to leave the doors open more often. That invites the old house flies in and the annoying swatting begins. Flies can cause problems, especially when it comes to contaminating your food. While the average house fly does not bite people, it can spread disease and pathogens by laying eggs on your food and other surfaces. Get rid of flies by making a do-it-yourself trap using dish soap, making a do-it-yourself repellent using cayenne pepper or herbs like mint, or buying a commercial trap.
Keep in mind that preventing flies from coming into your home is just as important as removing them. You’ll need to be mindful of leaving doors or windows without screens open. Check your sealing and insulation. Doors and windows should be closed and sealed to prevent flies and other insects from coming in.
So we are addressing what happens once the pests have made their way in your home. You’ll need to make the area seem less appealing as a potential food or housing source. Here are our top 5 tips:
Set a trap with dish soap. Pour 1 inch (2.54 cm) of liquid dish soap into a jar and add 1 inch (2.54 cm) of water. The flies will be attracted to the soap and drown in the water.
- Use fruit flavored dish soap for best results. An apple scented soap or lemon soap may provide better results, for example.
- Add a drop or two of apple cider vinegar if you do not seem to be catching many flies. The vinegar will attract flies to the jar.
Mix a natural fly repellent in a spray bottle. Flies will stay away from the scent of cayenne pepper. Mix a little in a spray bottle with water.
- Spray the cayenne mixture in doorways, window sills and other cracks and corners where flies might try to come in. The smell of the cayenne will keep them out.
Plant herbs to repel flies. They do not like scents such as lavender, basil and mint. Set up an herb garden in your kitchen or window sills to keep flies out.
- Use marigolds if you prefer flowers to herbs. Marigolds are offensive to flies.
Outsmart flies with plastic bags full of water. The way the bags and water reflect light will resemble a spider’s web, and flies always try to avoid those.
- Fill clear plastic bags halfway with water. Seal the bags and hang them near doors and windows.
- Hang old CDs and DVDs to achieve the same light effect.
Purchase flypaper. This can be found at hardware stores, department stores and home improvement retailers. Flies will stick to the paper and be unable to fly away.
- Remove the flypaper and discard it when too many flies begin to accumulate. Not only will it cease to be useful, a crowded strip of flypaper often looks unattractive.
Consider a fly light. You can buy a special light that keeps flies away from your kitchen or home. Many restaurants use this type of device.
Throw out fruits and vegetables before they get too old to eat. Whenever possible, keep them in the refrigerator instead of out in the kitchen.
Keep all of your trash sealed. Flies are attracted to garbage, especially any decaying food.
Clean your floors, countertops and other surfaces thoroughly. Be sure not to leave crumbs or spills.
You could buy a venus fly trap plant.
Happy fly trapping!