House flies are annoying, especially when they buzz around your ears, keep touching your skin, and hover all over your home. They carry bacteria to anything they come in contact with, contaminating food and spreading germs that can cause various diseases. From late spring through early fall, houseflies become more active, causing you to seek natural ways to get rid of them.
In this article, we are going to share 7 ways to stop flies from coming inside your place and some preventive measures to enjoy a fly-free home.
Whether you are dealing with swarms or stray flies, we have simple and efficient techniques to keep them out of your home. Let’s explore how you can maintain a clean and hygienic atmosphere for you and your family.
Essential Oil
Essential oils have insect-repellent properties and are extracted from plants like lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, and lemongrass. They give off a sweet, strong smell that is pleasant to humans but not attractive to the flies.
To use essential oils, you need to mix them with water or add them to diffusers and spray them in every corner where flies tend to gather. You can also apply the oils directly to the places where house flies are present.
Light Scented Candles
Scented candles, such as Citronella or Peppermint candles, are quite popular and cost-effective ways to ward off flies. The lemony aroma from burning Citronella candles or the strong fragrance of Peppermint oil deters the house flies.
You can place them near the doorway or in the kitchen to keep the flies away from food. However, these candles will only work in small places, so you may have to burn them in every other corner or window for their effective use.
Keeping Fragrant Plants Near Windows
Flies are sensitive to strong smells, such as herbs or fragrant plants, and they avoid places with such fragrances.
So, keeping herb plants indoors, including mint, basil, or marigold, near the windows will not only purify the air but also repel the flies. If no pots are available, you can have a patch of mint or basil and pop it in a vase by the window.
Related: Mosquito and Fly Repellent Plants You Need To Grow For Summer
Fly Paper And Traps
Flypaper attracts the flies through its sweet coating, trapping them when they land on these sticky papers. Hang fly papers coated with adhesives in areas where flies are frequently seen, such as near windows, trash bins, or doorways.
Fly traps are also used to capture the flies in a trap from which they cannot escape and ultimately die. Homemade DIY flytraps or devices are available in the market to eliminate flies.
Prepare a mixture of sugar and water in a jar. Place a funnel paper with a wide opening at the top and a narrow end inside the jar. Flies will be attracted to the sweet smell and enter through the wide mouth but will be stuck inside the narrow opening of the funnel above the sugar water.
Using A Mixture of Apple Cider Vinegar and Dish Soap
An effective homemade trapping solution for flies is a mixture of apple cider vinegar and dish soap. Combine both of them in a glass, stir it, and cover with plastic wrap with holes on top.
The vinegar’s odor will attract the flies; however, the dish soap will sink and drown them rather than allow them to land on it.
Related: DIY Cheap Mosquito Trap
Lemongrass Spray
Lemongrass is a natural insect repellent due to its strong citrus fragrance, which is unpleasant to house flies. Moreover, it contains citronella oil, which masks the fragrance of carbon dioxide and lactic acid, which flies are attracted to.
To make the spray, add a few drops of lemongrass oil to two cups of warm water and spread it where you think flies are likely to gather, like windows, doors, and kitchen areas.
Ginger Powder and Water
Ginger has a very powerful odor and contains compounds like gingerols and shogaols that help to keep away flies. You can either use ginger powder directly or make a mixture with water or essential oil to enhance its application.
To make a ginger spray, take three or four cups of water and add a few pinches of dried ginger powder. Spritzing it in every spot will keep the flies from avoiding that area.
How to Prevent Flies Indoors
Here are four ways to secure your home in every nook and cranny, with doors and windows sealed.
Remove Trash and Litter
Remove all the trash from your house frequently, as it includes food waste and crumbs that attract flies. Moreover, if you have a pet in the house that uses a litter box, try to clean it more often.
Inspect Potential Breeding Spots
Clean the area regularly where food is prepared or stored. The garbage bins should be tightly sealed and emptied daily. If standing or stagnant water is in the sink, drains, flower pots, or pet bowls, fix it to eliminate breeding sites.
Seal Entry Points
Seal all the cracks and crevices in the walls to prevent flies from entering. Make sure to check that all the windows are properly closed at night. There must not be any holes or gaps in any window screen that let the annoying bugs pass through it.
Limit The Excessive Use of Light
The lights attract the flies, so turn off the unnecessary ones at night both outside and inside. Inspect all the gaps and holes in the windows and doors through which a small amount of light passes. The best way to repel the flies is to use yellow lights.
Summing up, all these seven simple remedies will prevent the flies from coming into the house. Whether using herbs, sprays, candles, or various mixtures to trap and repel them, each method plays a crucial role in creating a cleaner, more comfortable indoor environment.
Additionally, maintaining cleanliness indoors and outdoors also reduces the number of flies that come to your home. By adopting the above methods, you will not only eliminate these pestering flies but also promote a hygienic, eco-friendly atmosphere that enhances overall living quality.
You may also like:
6 Cheap DIY Projects You Can Only Do This Summer
DIY Harmless Pest Traps That Actually Work (Video)
You Don’t Want This Near Your Plants
How You Can Keep Rodents Out Of Your Garden
Ingenious Ways To Keep The Critters Out Of Your Pantry
