Mix Up an Effective Fly Repellent With 12 Home Remedies For Your Kitchen
Is your kitchen being overrun by pesky flying insects? Buzzing flies can quickly go from a mild nuisance to a full-blown infestation. Flies carry bacteria and can contaminate food prep surfaces in your kitchen. Getting rid of flies for good requires diligence and perseverance.
You’ll also learn key sanitation and prevention tactics to stop flies in their tracks.
Why Flies Invade Your Kitchen and Types of Flies
Flies detect food odors and aromas from impressive distances. They zero in on any exposed trash, produce or pet food in your kitchen. Certain types of flies are also attracted to moisture, standing water and structural defects they can exploit to breed and nest.
Here are some of the most common culprits of kitchen fly infestations:
Fruit Flies
Tiny fruit flies congregate around ripe, rotting or fermenting produce. They lay eggs near the skin of fruit where larvae can feed. Common around compost bins.
Drain Flies
Drain flies live and breed in the moist film inside drain pipes. They emerge from sink and shower drains in search of food.
House Flies
Unsanitary conditions like open trash bins and food debris attract filthy houseflies. They spread bacteria each time they land.
Vinegar Flies
Vinegar flies are attracted to the smell of fermenting liquids and alcohol. They can become a nuisance around wine, beer, vinegar, etc.
Cluster Flies
Cluster flies get their name from aggregating in clusters inside homes in cold weather. They resemble houseflies and indicate a gap in your home’s exterior.
Negative Effects of Fly Infestations
A few flies here and there may go unnoticed. But left unchecked, dozens to hundreds of flies can take over and wreak havoc in your kitchen.
Health Risks
Flies spread deadly pathogens like salmonella, E. coli and hepatitis when they land on food prep surfaces, plates or utensils. Fly specks also contain disease-causing bacteria.
Allowing flies to roam freely in your kitchen dramatically increases the chance of food contamination. Ingesting bacteria brought by flies can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, cramps and fever.
Nuisance and Annoyance
While not dangerous, the incessant buzzing of flies zipping around your kitchen is extremely aggravating. The sound of flies crashing into windows trying to escape can make you want to pull your hair out.
Flies crawling on counters, cabinets and clean dishes ruins any appetite. Finding fly eggs and larvae near food is downright nauseating.
Signs of a Serious Fly Problem
More than 10-25 flies present at a time indicates a serious fly issue. Fly populations can multiply rapidly, so addressing problems early is key.
Flies lingering for more than 2-3 days means they’ve found ideal breeding conditions. Fly larvae and maggots appearing near food, trash or compost is a red flag for immediate action.
Repel and Deter Flies With Natural Ingredients
Before resorting to harsh chemical pesticides, try repelling flies using gentle, natural ingredients you may already have at home.
Herbs and Spices
Flies detest the strong smell given off by certain herbs and spices:
- Place pots of fresh basil, mint and lemongrass near windows and doors as smell deterrents.
- Sprinkle dried herbs like lavender and eucalyptus around outdoor eating areas.
- Scatter small dishes with cloves, thyme or sage around trash receptacles.
Essential Oils
Repel flies by diffusing pure essential oils like lavender, lemongrass, eucalyptus or citronella in your kitchen:
- Add several drops to an aromatherapy diffuser near problem areas.
- Spray a diluted essential oil solution on curtains and tablecloths.
Citronella Candles and Incense
Strategically place citronella candles or incense sticks to deter flies:
- Illuminate citronella candles at outdoor tables and gathering spots.
- Burn citronella incense while cooking outdoors to repel flies.
12 Homemade Fly Traps and Baits
In addition to repelling, trapping flies is an effective control method. DIY fly traps lure flies in with bait so they become stuck and die.
Vinegar and Dish Soap Traps
Flies cannot resist the smell of fermenting apple cider vinegar. Add dish soap to make them sink:
- Fill a bowl with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and poke small holes.
- Place bowls along countertops, by pet dishes, or in problem areas.
Fruit and Sugar Water Baits
Fruit flies congregate around produce and sweet liquids:
- Fill a jar with old fruit peels, juice or sugar water.
- Add a drop of dish soap and cover the opening with plastic wrap.
- Fruit flies enter through holes in the plastic but cannot escape.
Wine and Yeast Traps
Wine, beer and yeast fermentation lure in vinegar flies:
- Place wine or yeast solution in the bottom of a funnel.
- Position funnel traps in discreet areas flies frequent like countertops.
Prevent Fly Infestations With Sanitation and Exclusion
Improving sanitation and sealing entry points are proactive ways to avoid fly issues in your kitchen.
Eliminate Breeding Sites
Flies need food and refuse to breed. Sanitation is key:
- Promptly clean any spills and food debris.
- Empty garbage cans frequently.
- Rinse recyclables to avoid residue.
- Drain any standing water from sinks or pipes.
- Keep compost bins closed securely.
Install Physical Barriers
Sealing cracks shuts out flies:
- Ensure windows and doors have tight fitting screens.
- Install weatherstrips around doors to seal gaps.
- Caulk or seal cracks and holes found inside and outside.
When to Call a Professional Exterminator
For minor fly problems, home remedies and vigilance may do the trick. But when all else fails, calling an exterminator for chemical treatments or fumigation is the best course of action.
Signs it’s time to bring in professional backup include:
- Failed DIY attempts over 2-3 weeks.
- A severe infestation with over 100 flies present at once.
- Spotting fly larvae or maggots near food or piping.
- Large fly populations return shortly after cleaning.
In extreme fly scenarios, an exterminator can professionally apply powerful chemicals and insecticides to eradicate flies at their source and prevent reinfestations.
FAQ About Flies in Kitchens
What home remedies keep flies away?
Using herbs, essential oils, and vinegar traps are easy homemade solutions for repelling and catching flies. Strategically place fresh mint, basil, citronella candles or make DIY funnel traps.
What scents and smells repel flies naturally?
Strong herbal scents from plants like mint, lemongrass, lavender and eucalyptus repel flies. Citrus smells from oranges, lemons or citronella also deter flies.
What essential oils are effective against flies?
Eucalyptus, peppermint, lemongrass, lavender, citronella and tea tree essential oils have natural compounds that repel flies when diffused in the air or sprayed on surfaces.
Where are the best places to set out fly traps?
Target areas where you notice flies congregating such as around trash cans, sinks, compost bins, pet bowls, windows and doorways. Avoid food prep surfaces.
What time of day or year are flies most active?
Flies become more active and problematic during summer months when it's warm. Flies feed most actively from dawn to dusk when the sun is out.
How do I find where flies are coming from in my kitchen?
Observe fly movement and locations where they cluster to spot gaps in windows, pipes or entryways. Drain flies around sinks indicate breeding in pipes. Fruit flies hint at produce gone bad.
Why do I have so many flies even when I keep a clean kitchen?
Flies can exploit the tiniest entry point like a hole in a screen. Even in clean kitchens, flies get in when trash cans are open, food is left out, or gaps in the walls or doors let them in.
Drain flies breed in pipe gunk. Disinfect pipes with baking soda and vinegar. Pour boiling water down the drain. Use drain covers. Trap stray flies with vinegar baits.
With some diligence using these homemade fly remedies and prevention tips, you can reclaim your kitchen from annoying infestations. Mix up easy DIY fly solutions using common household items for a pest-free domain.