You understand how it feels if you’ve ever overwatered indoor or outdoor plants, spilt sweet juice on the counter and neglected to clean it up soon away or put off taking out the garbage for too long. Your house will appear to be covered in tiny gnats after making one easy household error. Here are eight methods to help you permanently get rid of gnats.
Verify if the insects are, in fact, gnats before attempting to destroy them. There are many different kinds of tiny flying insects, and each one must be eliminated using a slightly different strategy. You could possibly discover that you need to learn how to get rid of drain flies or fruit flies instead. It’s simple to tell one bug from another if you know what to look for. Fruit flies are generally brown and rounder in form, whereas fungus gnats have a black appearance and lengthy legs. As their name implies, drain flies hang out around sink drains and have fuzzier appearances and longer wings.
By using vinegar solutions, over-the-counter medicines, and even rotten fruit (seriously! ), you may start to take the essential measures toward permanently getting rid of gnats, flies, and other pests once and for all. Invest in one of the top insect zappers available for longer-term results.
Use fly paper
There isn’t really a more reliable—or strangely satisfying—solution than fly paper, which simply traps flying insects on its sticky surface. Window fly paper will completely cover an open window in an adhesive sheet, or you may hang “ribbon fly paper” from gnat-prone spots in your home.
Try a bug zapper
A bug zapper is usually a solid choice, even though it functions best with bigger insects (like mosquitoes). The KATCHY gadget is one of several modern brands and designs that may be used indoors without risk. The majority of gnats and flies in your home should be captured by these silent devices, and the greatest part is that you won’t have to do anything to make it happen.
Make a trap using apple cider vinegar
Combine two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon of sugar, six drops of liquid dish soap, and half a cup of warm water in a small bowl. The sweet concoction will draw gnats in, but once they dive in for a drink, the tacky dish soap will catch them. Place the bowl containing the solution in the locations where you’ve seen the most gnats, then watch the effects.
Buy a chemical spray
If things truly deteriorate, you could discover that you require a more potent insect killer. The pesticide is one choice, but we advise against using it if there are any young children present. As always, make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions. One alternative that especially targets gnats in addition to other home pests is this Hot Shot Kitchen Bug Killer.
Pour boiling water down your drain
Gnats frequently deposit their eggs in kitchen sink drains, especially in garbage disposals. They like any food buildup and bacterial growth in warm, damp environments. Pour boiling water into the sink to destroy any eggs that could be stuck there.
Use a wine trap
Now, we’re not proposing that you eliminate gnats by sacrificing your wine collection! Instead, you should utilize an old bottle of wine that has almost gone to vinegar for this clever trap. You may use it similarly to how you applied the previously described apple cider vinegar trick: A small container filled with some of the old wine and a few drops of dish soap should be placed in gnat-infested parts of your house while you wait for the bugs to enter.