House flies are something that plagues nearly every home in America and they are disease carriers. It’s a myth that your home has to be dirty in order to end up with flies. Even immaculate well-kept homes can end up being houses for flies. They can get in from outside and lay eggs in the walls or light fixtures. Today, there are many chemical-based poisons and sprays that can help you if you’re trying to figure out how to get rid of flies. Many people prefer not to use these products, though. These home remedies for flies can help you take a natural, safer approach to the problem.
Try the best home remedies for flies to get rid of the infestation quickly
1. Homemade Flypaper
Flypaper is a common way to get rid of flies, but it can be expensive to buy in the store. Plus, some products are made out of petrochemicals that can conflict with your green lifestyle. You can make your own fly paper that can work just as well as the store-bought stuff using nothing but natural ingredients that are oil and chemical free. The idea behind fly paper is to catch the flies, trapping them so that they cannot fly away. You can then throw the fly paper away in the garbage outside and not have to worry about the bugs.
Instructions
- Get a brown paper bag.
- Cut the bag into 2-inch strips.
- Make a hole on one end of each stripe.
- Put a piece of thread, yarn or cord through the hole and tie in a knot.
- Combine 1/2 cup corn syrup with 1/4 cup white sugar.
- Mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Use a pastry brush to paint one side of the paper with the syrup that you made.
- Use the string to hang the strips wherever you’re bothered by flies.
- Replace the strips every 3 to 4 days or more frequently if they dry out.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
There’s an old saying that you’ll attract more flies with honey than with vinegar, but that’s actually not true. Flies really like the scent of apple cider vinegar and are naturally drawn to it. As a result, it can make one of the most effective home remedies for flies.
Instructions
- Get a clean mason jar or a recycled jar.
- Fill the jar up with 1/2 to 3/4 cups of apple cider vinegar.
- Place the jar in the microwave and heat it up for 30 seconds.
- Set a kitchen funnel in the top and put the jar wherever you get flies.
- Empty the jar when you see flies inside. If flies do not enter the jar quickly, reheat the vinegar in the microwave periodically.
3. Cucumber
Flies are drawn to a lot of people food, but there is one vegetable that they tend to steer clear of: cucumber! For whatever reason, the crisp, clean scent of cucumber repels many insects, making it a great natural home remedy to get rid of flies, as well as ants. The only real downside to this flies home remedy is that you will need to repeat it every day. Cucumber’s scent fades quickly, so to keep flies at bay on an ongoing basis, you’ll need to make sure that you keep up with anti-fly routine.
Instructions
- Cut one-fourth of a cucumber into slices.
- Place the cucumber slices in the area where flies tend to enter whether it’s through your windows or your doorway.
- Put a few cucumber slices in the garbage can to discourage flies from laying eggs.
- Throw away the old cucumber slices and add new ones daily.
4. Leftover Red Wine & Dish soap
As flies are attracted by the sweetness of the wine, this method is proven to be effective. All you need to do is fill a container with cheap red wine and wait for the flies to drown in the mixture. That’s when the dish soap comes in, as the bugs will get stuck in the liquid and you will be able to get rid of them.
Instructions
- Pour a glass of red wine into an open container.
- Add a tablespoon of dish soap and mix thoroughly.
- Wrap the top of the container with plastic foil and poke a few holes in it.
- Place it in the area where you found the flies and leave it overnight.
- Repeat when you see dead flies trapped in the container.
5. Lavender
This is one of the home remedies for flies that will make your home smell nice while keeping flies at bay. Lavender is a flowering plant that has a scent that is appealing to humans but a repellent to many insects, making it common for use in home remedies for flies. For this home remedy, you will need to purchase a plastic spray bottle from a big box store or online.
Instructions
- Remove the lid from the spray bottle and fill it up with water.
- Add 10 to 20 drops of lavender essential oil to the water.
- Put the lid on the bottle and shake to mix.
- Spray the diluted essential oil wherever you tend to see flies.
- Mist the air several times per day to keep away flies.
6. Cloves and Lemon
The scents of spicy cloves and zesty lemon may be appealing to us people, but flies hate both scents and so do roaches. You can use this to your advantage as a home remedy to get rid of flies. You’re sure to already know what a lemon is and can find one at any grocery store. If you’re not familiar with cloves, they are a type of herb. You can find dried cloves in the spice aisle of most grocery stores, as they are commonly used in cooking.
Instructions
- Slice two lemons in half.
- Use a knife to cut 25 small slits in each lemon.
- Insert one clove bud into each slit that you cut.
- Put the lemon halves on a plate or in a bowl.
- Place the plate or bowl wherever you tend to get flies.
- Every 2 to 3 days, throw the lemons away and start over to keep flies away.
7. Lemongrass
Like lavender, the herb lemongrass has a pleasing scent to people but is very unappealing to files. You can use a homemade lemongrass spray to freshen the air and repel insects. Many people find the scent of lemongrass to be very uplifting and energizing, giving this home remedy to get rid of flies the added benefit of aromatherapy.
Instructions
- Remove the lid of a spray bottle and fill it up with water.
- Shake the lemongrass essential oil well.
- Use a medicine dropper to add 10 to 20 drops of the essential oil to the water. Put the lid on the bottle and shake to mix.
- Spray the diluted essential oil wherever you tend to see flies.
- Mist the air several times per day to keep away flies.
8. Eucalyptus Oil
Similar to the lavender oil home remedy for flies, eucalyptus oil has a strong smell that repels flies. The strong aroma will help you get rid of house flies, black flies and also fleas, so it is a very effective remedy for all kinds of infestations. You should be careful when diluting the essential oil, as the concentrated substance can cause skin irritations.
Instructions
- Use a jar to mix 1 part eucalyptus oil with 3 parts water.
- Damp a cloth or kitchen sponge in the solution and close the jar.
- Leave it to soak overnight.
- Remove the lid from the jar and place it in a fly-infested area.
- Repeat the process when the scent starts to disappear.
- Store the container away when not in use
9. Basil
Basil is another herb that can repel flies. With its fresh and powerful smell, this common herb is your ally in the fight against house flies. This home remedy for flies is easy and cheap to prepare, and the results are spectacular. You can use both fresh potted plants or dried leaves to get rid of flies.
Instructions
- Make your own dried basil leaves bags using muslin or cheesecloth that you tie at the top.
- Hang the bags with dried basil leaves near doors and windows to stop flies from entering the house.
- Untie the bags and replace leaves when they start to lose their smell.
10. Honey
As we all know, honey attracts flies and other insects, but it can also be used to trap and get rid of them. The idea is simple, you need to use a spoonful of honey and place it inside a soda can, so the flies will come for the honey and get trapped in the container. This is one of the simplest home remedies for flies that you can make in a matter of minutes. Follow the instructions below for the full process.
Instructions
- Cut a soda can in half, making the bottom half taller than the top one.
- Fill the bottom of the can with water until it reaches the middle.
- Take a spoon of honey and spread it around the edge of the top half.
- Turn the top half upside down and squeeze it in the bottom half.
- Place in fly infested areas and notice how the flies who come for the honey fall through the hole and get stuck in the bottom half of the can.
11. Milk, Pepper and Sugar
The combination of milk and sugar is irresistible to flies who are drawn to everything sweet. The added pepper is the element that will instantly kill the flies with its strong flavor. This is one of the most affordable and easy to prepare home remedies for flies, as you can use ingredients you already have in your cupboard or fridge.
Instructions
- Use a sauce pan to heat up ½ liter of milk, a quarter cup of sugar and 4 tbsp. ground black pepper.
- Mix well and let is simmer for 15 minutes.
- Take a few shallow bowls or containers and pour the resulting mixture until you cover the bottom.
- Place your containers in the fly-infested areas in your house.
- Repeat the process when you spot flies trapped in the bowls.
12. Rotten Fruit Trap
As flies are attracted to fruits you can use this to your advantage. One of the cheapest (if not free) home remedies for fly, the rotten fruit trap works miracles to get rid of insects. This is a straightforward method that can be repeated as often as needed.
Instructions
- Place a piece of overripe or rotten fruit in a glass jar.
- Place a plastic wrap on top of it and seal it with rubber band.
- Poke holes in the plastic wrap using a toothpick.
- Place the jar in the fly-infested area and remove when you see flies trapped inside.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that you may need to try a number of different home remedies for flies before you achieve the desired result. You can combine different remedies to increase their effectiveness as well. It may never be possible to completely keep every fly out of your home, but with our home remedies for flies you can help to make your home as bug-free as possible. Do you know any another home remedy to get rid of flies? Please share it in the “Comments” section below!
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