Gnats are small flying insects, including fruit flies, drain flies, and fungus gnats. They reproduce quickly, thus making home in your indoors and outdoors. If not treated on time, the numbers multiply and pave way for unwanted infections and allergies.
Not all gnats are bad. Some of them help pollinate plants and eat garden pests. They are tiny flying species. It is crucial to stop them from infestation.
Drain Flies
They are tiny pests often found in and around the drains, septic tanks, sewers, and other areas where sewage has leaked.
Fruit Flies
They are attracted to rotting or fresh fruits and vegetables. They also thrive on moist organic materials and liquids such as vinegar, soft drinks, and wine.
Phorid Flies
These are similar to drain flies hanging around garbage, drains, rotting fruits, and vegetables.
Fungus Gnats
You will spot this type of gnats around overwatered houseplants when organic matter in the soil starts decaying.
Why are There Gnats in My House?
There are many reasons why your house has gnats. These creatures are attracted by warm and humid atmospheres, thus multiplying in numbers. Another factor that increases the infestation of these insects is poor housekeeping. It is one of the most common reasons inducing the formation and infestation of gnats. Sometimes, overwatered plants also invite their infestation, as they suddenly appear from the soil in the plume.
How Did Gnats Enter my Interiors?
Usually, these insects come in from the outside and enter your home through any crack or hole they find. It could be through doors, walls, windows, or any other crack in your home’s foundation. Infestation of gnats starts when they come into your home and get attracted to rotten fruits, smelly garbage, unclean toilets, drains, and sinks.
How Do I Get Rid of Gnats?
Do not worry if you witness frequent infestation of these insects inside or outside your house. The below-listed remedies will help you get rid of them.
1. A Gnat Trap
You can make a gnat trap and rest assured that they do not buzz around your house. Use a small saucer and mix a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Mix some drops of dishwashing soap and a tiny amount of sugar. The insect will be drawn to this solution, fall in, and get trapped.
2. Flypaper
You can use some sticky flypaper ribbons around your interiors to catch these insects. However, be careful where you put them. They will grab almost anything, ranging from your curtains, hair, and furniture. Do not use this hack outdoors.
3. Clean the Drains
Slowly pour half a cup of bleach diluted with a gallon of water down your drain. Follow the step by rinsing the drain with plenty of hot water. Alternatively, you can buy a drain cleaning product from the market and do the needful. Follow the instructions on the label, and you are good to go.
4. Fruit Trap
Sometimes, setting a foot trap also becomes a solution to your problem of gnats. Put an overripe fruit such as an apple or banana in a bowl and cover it with a cling foil or plastic wrap. Punch a few holes in this wrap. Gnats will get attracted to the smell of the ripe fruits and get trapped inside.
5. An Insecticidal Spray
Using a ready-made insecticidal spray is also one of the sought-after remedies to keep the infestation of gnats at bay. An insecticidal spray is for indoor use only. It also helps you prevent other insects and pests from housing your interiors.
6. Red Wine
Just like gnats are attracted to apple cider vinegar and ripe fruit, they love the smell of red wine. You can use this quick remedy to your rescue. Mix half a cup of red wine with a few drops of dishwashing soap and keep it in a bowl.
Put this where the gnats are a big problem. The gnats will be unlikely to emerge the next time.
7. Candle Trap
Making a candle trap to shoo away gnats is another effective remedy. All you need to do is place a candle in the candlestick and fill the holder partially with water. Light the candle while turning off the remaining lights in the room.
It will flock all the gnats to the flame. Eventually, they will be burned to ashes. Some of them may as well fall into the water and drown.
8. Dry the Plants
It is vital to dry your plants slightly between their watering sessions so that gnat eggs or larvae in the soil die. Ensure to make enough holes into your pots before putting the plants. In case the gnats keep coming back, repot the plants in clean containers and use fresh potting soil.
9. A Pest Control
If the home remedies do not come to your rescue and you are constantly dealing with the gnats in each nook and cranny of your home, it is advisable to call a pro for pest control. When gnats keep coming back or you have a severe infestation, professional pest control is the perfect remedy.
How to Prevent Future Infestations of Gnats?
Besides working on the above-listed home remedies, you can prevent the future infestation of gnats in the following ways.
- Always clean up foods and drinks after a meal and do not allow them to sit out for long.
- Take out your trash every night. Ensure you use sealed trash cans to keep gnats and odor away.
- Maintain your indoor plants properly. Never overwater them. Water the plants only when they become parched.
- Gnats are quickly attracted to the smell of fruits. Thus, always keep your fruits in the refrigerator.
- Remove humidity inside and outside your house by using a dehumidifier. Repair all the plumbing leaks and sink drain stoppages timely.
- Take housekeeping seriously. Clean your home timely to prevent their infestation and other germs, bacteria, and insects away.
- When you buy new indoor plants, check them properly to see if they are not carrying gnats inside.
We hope the above-listed remedies solve your problem of doing away with the gnats. Keep in touch for more on lifestyle.
