Common house flies are just one of the 1.2 million species of flies in the world. We all know that small bug pests are annoying, and just like cockroaches, ants and ticks and fleas, fly pests are no exception. If you’re sick of these irritating fly buzzes throughout your house, it’s time to get rid of them. And not only because they are annoying, but also because they carry diseases that cause bacteria.
Did you know that a single house fly can carry close to a million bacteria in its tiny body hair called tarsi? Flies follow these bacteria from all the contaminated places where they go and stop, such as fecal matter, garbage dumps, rotten food, etc. They won’t and they don’t need to bite to transmit these bacteria to your body.
They only stand on open food in your kitchen or dining room table and leave bacteria on the food. When you eat them, your body gets all the nasty bacteria that cause diseases like dysentery, typhoid fever, diarrhea, and cholera. The best way for you and your family to be safe against these diseases is to keep your home clean and your food covered.
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Natural remedies to get rid of flies
Rotting organic debris such as feces, meat, etc., are what attract house flies. Fruit flies and drain flies are also a threat. Fruit flies are attracted to sweet things like overripe fruit, spilled soda, alcohol, etc.
Drain flies seek out humid climates and organic materials and as their name suggests, they are attracted to drains where they lay their eggs. Therefore, keep your house, drains, etc., clean and dry (if possible), as well as proper care of your food is a requirement to get rid of flies. Beyond that, there are many natural home remedies to get rid of flies, too, here are some.
1. Make strips of fly paper at home
The market is flooded with these paper strips, sometimes also called adhesive fly strips, a pest control device. These are made of paper coated with a fragrant, sticky, and often poisonous substance that traps flies and other flying insects. The poisonous substance used in these strips can be toxic to humans and animals as well.
So why not use homemade adhesive strips as a natural remedy to remove them. They are easy to make and work as efficiently as commercial flytrap adhesive strips.
You need:
- ½ cup corn syrup
- ¼ cup of sugar
- Paper, brown paper, or thin strips
- Pair of scissors
- Thread
Do this:
- Cut 2-inch-wide strips of paper. Make a hoe or two at the top of each strip and thread a string to make a loop to hang where flies flock.
- Mix the corn syrup and sugar.
- Coat each side of each strip with the corn syrup and sugar. If the syrup is dripping, place a container under the hanging paper.
- Now hang these strips where the flies are most visible. They are drawn to the sugary syrup and when they land on these strips, they will stick to it.
2. Plastic water bags to keep flies away
This is quite interesting and a very effective way to get rid of flies. You just have to have a clear plastic bag filled with water. When you hang this bag in your outdoor entrances, flies will not be able to enter your home. There are at least two reasons stated for this appeal that seem to be beyond logic.
One, these insects are not able to see the bag of water as a bag of water. Due to their eye structure, transparent water-filled bags are viewed as somewhat spiderweb-like by flies. As such, they don’t come close to such a thing. The other reason states that the reflection of the water is enough to disorient the flies and to create a bit of inexplicable illusion for them.
You may have also seen fruit stands with bags of water hanging in place. They do this to keep flies out of their fruit store.
You need:
- 1 clear plastic bag (gallon size)
- Water
Do this:
- Fill the plastic bag with water. Keep halfway with water.
- Tie a knot at the mouth of the bag to secure it properly. You can also use a string or rubber band for the purpose.
- Now, simply put these water-filled bags near your driveways, garage doors, or any other type of outdoor driveway.
3. Apple cider vinegar to catch fruit flies
This home remedy is especially good for the elimination of fruit flies, as they are attracted to smell anything that is fermented. Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting apples, so flies cannot resist its smell, especially when heated a bit.
Make a fly trap with apple cider vinegar
You need:
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 glass jar (with or without lid)
- 1 Funnel -or paper to make one (if using a jar without a lid)
Do this:
- Heat the apple cider vinegar. You can do this by using the microwave oven or heating it up in a skillet.
- If using a jar with a lid, poke a few holes in the lid, large enough to allow flies to enter the jar.
- If you don’t want to destroy the lid, you can also use a funnel. If you can’t find one, make a funnel out of folded paper and stapled on the.
- shaped like a cone leaving a hole at the narrow end.
- Now fill the jar with heated cider vinegar and place the lid with holes on it.
- If using a funnel, place the funnel in the mouth of the jug with the narrow side inside the jug.
- Now place the jar where flies are seen most of the time.
- Let it stay there for a day. Flies are attracted to the vinegar smell and enter the jar through the holes. Once inside, they get trapped. The flies cannot understand that they can even fly out of the same hole that worked as their entrance.
4. Fly repellent with lavender oil
The lavender oil is popular as an oil to calm the nerves but few people know about their excellent insect repellent properties. Lavender has been used in ancient times to protect clothing from moths and other insects.
Lavender oil can, in fact, prevent mosquito and other insect bites. It is just the perfect essential oil that helps control the infestation of flies, fleas, black fly, black beetle, aphids, and white fly as well.
You need:
- ½ – 1 cup lavender oil
- 1 metal can with lid
- 1 dish cloth or sponge
Do this:
- Dip the cloth or sponge in the lavender oil.
- Now place this cloth or sponge in the can, and put the lid on and leave it for 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, remove the lid and keep the can in a place where there are many flies in your home.
- After using, replenish the oil when the air weakens the strength of the aroma on the cloth. And repeat process.
- Take care not to let it come in contact with your skin, as it is in undiluted form.
You can also use other essential oils instead of lavender oil to make this fly repellent, such as citronella, eucalyptus, pennyroyal, peppermint, or lemongrass oil. However, unlike lavender oil, it is necessary to dilute these oils with alcohol or water in a 1:3 ratios in which you will use 1 part of oil to 3 parts of water or alcohol.
Oils and water don’t mix well so using alcohol will be more effective. Lavender oil, however, is the best when it comes to repelling them.
5. Lemongrass spray to keep flies away
This is a remedy that not only keeps these critters out of your home, but will also keep your home refreshingly fragrant. Flies don’t like the smell of lemongrass, lavender, and many other plants and oils.
Therefore, you can use this lemongrass or lemongrass essential oil to make your fly spray that also works as an air freshener.
You need:
- 10-12 drops of lemongrass essential oil
- 4 tablespoons (about ¼ cup) hot water
- Spray bottle
Do this:
- Pour 10-12 drops of lemongrass essential oil into your bottle.
- Now pour hot water over this oil.
- Shake well to mix both ingredients.
- Now spray all of this along your doors and windows or any other space where flies enter your house.
- You can also spray directly on the flies, just keep the bottle handy so you can easily find and use it.