Flies may be of many kinds – like the common house fly, the fruit fly or the drain fly – but all of them are dangerous for human health. Fruit flies are attracted by sweet fruits that are lying in the open, drain flies seek damp places like drains to lay their eggs and house flies are common carriers of numerous communicable diseases like typhoid, dysentery, cholera, tuberculosis, etc. Don’t ignore these creatures if they are buzzing around your house!
What Causes Fly Infestation
Musca domestica or the common housefly may not be a bitter, but it spreads diseases to human beings nonetheless in a very stealthy manner. When they sit on filth like fecal matter, drains, rotten food and garbage, various harmful pathogens and dirt get attached to their hairy legs, and these pathogens get neatly strewn over open food in your kitchen when they fly into your home. Keep your house and drains squeaky clean to avoid attracting these filth-loving creatures and to kill flies at home here are a few homemade remedies you can try out.
Home Remedies to Get Rid of Flies
1. Cloves
Who doesn’t love the spicy aroma of cloves, warmly reminiscent of fall – but apparently flies don’t! Nor do they like the citrus tangy smell of lemons. That is good news that you can quickly whip up this easy two-ingredient solution to your fly problems. Take 2 lemons cut into halves and about 15 to 20 cloves. Stick the cloves, pointy end first, into the lemon halves – this makes for beautiful table décor too! The double whammy of anti-fly ingredients is sure to reduce flies in your house. The same method can be followed by replacing lemons with whole apples. Alternatively, you can hang some cloves bound up in cloth to scare away the pests.
2. Cucumbers
Another natural ingredient that repels flies is cucumber – the pests hate the fragrance. You can cut cucumbers into slices or put to use your cucumber peels after you prepare your salads. Place either of these around the house to keep flies away.
3. Herbal Plants
The aroma of plants like basil is intolerable to flies, So you can plant a few basils around the house to keep flies off your entire area – and of course you then have a source of fresh basil leaves for cooking round the clock! If planting the herb isn’t possible for you, buy a bunch of fresh basil leaves from the farmer’s market and hang them from the windows and doors – they can be made to look pretty with ribbons for a touch of leafy spring home décor. Alternatively you can grab some dried basil leaves, tie them up in cheesecloth and suspend them in hooks to keep flies at bay.
4. Camphor
Camphor has a strong smell and is known for its anti-insect and anti-bacterial properties. The smell drives away flies, so here are few ways to use this wonder ingredient. Buy camphor tablets and place them around the house – these are volatile substances, so you don’t have to do anything to get them working. Or burn the tablets carefully to quickly fume the flies out of your house. You can also place camphor tablets in a bowl of hot water if you don’t like the burning smell. However if you have would-be mothers in the house, do not use the camphor method.
5. Green apple soap
It has been found that flies are attracted to green apple liquid soap. To kill flies at house by this home remedy method, fill a jar with a few spoons of green-apple soap liquid and dilute it with water. Keep it uncovered in a table – flies will be attracted to the smell and they will drown in the liquid. Toss the ghastly contents of the jar.
6. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is another aromatic spice that repels flies. Use this recipe to make a cinnamon flypaper – cut strips of a paper towel or cotton ribbon and put a drop of cinnamon oil on one end of each. Hang these up near windows and doors to prevent flies from entering your home.
7. Honey
The sweet smell of honey is fatal attraction for flies – while they cannot ignore the irresistible smell, they also get stuck in it and die a sweet death. You can use fruit jams to the same effect.
8. Cayenne pepper
Mix cayenne pepper and water in a spray bottle and shake it well. Spray this deadly mixture home remedy around the house to kill flies at home.
9. Plastic water bags
This is probably the easiest fly-repelling method in this list. Just fill Ziploc bags half-way with water, cinch up the mouth and hang them around the house from the windows. Flies having complex eyes are said to get scared by the refraction of light from the water.
10. Wine
Wine-lovers, spare some of your wine for this easy way to get rid of flies and dealing death to the pesky pests! Fill a shallow disposable bowl with red wine, tightly cover it with cling film and secure with a rubber band. Poke some holes in the cover and place them around the house. Fruit flies will be attracted to the smell and crawl in through the holes – they will drown in the wine. No need to open the film to check if they are dead! Just throw it out after a few days.
11. Apple cider vinegar
Pour some apple cider vinegar into a jar and place a funnel in it. Flies will enter the jar but won’t be able to come out and will thus drown. This method is effective to get rid of flies.
12. Sugary trap
Create this milky sweet concoction to seal the death warrant for flies. Simmer half a liter of milk, a fourth cup of sugar and 4 tablespoons ground pepper for about 15 minutes. Pour them into shallow disposable plates and place them around the house – flies will be attracted to the sweet liquid, sit on it and drown.
13. Lemongrass
Make a lemongrass spray to keep house flies at bay – mix 10 to 12 drops of lemongrass essential oil with a fourth cup of hot water in a spray bottle. Spray away for lesser pests and beautiful citrus-scented home!
14. Fly-repellant lotion
If you want a fly-repellant lotion for summer picnics and biking down lanes, mix a few drops of cinnamon or clove essential oil with your sunscreen and lather it on. You can also make your own body lotion by mixing jojoba oil and essential oil in 16:1 ratio. Or for a body spray, mix rubbing alcohol with essential oil in the same ratio.
15. Lavender
Spritz your rooms with a lavender spray made with rubbing alcohol and lavender essential oil to repel flies. You can also dip a sponge in lavender oil and keep it in an open can to drive the pests away.
General precautions to avoid flies from frequenting your home
- Keep composts bins and garbage bins around the house covered at all times.
- Scrub clean your kitchen after food preparations and your dining table after meals.
- Cover any cut fruits as their sweet smell attracts flies.
- Clean the pee and poop off your pets immediately.
- Use screens on your doors and windows.