People may be known about fruit flies that make a disturbance in our homes and surroundings. Some may look for remedies for how to get rid of gnats. It comes under the category of gnats, which is the same as that fruit flies. Home remedies and different types of traps are available to get rid of gnats.
Uncleaned surface areas, kitchen sink drains, trash cans, and overwatered plants inside or outside may be the reasons for gnats inside your house. If sugary juice drops are left behind the table unwiped then you can see the gnats wandering here and there.
Even a simple household mistake can lead to the home covered with bugs, little gnats, etc. So cleaning our surroundings and giving proper care to our indoor plants can be a great solution for getting rid of gnats. In this article, we describe the different ways how to get rid of gnats.
1. What are Gnats?
Gnats are small flies with larger wings that bite and disturb humans. They are of two types biting and non-biting categories which have long legs. Bites of the gnats can cause some allergic infections in humans. Some may consider it has mosquitoes and is similar in appearance.
They can be classified into three types, drain flies, fungus gnats, and fruit flies. They are commonly seen in rotting fruit and gnat infestation takes place in this ripe fruit. The sweet smell of the rotten fruit attracts these flies to the house.
2. What Attracts Gnats to Enter the House?
As same as the other pests, some factors create an environment that attracts the gnats. That can be the presence of food materials, moisture, and organic matter. The presence of gnats can be prevented by avoiding the situations that attract them.
The factors that attract gnats are :
- Moist soil is a main attractive factor for fungus gnats.
- Wastes and sewage from the drains and trash cans can be the factor of gnat infestation.
- Fruit flies and moth flies are attracted to decayed organic matter, and food materials. They are mainly seen around uncovered fruits and veggies on the kitchen counter.
3. Are Gnats Harmful?
Some of the gnats are not harmful to humans, they give bite them like mosquitoes. Fungus gnats are those attracted to house plants and can affect the plant root and growth.
Fruit flies are attracted to ripen fruit and are also lovers of sweet liquids, wine, and vinegar. Drain flies can be seen buzzing around the surroundings of water.
4. Can We Get Rid of Gnats?
There are many home remedies to get rid of gnats. Remedies can be done, but after that proper cleaning procedures must be carried out to ensure that it will not return. Many DIY traps can be treated to kill gnats.
Store fruit in the refrigerators and reduce the tendency to keep food opened condition. Gnats are interested in sweet smelling fruit and run away from the areas that stand with smell of vanilla, lavender, or lemon.
5. Best 12 Tricks for How Can Get Rid of Gnats?
Somewhat ingredients in our home itself can kill gnats. By using these simple methods we get a solution for how to get rid of gnats. Along with these tricks, by maintaining our cleaning methods we can completely prevent gnats.
5.1 Make a Trap Using Apple Cider Vinegar Mix
You can make your gnat trap in an easy method. It can be tried for other pesky pests also. For this process, we need a two-liter empty soda bottle which must be made half into two pieces.
Fill the bottom half of the bottle with a mixture of half a cup of warm water, two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, a few tablespoons of sugar, and little drops of liquid dish soap. Now place the top portion of the bottle upside down on top of the bottom portion as it is close to the liquid does not touch them.
Gnats will be attracted by the smell of sweet liquid smell and get trapped in the inverted bottle and try to come out and then falls into the liquid below. This dish soap traps an easier method to get rid of gnats. This vinegar trap can be used for other pesky pests.
5.2 By Using Sticky Traps
If there is a sudden attack of gnats in your house, which has not been noticed before can be completely avoided by using sticky traps. These traps help to kill them or get rid of them by using modern ideas.
You simply place these sticky paper traps in the areas where gnats are seen in large numbers. Gnats will get attracted to the gnat’s traps and stick on it. And it will be no more after a few hours. These traps will help to prevent the gnat problem. You can purchase it online at very cheap rates.
5.3 Using Apple Cider as Simple Method
Cleaning methods with vinegar are a well-known home remedy used in all houses. But it also can get rid of gnats. For this mix a cup of apple cider vinegar with a bowl of warm water and add a few drops of dish soap (sticky dish soap) in a bowl.
Place the fruit bowl near the areas where gnats fly. Most gnats will get attracted to the sweet smell of the liquid and even drink from it. As they sip from the fruit bowl dish soap traps them and will be destroyed them. It is a vinegar trap with only one ingredient.
This also helps to prevent fungus gnats and drain gnats even other flies. Hence it is used as a method that can be experimented on all types of pests.
5.4 Using Overripe Fruit
This can be called a trap to make gnats get attracted very soon. Leaving overripe fruit performs this function. For that cut some overripe bananas or other fruits in a bowl. Cover it with plastic sheet and put some tiny holes in it.
By attracting the smell of fruits, gnats will enter through the plastic wrap and get trapped in the bowl, and will not be able to escape. then it can be taken to the garbage disposal. So the next remedy for how to get rid of gnats is mentioned.
5.5 Using a Candle Trap
This trick is an easy and simple method used during our school times. Take a candle and keep it in a candlestick. Keep this candle on a pan filled with water. Turn off all the lights and light the candle that makes the gnats to the flame.
They will hit the candlelight and fall to the water below. This also can be considered a low-budget gnats trap. experiment it and see the result.
5.6 Using a Wine Trap
Wine or red wine also will be a trap for gnats. This process is the same as that of apple cider vinegar. Instead of using sticky traps you can simply get rid of them by using wine. Take some red wine in a glass and add a bowl of dish soap to it.
Place the mixture in the areas where more gnats are seen. It will sip the mix and fall into it. A better option with wine to get rid of gnats.
5.7 Pour Boiling Water into Your Drains
Kitchen sinks are the main space of these gnats. Gnats lay eggs in garbage disposals. Gnats love the warm, moist environment and the food particles deposited there. So pouring boiled water into the kitchen sinks can help to kill the gnats and get rid of the gnat problem.
Gnat infestation may also take place in these areas. By doing this method kitchen and drainage hole will be free from other pests and minute organisms that harm the environment.
5.8 Try an Original Indoor Insect Trap
Insect traps will attract large bugs, adult gnats even mosquitoes, for that bug zapper is a good option. In today’s generation, different types of indoor fly traps are available in various designs and brands that are very safe to use indoors.
KATCHY is an example of the device that is used for this purpose. These noiseless bug zappers will on their own and catch all the gnats and other flies near them. An instructor is not needed to start their work. So it is a modern technique to catch gnats.
5.9 Try Some Fly Paper
This is another simple method of trapping gnats by using sticky papers. This sticky fly paper traps the flying gnats in their custody. For example ribbon fly traps can be hanged in the windows or areas where gnats are seen buzzing here and there.
It will be useful in the dining rooms where gnats will be seen wandering around the fruits at the dining table. Less effort will be needed for this process to prevent gnats.
5.10 Use a Diluted Bleach Solution
Some of the gnats like drain flies will be seen near kitchen sinks and bathroom drainages. Bleach is the best option in those areas. By using this bleaching method proper care should be taken about your lungs as they may be inhaled.
Dilute a one-half cup of bleach with one bucket of water and pour in the areas where drain flies are seen. This will destroy the flies and even eggs in it.
5.11 Hydrogen Peroxide Mix
Some of the fungus gnats can be destroyed using chemicals on it. Take one part of hydrogen peroxide and mix it with six parts of water. Now pour it into a spray bottle.
Spray it on the dry soil and intuition hydrogen peroxide will break down into oxygen and water. This spray bottle mixture may harm the plants but will destroy fungus gnat larvae. Thus it will be a best remedy for fungus gnats.
5.12 Not Over Water the Plants
You may have noticed, lots of gnats around your indoor plants. If you want to get rid of gnats in the plants, especially fungus gnats you must keep your potting soil must be dry.
Before watering the plants, dry soil is preferred for it. Damp soil will attract gnats, and pests and promotes growth in that area. It is best to use containers with a drainage hole in the bottom. This may help to water plants with low volume and saucers under the pot will consume excess water.
Too much moisture in the soil will attract the gnats because feed on decaying organic matter. So to prevent fungus gnats potted plants should not be overwatered. Excess water in infested plants will destroy the plant roots and result in plant decaying.
Final Note
However, this article has described some home remedies and modern techniques for how to get rid of gnats. Gnats lay eggs in areas of moist and uncleaned surfaces. So you can apply these remedies and wait for the result.
After trying these methods, again you are getting disturbed by gnats then you seek the help of pest control companies. They will do the procedures to get rid of gnats. If gnats are seen in fewer numbers you can try any of the above-mentioned ways. For good results follow the steps for each method.
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FAQs
Q1. Which is the fastest remedy to get rid of gnats?
A fastener remedy against gnats is using an apple cider vinegar trap. This method will be effective in all areas and it is a simple process that can be carried fewer using fewer ingredients.
Q2. What are the reasons for gnats in our homes?
Maim reason for gnats in our house is dirty surfaces. Ripe fruits kept open, dirty kitchen counter, watered indoor plants, moist environment.
Q3. Will bleach be effective against gnats?
Bleach can be used as a cleaner to get rid of gnats in the drainage holes of the bathrooms. But it must be applied only after diluting it with water. Proper care should be taken while using bleach.
Q4. Are gnats and fruit flies the same?
Yes, Fruit flies belong to the gnats. Fungus gnats from flies also come under this section. But all these are seen in all surroundings.
Last Updated on by Himani Rawat
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