This Is How You Can Get Rid of Flies from Your House Quickly

Are you sick of flies buzzing into your home, landing on your food, cup, or phone, and then proceeding to stay inside your house because they don’t know how to leave? They seem to appear out of nowhere, especially during warmer months, and can quickly become a nuisance. Fortunately, you’re not alone in this and over time, we’ve grown to understand how to keep flies at bay with natural but effective means.

Prevention goes a long way

Preventing flies from entering your home is the most effective approach but it’s not always easy. Make sure that your doors and windows are properly sealed and use window & door screens to block the most common entry points. Get rid of trash each day and clean up food spills immediately.

Get rid of any potential food sources

If you have any leftover food, place it in an airtight container. Fruit and vegetables that haven’t been cut or opened generally don’t require covering unless you live in areas prone to fly infestations. People also leave uneaten pet food in the pet’s bowl because ‘they’ll eat it later’ but this is a mistake as pet food quickly starts breaking down or drying off and releasing fly-attracting scents.

Use natural home remedies to drive flies away

Once an infestation starts, you won’t be able to keep the flies away using prevention methods. Successfully getting rid of them will require methods that will make them regret flying into your home. Natural home remedies are the best and only approach you should follow as anything involving poisons and traps can cause more harm than good.

Cayenne Pepper and Water

A mixture of cayenne pepper and water can be an effective fly repellent. Simply mix a teaspoon of cayenne pepper with a cup of water in a spray bottle. Spray this solution around doorways, windowsills, and other areas where flies are likely to enter. Don’t overdo the cayenne pepper because a stronger mixture can burn your nose and eyes.

Herbs and Flowers

Using a combination of various herbs and flowers can cause flies to move away from the area and never come back (as long as you keep the herbs and flowers alive). Plants like basil, mint, and marigolds emit scents that flies dislike. Place pots of these herbs and flowers near entrances, windows, and common fly entry points.

Cloves and Lemons

Cut a lemon in half and insert several whole cloves into each half. Place these fragrant lemon-clove combinations around your home, especially near windows and doorways. The strong scent of cloves, combined with the citrus aroma, creates a barrier that flies actively avoid. Plus it smells nice as well (to us at least).

Dish Soap and Vinegar

Fill a bowl with equal parts apple cider vinegar and water, then add a few drops of dish soap. The vinegar attracts flies, while the dish soap breaks the surface tension, causing the flies to sink and drown. Place these traps in areas where flies are most active for best results.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a natural fly repellent due to its strong aroma. Sprinkle ground cinnamon around areas where flies are a problem, or use cinnamon essential oil mixed with water as a spray. Keep in mind that if you choose to make it into a spray, you’ll have to thoroughly wash the bottle and nozzle to prevent blockage from the oil.

Peppermint

While peppermint is one of the most refreshing scents and flavors to us, it’s absolutely pungent to flies who avoid it like a slug avoids salt. You can use peppermint essential oil mixed with water as a spray, or place peppermint plants around your home. You can also use cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil and place them near entry points.

Lavender

Use lavender essential oil diluted with water as a spray, or place dried lavender sachets around your home. You can also plant lavender near entrances and windows. Then, once everything is in its place, you’ll be able to sit back and enjoy a fly-free home with the added bonus that your entire house smells like lavender. Nothing wrong with that!

Use citronella candles for outdoor flies

Citronella candles give off a refreshing but mysterious scent that’s perfect for an outdoor lounge area. But what makes them truly great is their ability to keep flies at bay. The strong scent of citronella oil masks other attractants, making it difficult for flies to locate food and people. Place these candles around outdoor seating areas, patios, and garden spaces.

Implement oscillating fans above your porch

Not everyone will be able to do this but people who have a high-covered porch, an oscillating fan (or more if the area is larger) is a hassle-free way to make it impossible for flies to fly beneath it. They also can’t land on anything that’s affected by the constant air current. And, you’ll be able to enjoy the fresh breeze from above during the hot summer months.

Flypaper can be effective

Coated with a sticky substance, flypaper attracts flies and traps them on contact. Hang flypaper strips in areas where flies are most active, such as kitchens, near garbage bins, and entry points.

But it’ll ruin the aesthetic

Unfortunately, having hundreds of flies stuck to the flypaper is anything but nice to look at, not to mention how the paper hangs from the ceiling so everyone has to duck in order not to get a face full of flies.

It works best together

While each method is effective in its own right, neither is good enough to keep flies away on its own. That’s why the best way to get rid of flies is to use multiple approaches at the same time. Hygiene should still be kept at high levels regardless of what you do to get rid of existing flies.

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