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Why there’s so many flies in your house at the moment – and how to get rid of them

Getting rid of flies can feel impossible at times, but there are a few simple hacks for doing so.

Emily Sergeant - 14th June 2021

You’re probably unwillingly cohabiting with quite a few flies in your house at the moment, right?

It’s only natural that as the warmer months set in and the temperatures begin to rise, flies will do their best to make their way into your home for a number of reasons.

Most common house flies will enter to feed on rubbish or moisture, as they are attracted to decaying organic matter such as rotting meat. Fruit flies are on the look-out for sugary substances and tend to feed more commonly on over-ripened fruit and veg, spilled fizzy drinks and alcohol. Drain flies require moist climates and organic materials, so will be attracted to drains and kitchen sinks – where they will also lay their eggs.

There’s no denying that flies tend to become a nuisance in the house, and although they may seem harmless in small numbers, if not dealt with, this could lead to a larger infestation which isn’t great news considering they can spread bacteria such as Salmonella, typhoid and E-Coli.

Getting rid of flies can feel impossible at times – but there are a few simple hacks for doing so.

Remove incentives and clean thoroughly

This one probably goes without saying and may seem a little self-explanatory rather than a hack, but removing each of the aforementioned incentives for each type of fly from your home should always be the first step to tackling the problem.

Enhanced, frequent, thorough cleaning can also eradicate fly breeding spots too.

Red wine

Red wine isn’t necessarily everyone’s choice of summer drink and it may actually sound like a bit of a waste too if you’re a wine enthusiast, but as bizarre as it seems, this rich tipple actually does a great job at getting rid of flies from your home.

Simply leave a container with a bit of red wine in the bottom – and watch the flies drop in.

Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar – which is a vinegar made from fermented apple juice – has numerous benefits, is extremely versatile, and can be used for multiple different things, including the eradication of flies from your home.

All you’ll need to do is take the cap off a bottle of ACV and leave it around the house, wherever your fly problem is most severe.

The flies will then be able to get into the cap, but will become trapped and can’t get back out.

Milk, sugar & pepper mixture

As mentioned, a lot of common house flies love the taste of sweet mixtures, so if you combine a pint of milk, raw sugar and two ounces of ground pepper into a saucepan and then simmer for 10 minutes, that should do the trick.

Then pop this mixture into a bottle to attract the flies, so you can once again trap them and stop them from getting back out.

If any of these natural remedies just don’t seem to be working for you, and your fly infestation looks to be getting more substantial and potentially out of hand, then you may need to call in experts to help.

There are a number of pest control companies in Greater Manchester available to contact.

Once you have successfully managed to eradicate the flies from your home, it’s essential to keep the area clean.

You’ll want to make sure your wheelie bin is clean and all rubbish is bagged correctly, as well keeping the lid of the kitchen bin down and tight at all times, especially during the warmer summer months.

Although not ideal from a waste perspective, when temperatures really start to soar, it’s advised that you aim to change your bin more regularly – sometimes up to twice a day – and if you think that flies are especially attracted to your bin, you can even sprinkle baking soda on top of it as this will kill any larvae and remove odours.

And last but not least, if you’re a pet owner, you may want to remember to dispose of any food left in your animal’s bowl, as this is also a popular contributor to fly infestations.

Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons