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.
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Most common house flies will enter your home to feed on rubbish or moisture / Credit: Pixabay
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.
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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.
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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.
Getting rid of flies can feel impossible at times – but there are a few simple hacks for doing so / Credit: Flickr
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.
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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
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IKEA is hosting a massive pyjama day with free breakfasts and £15 discounts this weekend
Emily Sergeant
IKEA is hosting a massive pyjama day at stores across the UK this weekend, and it sounds like the perfect excuse for a lazy day.
Don’t you just wish it was socially acceptable to wear your pyjamas in public sometimes?
Well now you can actually get away with it for once, as Swedish furniture retailer IKEA is hosting one of the most unique shopping experiences there is this weekend, and is inviting customers to ditch their daywear and don their favourite PJs instead.
Promising to be “a fun day out for all the family”, IKEA’s Pyjama Day is the perfect opportunity to shop for all your home needs in the most comfortable attire imaginable.
IKEA is hosting a massive pyjama day this weekend / Credit: IKEA
In a move that’s sure to be a bit of a dream come true for lazy Mancs, all late risers and loungewear lovers can get themselves down to either the Ashton or Warrington IKEA stores to make the most of all the cosy action.
Anyone signed up to be an ‘IKEA Family’ member who visits their local store wearing pyjamas this weekend can help themselves to a free breakfast of either a small cooked Full English or a breakfast roll, with veggie and vegan options available, or any children’s breakfast for those under 16.
That’s not all either, as pyjama-clad shoppers will also be able to snag an exclusive £15 discount when they spend £50 or more in-store on the same day.
If all of that wasn’t enough to get you down there as it is, there’s also set to be a special visit from BJÖRN bear in the restaurant for little ones, as well as loads of other free events in stores nationwide to get yourselves stuck into.
To bag your free breakfast and £15 discount, you just need to become an ‘IKEA Family’ member first by signing up for free on the IKEA website to unlock access to a range of exclusive deals and benefits, as well as up to 20% off on IKEA ‘Sleep Essentials’ until Monday 30 September.
To turn up in your PJs though? That’s open to all.
IKEA Pyjama Day is taking place at stores nationwide this Saturday 7 September, and you can find out more on the IKEA website here.
Featured Image – IKEA
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Costa, Greggs, and more unveil 2024 autumn menus full of new toasties, cakes, and seasonal drinks
Emily Sergeant
Tasty toasties, cakes, seasonal drinks, and more all feature on the new 2024 autumn menus at a handful of popular high street coffee shop chains.
As summer draws to a close and the colder months edge closer, it’s not uncommon the high street’s best-loved coffee shop chains to unveil their limited-edition autumn menus around this time to help get us in the spirit.
Thankfully, Costa, Greggs, Starbucks, and Pret have all delivered so far.
Chicken and chorizo paninis, hog roast toasties, salt beef baguettes, salted caramel chocolate cakes, stem ginger cookies, and pumpkin spice doughnuts are just a selection of the mouthwatering foodie treats forming part of the new seasonal menus that you’ll soon be able to tuck into at each of the chains.
And of course, what would autumn be without pumpkin spice lattes? The cult-classic drink is now on the menu in both hot and cold format at Greggs, Pret, and its original home, Starbucks.
Costa, Greggs, and more have unveiled their new autumn menus for 2024 / Credit: Costa
Over at Costa, there’s a wide range of new items having been added to the lineup for the next couple of months, with some of the highlights being the Brie, Bacon, and Chilli Jam Panini, the Chilli Beef and Cheddar Toastie, a Sticky Pecan Mini Loaf, and a spooky iced gingerbread ghost biscuit, perfect for little ones or as a sweet snack.
Alongside the newbies, Costa’s fan-favourite Hog Roast Toastie, Roast Chicken and Bacon Sandwich, and Chocolate and Salted Caramel Cake will also be returning, as will the massively-popular Maple Hazel drinks range.
At Greggs, there’s a stunning selection of pumpkin spice treats to choose from, including the Pumpkin Spice Doughnut and classic Pumpkin Spice Latte, as well as other seasonal hot drinks like the Orange Mocha and Orange Hot Chocolate, and the much-loved Salted Caramel Latte, while when it comes to savoury options, there’s a new Mexican Bean and Spicy Cheese Flatbread, and an All-Day Breakfast Baguette to see you through the day.
The limited-edition menus are full of tasty toasties, sweet treats, and seasonal drinks / Credit: Pret | Greggs
Pret has also joined the pumpkin spice and salted caramel bandwagon for another year, with both lattes returning yet again, but some of the stand-out new additions to its menu include the Mushroom Florentine Toastie, the Beef & Horseradish Baguette, the Cinnamon Crown, and Spiced Apple & Pecan Muffin.
Starbucks is yet to fully unveil its new autumn menu, but is expected to do so very soon so make sure to keep your eyes peeled.
However, what we do know is that the original Pumpkin Spice Latte is already back in all its glory.
Greggs and Pret’s new autumn menus are now available to tuck into for a limited time only, while Costa’s launches nationwide this Thursday (5 September), and Starbucks will be in due course.
Emily Sergeant -
14th June 2021 
