If there’s one insect that knows no boundaries, it’s the fly. Come summer and most houses, no matter where in the world, experience a sudden surge of flies. Flies are not dangerous per see, but they do transmit many diseases. Not to mention, they are a horrible nuisance, so it’s quite natural to wonder, how to get rid of house flies naturally and fast.
If you have a fly problem, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Almost every house in India experiences a fly problem at some point. There are many effective ways of getting rid of flies, some you can do with common household materials and some that will need a trip to the store, and we’ve jotted down the perfect remedies for you.
In this article, we’ll cover 6 ways how to get rid of house flies fast, and different ways how you can keep them at bay.
6 Ways to Get Rid of Flies Quickly
1. Set a DIY Fly Trap Using Sugar Syrup and Oil
The best way to get rid of flies quick is by using a fly trap. You can either make one at home or purchase one at the store. Before you spend on buying a fly trap, you should definitely try a simple homemade trap, especially if the number of flies is small. Home remedies are a cheap way how to get rid of house flies. If you’re looking for home remedies to kill flies and thinking of building a fly trap at home, you can try this method:
Fill a bowl with oil or apple cider vinegar (anything that is viscous and sticky). Place a small cap with sugar syrup (or anything else that will attract flies) in the centre. Oil the edge of the cap and the bowl. The sugar syrup will attract flies who will sit on the edge of the bowl or cap and slip into the oil. This is one effective way how to get rid of house flies using materials found at home.
2. Build a DIY Fly Trap with a Soda Bottle
Another easy-to-make DIY fly trap you can use when planning how to get rid of house flies is by using soda bottles. This one can also be made using materials you’ll find lying around the house and is also quite effective.
Take an empty soda bottle (or any plastic bottle) and cut the top one-third portion, the tapering part of the bottle. In the bottom part, pour some sugary syrup or anything else that will attract flies. Now take the top third that you cut, invert it, and insert it into the opening of the bottom half. This should look like a funnel. You can coat the edges with oil to ensure flies slip in. Flies will enter, and if the opening is small and slippery, they’ll eventually slip into the liquid. Flies will be able to enter the funnel but not leave. A simple way how to get rid of house flies.
3. Buy a Fly Trap
If you don’t want to build a fly trap at home yourself, you can just buy one. You can buy light traps or sticky traps. While these methods will cost you, they are very effective and also a fast way how to get rid of house flies from your house.
A light trap works on electricity. It emits a fluorescent glow that attracts flies, and as flies get close, they are zapped and killed.
A sticky trap is a pad that attracts flies, and as flies land on the trap, the adhesive sticks them to the pad.
4. Use a Fly Repellent (Homemade or Store-Bought)
Another way to get rid of flies is by using repellents. Again, you can make one at home or buy one at the store.
You can use natural and essential oils like lavender, lemongrass, neem, peppermint, and citronella oil to create a DIY fly repellent. Put a few drops of one or more of these oils in water and then spray it on surfaces where flies sit. With regular spraying, you will be able to get rid of flies naturally. These are some simple and effective ways how to get rid of house flies naturally.
You can also buy fly repellents from the store. These usually have harmful chemicals so make sure you use them sparingly, keep them away from food and from the hands of children, and clean the surfaces that you spray daily.
5. Other Home Remedies
There are some other home remedies you can try that some people say have helped them get rid of flies from their homes. When you’re considering ways how to get rid of house flies, every tactic is worth trying.
Some people say mixing salt and pepper in boiling water and then spraying it helps get tired of flies. You can also try springing a mixture of salt and turmeric on kitchen slabs to help get rid of flies.
Another home remedy you can try is placing orange peels in a muslin cloth and hanging it in the kitchen. This seems to be effective against flies.
Basil has been known to help get rid of flies. Placing basil plants around the kitchen should do the trick. Another plant you can try is the Venus Fly Trap. The Venus fly trap traps flies and eats them. This might, however, be a good solution only when there are a few flies in your house. These plants are also quite interesting to look at and can become a part of your living room interior design.
6. Call Pest Control
If the fly situation in your house has gotten out of control and none of the other methods has worked, it might be time to call pest control. This is the fastest and most potent way how to get rid of house flies. Flies reproduce rapidly, so if these quick fixes don’t work, things go get out of hand quite quickly.
When you call pest control for help, experts will assess the situation and give you the best solution. This could be a spray, organic paste, or some other solutions like traps.
Preventing Flies from Returning Once You Have Driven Them Out
Once you have figured out the right way how to get rid of house flies, it’s time to consider ways of keeping them out for good. Here are 5 things you can try.
1. Get Rid of Garbage and Other Disposables That Attracts Flies
What you consider junk and garbage, flies consider food. Trash, leftovers, animal waste, drain gunk, etc., attract flies. If any of this is left open and lying around in the house, you will get flies (not to mention an unhygienic living space).
These are things you should be disposing of every day. You might think that tying up the trash bag and leaving it in a closed bin for a day is ok, but we guarantee you it will attract flies.
Make sure you also clean areas where you temporarily keep garbage and junk, like the trash bin. Any liquid stuck to the bin or any leftover food stuck in the drain will also attract flies, so it’s important to clean these areas after you have disposed of trash. Maintaining a clean house is the best way how to get rid of house flies and ensure you keep them out.
2. Cover Any Food that is Left Open
Some foods, like fruits, are generally left out in a bowl for a couple of days. These could attract flies, especially fruit that has over-ripened. It could also be food that you leave open on a plate while you tend to something important or a glass of milk left out to warm.
All you have to do is cover these items with a cloth (dry items like fruits) or another bowl/plate. This will ensure they don’t attract any flies. These are some small acts that we tend to forget, and covering food is one way how to get rid of house flies naturally.
3. Get Rid of Stagnant Water
Flies, just like mosquitoes, are attracted to stagnant water. If you’re wondering how to get rid of house flies, well, get rid of stagnant water. Don’t leave water stagnant in buckets or in flower pots; it will attract and retain flies inside the house. Make it a point to check for stagnant water as a part of your house cleaning routine. Also, clean the drains, gutters and pipes regularly, as water tends to remain in these places.
Stagnant water can be quite bad for many reasons. Not only does it attract insects and bugs, but it also starts to emit a bad odour after a few days. If you’re looking for ways how to get rid of house flies fast, ensure there is no stagnant water anywhere in or near the house.
4. Clean Your House Regularly
Floor cleaners and other solutions tend to get rid of any minute particles that could attract flies. Cleaning your house regularly, especially sweeping with water and an organic detergent, will help prevent flies from returning.
No matter how hard you try, there are going to be situations where there will be food particles on the floor or table or other particles that attract flies. This is especially the case when you have children or pets. Again, a clean house is the best way how to get rid of house flies and to ensure your house is fly-free permanently.
5. Seal Any Fly Entrance Points
Once you have taken care of everything within the house, you’re left with one final step – make it hard for flies to enter.
Closing all windows is not feasible; it will make your house feel hot and stuffy. What you can do instead is attach nets (or mesh) to windows. These nets will not only keep out flies but also other insects like mosquitoes and bees.
Inspect your house and fix any broken glasses or cracked doors. Lastly, make sure drainage points are not left open but are covered with drainage lids.
Why You Must Get Rid of Flies ASAP
Flies themselves are not harmful; they don’t bite or sting. They are, however, carriers of diseases. They usually transfer harmful bacteria and other parasites by sitting on contaminants like garbage and then sitting on surfaces that you might touch or put in your mouth.
People are known to get diseases like diarrhoea and other skin infections because of flies. In some extreme cases, people get diseases like trachoma, cholera, and typhoid because of flies.
Flies are also pesky creatures who can be extremely annoying. They also portray bad hygiene, so you could be creating a very bad impression on your guests when they come over and you have flies buzzing around. Now that you know different ways how to get rid of flies in the house quickly, you can start making your house a fly-free space again.
Final Word
Flies are a common household nuisance, and no matter how hard you try, you could still have a fly problem. Flies especially come in hordes during the summer. If you take the necessary steps early, you could get rid of them quickly and make sure they stay out. Flies are not immediately harmful, so don’t worry about them a lot.
Try a couple of our remedies on how to keep flies away from home, and in a worst-case scenario, call pest control, and they’ll handle it for you in a matter of days. For other quick home tips, like how to get rid of lizards in the house, how to get rid of roaches, and so on, or for modular kitchen, living room, and bedroom interior design ideas, check out our design journal.
FAQs
1. Are Flies Dangerous?
Flies are not harmful themselves because they don’t bite or sting. They are, however, carriers of diseases. Flies tend to sit on contaminated things and then carry these contaminants onto spaces you might touch. So if you have a fly problem, choose a way how to get rid of house flies and implement it quickly.
2. How Do You Get Rid of Flies Instantly?
The fastest way to get rid of flies is by using a light trap. The result is immediate, and no harmful chemicals are used.
3. How Do You Get Rid of Indoor House Flies?
- Find the source and eliminate it (clean it if it’s dirty or seal it if it’s an opening).
- Use remedies to get rid of flies that are already there.
- Keep your house clean.
- Don’t let any trash accumulate. Also, keep trash collection spots (like bins) clean.
- Don’t leave any food open and exposed to air.
- Use candles and essential oils around the house.
4 How Do You Get Rid of Black Flies?
Black flies are small and come in droves, so they can be quite a menace. Fortunately, the tactics that work against houseflies also work against black flies. You can use light traps, repellents, and the other remedies mentioned in this article to get rid of black flies permanently.
5. What are Some Homemade Fly Repellents?
You can use cayenne pepper, lemongrass, peppermint, eucalyptus, or cinnamon in water as a fly repellent.
6. Where do Flies Usually Hide?
Flies tend to be close to the fruit basket, near the garbage bin, within drains, or near flower pots.
