Having flies hanging out in your home can be frustrating. Small flies, which include fruit flies, drain flies, phorid flies, and fungus gnats, are common home-invading pests. When these flies start popping up in your house, it’s important to know how to get them to leave. We’ve gathered information to help you get rid of small flies in your home.
What Attracts Small Flies?
To keep small flies out of your space, you need to know what’s attracting them to your home. Fruit flies are attracted to overripe produce and fermented food and drinks. Drain flies and phorid flies thrive in areas with moisture build-up and organic matter. Fungus gnats are attracted to damp soil, making houseplants a favorite hiding spot.
How to Prevent Small Flies
Preventing a pest problem is always easier than trying to control an infestation. With a little effort, you can make your home less attractive to small flies. We’ve made a list of tips to help you keep your home free of these pests.
Seal Entry Points
To keep small flies away, you need to make sure they can’t find a way into your house.
- Check for and seal any cracks or gaps where flies could slip inside.
- Make sure weather stripping and door sweeps are in good condition.
- Repair or replace torn window and door screens.
- Avoid leaving your doors and windows open if they don’t have screens.
Minimize Moisture
Small flies are attracted to moisture, so you’ll want to keep your space as dry as possible.
- Repair or replace leaky pipes and faucets.
- Make sure your drains are working properly and aren’t clogged.
- After mopping, be sure to empty buckets of water to avoid attracting these pests.
- Use fans or dehumidifiers in damp areas of your home to reduce excess moisture.
Keep Your Kitchen Clean
Kitchens are a favorite hangout spot for small flies, so it’s important to take steps to make this room less welcoming.
- Keeping your drains clean is key to avoiding drain flies. Use a microbial cleaner that will digest the film where drain flies live and breed.
- Store your produce in the fridge and not on your counters to avoid attracting fruit flies.
- Clean up crumbs and spills, and avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink.
- Remove trash regularly.
Take Care of Your Plants
Fungus gnats gravitate to houseplants because of the damp soil. Properly caring for your plants can help to prevent these pests.
- Avoid overwatering your plants. Wait to water them until the top few inches of soil becomes dry.
- Make sure that your pots have proper drainage to prevent water from building up in the pot.
- Before bringing a new plant home, make sure to check it for these pests.
How to Get Rid of Small Flies
If you’re dealing with a small fly infestation, there are things you can do to get rid of these pests. Check out a few tips to help kick small flies out of your home.
- Use a Plant-Based Insecticide Spray: Our plant-based Flying Insect Killer kills flies on contact and provides residual repellency. You can spray near areas where flies are likely to enter your home to help discourage them from heading inside.
- Treat Your Drains: Treating your drains can help to prevent and control drain flies. Our plant-based Drain & Fruit Fly Killer kills adult drain flies, fruit flies, sewer flies, and moth flies as well as their larvae and eggs. Apply 1-2 oz of the product to the drain, allowing the thickened formula to coat the sides of the drain.
- Use Fly Traps: Fly traps can also help to eliminate small fly infestations. Our Fruit Fly Trap attracts and kills fruit flies. You can place the trap in areas where you have seen fruit flies including near produce and your trash bin.
Flies buzzing around your home is an annoying sight. With a few preventative measures and the help of pest control products, you can keep these pests from bugging you. If you’re dealing with small flies or other pests, we’re here to help! For a more environmentally and family-friendly solution, check out our Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective™ Pest Control products.