For minor infestations (e.g., you've only noticed a few drain flies), pouring boiling water down the sink may be an effective solution for you. This works by temporarily melting the FOG buildup that the drain flies live in and moving it down the drain line.
Combing, boiling water, vinegar and baking soda will kill drain flies, but will also help remove all the flies breeding ground which includes hair, grime and grease. It will create a chemical reaction and an clear the blockages caused by organic matter in the drainpipe.
The process of getting rid of drain flies is generally pretty simple. Usually, boiling water or baking soda and vinegar are enough to flush out their nest and send them on their way.
Apple cider vinegar with a drop of dish soap: leave in a shallow plate or bowl (I used a tiny fish bowl from thrift store) near drains to catch those flying around. They will fly in and drown. Replace every day or every other day as needed.
Peppermint, eucalyptus, and tea tree oils are especially beneficial. Pour a few drops of the chosen oil with water down the toilet. The oils' pungent aroma repels drain flies and disturbs their breeding cycle. To keep the solution effective, reapply it every few days.
Pouring boiling water is quite risky as it might lead to a steam burn or scalding. Another thing to keep in mind is what type of material you are pouring in into. If you have a porcelain sink, it is likely to crack due to the heat. All in all, pouring boiling water down your drain will only cause issues down the road.
Use Drain Cleaner
Certain drain cleaners, including Drano and foaming enzymes, can effectively kill these flies.
You can either clean the bin yourself or contact a professional bin cleaning company. Maggots and fly eggs can be killed by pouring over boiling water with a small amount of bleach.
Drain flies thrive in stagnant and standing water. Common sources include slow or clogged drains, rarely used and unused toilets, refrigerator drain pans, and standing water created by leaking pipes. They typically enter buildings through basements, windows, and drains.
The simple answer is yes but with a caveat. While bleach can kill drain flies and their larvae on contact, it's not the most effective method for long-term control. Bleach's caustic nature allows it to clean the drain pipes and kill some of the larvae.
Learn the Pest Biology
Knowing the life cycle helps you fight fly infestations. Life Cycle: Adult females lay 30–100 eggs in sludge around sewage and drainage areas. Eggs hatch in 32–48 hours, larval stage lasts 8–24 days, pupal stage 20–40 hours. Adults live about two weeks.
Drain flies, also known as moth flies or sewer flies, are small, hairy, moth-like insects measuring 2 to 5 millimetres long depending on the species. They are weak fliers and are often seen walking near breeding sites. Females lay 30 to 100 eggs in masses on the surface of breeding medium.
Indoor Use: Boil whole cloves in water to create a fly-repelling aroma that spreads throughout your home. Outdoor Use: Stick whole cloves into citrus fruits and place them on outdoor tables for a decorative and functional deterrent.
While this won't kill adult drain flies that have the biological defenses to withstand it, boiling water will kill larvae and eggs. Use a mixture of equal parts salt, baking soda, and vinegar, and pour it down your drain. The mixture may fizzle and foam, but it can also help clear out your drains.
Vinegar and baking soda: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar down the drain.
Flushing the area with hot water will sanitize the surfaces, killing the flies, larvae, and eggs.
Fly larvae can be killed with increased temperature. At 115° F, larvae begin leaving a substrate. At 120° or higher, they are killed. Compost temperature easily reach 140° F or higher.
If maggots have already made their way into your home, pour boiling water over them or sprinkle them with salt – this will instantly get rid of them for you. You can also try using fly bait or traps to catch and kill adult flies before they have a chance to lay eggs.
Mix equal parts of salt and baking soda (half a cup each), and pour down the drain, then follow with a cup of vinegar. Let it sit overnight. The chemical reaction will not only kill drain flies but also remove any grime or grease that might be acting as a breeding ground.
It turns out that soap and alcohol—the two main ingredients in Dawn Powerwash—are both great at killing insects. The soap clogs up insects' breathing tubes, essentially drowning them.
Another solution to more minor infestations is to pour one cup of vinegar with a half cup of baking soda down your drain. This will clear out the buildup in your drains, eliminating drain fly habitats. However, it still does not get to the root of bigger problems.
PVC drain pipes are more susceptible to damage from boiling water compared to other plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene, and of course metallic pipe materials.
Pour Boiling Water Down the Drain- Fruit flies can usually survive typical water flow down the drain, but boiling some hot water and pouring it down can kill flies and their eggs. This may be done a few times a week for a couple of weeks to make sure you kill any future generations of flies.
While it is okay to pour boiling water down sink drains, you should never use boiling water in your toilet, as the heat can cause the porcelain to crack. Instead, run your tub until the water is hot and fill a good-sized stockpot or bucket with it.